Oralkhan Bokeyev (1943-1993) was born on September 28 in the Chingistay village of the Katon-Karagay area. In 1961 in Chingistay after the termination of S.Toraygyrov high school he worked as a pioneer leader, and later –as a tractor operator of Altay state farm.
In 1968 graduated from the Kazakh State University. Worked in editorial offices of the Enbektuy Bolshenarymsk regional newspaper and the Communism tuy East Kazakhstan regional newspaper. Since 1968 lived in Almaty, worked in the editorial offices of the Leninshi lzhas youth newspaper and the Zhulduz magazine. In 1991 was appointed the editor-in-chief of the Kazak adebiety newspaper.
His first collection of stories Kamchiger, was published in Almaty in 1970, and brought recognition to the beginning writer.
Every line of Bokeyev’s books is love confession to the native land. His land is a surprising, peculiar world in the East of the republic. Deep Bukhtarma River, Altai Ridges with a snow cap. Here are sources, roots, and unfading impressions of the childhood.
Heroes of his works by origin, by the nature of occupations are native rural (aul) inhabitants: shepherds, reindeer breeders, machine operators, foresters, adult and absolutely young. They are people with strongly national character, and spirit. Men and women, old and young, all of them struggle with secrets and riddles of human life, over eternal and fatal with spirit problems.
All Bokeyev's prose is directed to reflections about good and evil, about force and bravery, about true and imaginary moral values.
Oralkhan Bokeyev was a master of a magic word. He had a surprising intuition for a choice of a form, a facet of the works. Lines of his prose flow widely and freely.
His books were published in German, Slovak, Bulgarian, English, Hungarian, Arab, Chinese, Japanese languages, and also in languages of the people of the CIS.
O. Bokeev was the winner of the State award of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an award of Lenin Komsomol of Kazakhstan, a literary award of N. Ostrovsky, awards of Molodaya gvardiya and Zhalyn publishing houses. He had government awards. Bokeyev was an honorary citizen of the Katon-Karagay area.
Died in the month of May, 1993 during his creative assignment to India.
