Abai's Works for the first time presented in Norwegian

OSLO. KAZINFORM The Oslo House of Literature hosted a presentation of the Book of Words and Selected Poetry of Abai Kunanbaiuly in Norwegian language (Abais dikt og visdomsord). This work is the first example of Kazakh classical literature translated into Norwegian, the Kazakh MFA’s press service reports.

«President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev refers to the legacy of Abai as «a sacred value that opens the way to unity as a nation and the development of our people». We dedicate this volume of Abai in the Norwegian language to the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence, which we mark this year,» said Yerkin Akhinzhanov, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Norway, at the presentation.

The Tajik-Norwegian author and literature professor Lutfiya Boboyorova translated the works of Abai. Chief editor Åshild Kolås, a Norwegian scholar, contributed with a biographical chapter. The book is released by Sirkel Forlag publishing house.

«Abai was a strong social critic, but he was primarily concerned with existential issues. His Book of Words is a significant part of the world's literary heritage,» Kolås said.

«He was a great connoisseur of literature. Abai was inspired by Oriental classical authors such as Ferdowsi, Nizami, and Navoi, as well as Russian greats such as Lermontov, Tolstoy, and Pushkin and Western poets like Goethe and Heine. He wrote about timeless questions that are as relevant today as they were 120-150 years ago,» Boboyorova explains.

The book has been published in 1,500 copies and distributed in Norwegian libraries, bookstores, and digital platforms. The publication is also presented at the London Book Fair.