Where people of all nationalities are friends, peace rules, and prosperity requires freedom.
“Where people of all nationalities are friends, peace rules,
And prosperity requires freedom.”
Nursultan NAZARBAYEV
Dagestani people began coming to Kazakhstan in late 19th century. Nowadays, most of them live in Aktau, in Almaty, Atyrau, and Karagandy Regions. The following communities represent the Dagestani people here: Lezgians, Avars, Laks, Dargins, Kumiks, Nogais, Aguls, Tsakhur people, Rutuls, Tabasaran people, Tatts, Kubashins, Andi people, Chamalal people, and Godoberi people.
The first Dagestani Culture Center in Kazakhstan opened in Almaty in 1996. At present, there are five culture centers. The Dagestani people of Kazakhstan are active in every sphere of life, including agriculture, administration, and executive activity; they go to school, college, and university, do their military service, treat people’s diseases, build houses, teach, and naturally, being citizens of the republic, assert their rights and maintain adherence to the republican law.
Dagestani people founded the tobacco sovkhoz in Panfilov Village, Almaty Region. They initiated oil production and refining in Mangystau Region.
The classic Dagestani writer Ali Kayayev was buried in Kazakhstan. It was here that the first Caucasian astronaut, the son of whom Dagestan is proud, Musa Mansarov performed two space flights. The famous 20th century poet Rasul Gamzatov visited Kazakhstan several times.
We would like you to learn more about the brave merited heroes of the Great Patriotic War.
The Dagestani Batyrs of Kazakhstan
- Araz (Aleksandr) Mameduly Aliyev, Hero of the Soviet Union, guardsman, rifleman. Born in Tsiling, Kurakh Disrict, Dagestan, in 1922. Lezgian. When Araz was a child, his family moved to Aktobe, Kazakhstan. In January 1943, the Aktobe Military Commissariat called him up for military service. Aliyev served in Guards Rifle Regiment 296 at the Karelian Front. On June 22, 1944, he undertook to cross the Svir River near Lodeynoye Pole to locate the opponent’s shooting position at the opposite bank. Though their boat came under fires, he did reach the opposite bank and destroy the enemy’s gun team. Thus, he enabled his regiment to cross the river. According to a Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, Aliyev was awarded the title of a Hero of the Soviet Union, the Lenin Order, and the Gold Star Medal for his heroic deed.
- Imamat Asalikyzy Ibragimova, Hero of Socialist Labor. Born in Khurel, Dagestan, in 1928. In 1935, her parents and their two sons were sent into exile to Kazakhstan as kulaks. Imamat, who was seven years old, stayed with her grandmother in the Caucasus. She lived there and went to school until 1940, when she was brought to her parents working in a tobacco growing sovkhoz near Almaty. When the war broke out, the thirteen-year-old girl began to work in the tobacco industry. In spite of her young age, she was extremely hard working. She would over fulfill the plan by 2 or 3 times, making the avant-garde of the sovkhoz and an example to follow. In 1940, the twenty-one-year old Imamat was awarded the title of a Hero of Socialist Labor, the Lenin Order, and the Sickle and Hammer Gold Medal by a Decree of the Supreme Council of the USSR for her excellent performance. A year later, in 1952, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. She died in 2006.
- Yaragi Abdullakhuly Abdullayev was born in 1923. Having completed a seven years’ school course in his home village Unchukatl, he came to Akmola to work as a tinker in 1940. In July 1941, the Akmola Military Commissariat called him up for military service. He took a course at Semey Tank College. Abdullayev participated in battles near Moscow and was wounded. After treatment at Kostroma Hospital, he served at the front in Voronezh. He also took part in the Battle of Kursk. Having been commissioned Lieutenant, he was appointed tank commander. He suffered severe wounds in 1943 and died when his hospital was being bombed.
- Magomed Agayev was born in Dusrakh, Charodin District, Dagestan, on August 6, 1923. Having left primary school, he began to work in a kolkhoz. When the Great Patriotic War broke out, he volunteered to serve at the front and was sent to Ukrainian Military Detachment 3. He fought in battles near Rostov and Shakhtinsk as a machine gunner. He suffered severe wounds during one of the battles and was sent to hospital in Kislovodsk. At that moment his parents received woeful news – their son was claimed to have been killed. His letters would not reach his family. They did not know that he was alive until the war ended. He was awarded with a number of orders and medals. In 1946, he came home as a disabled person of group II. In 1947, he moved to Almaty to live with his elder brother. He worked as a tinker in the Zenith Artel and at the Metallobytremont Factory. He died in 2006 and was buried in Almaty.
- Kadi Kakiuly Alifendiyev was born in Yukhari Yarag, Magaramkent District, in 1928. Lezgian. He participated in trench digging and defensive organization. As a young man, he participated in various kolkhoz activities. He was awarded with the Medal for Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. In 1947, he moved to Baku to obtain higher education and work in oil industry. Several medals were awarded to him for his selfless labor. In 1953, he left Baku for Krasnovodsk to work as a driver. In 1959, he went to Shevchenko, where he eventually worked for 30 years. His dedicated work brought him the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
- Magomed Gassan-Gusseinuly Gassanov was born in Unchukatl, Laks District, Dagestan, on May 15, 1908. As a child, he learnt tin- and ironmongery from his father. Before war, he worked as a tinker in the Progress Artel, Omsk. During the Great Patriotic War, he served in Cohort 5, Guard Regiment 96, and Engineer Battalion. He fought in battles near Rostov-on-Don at the first Ukrainian Front, Ukraine. When the war was ended, he was in Hungary. His military labor brought him the Order of the Patriotic War, Class 2, the Medal for Courage, the Ushakov Medal, the Medal for the Defense of Moscow, and the Medal for the Victory over Germany. After the end of the war, he worked as a tinker at a military factory in Tallinn from 1945 to 1957. In 1957, he moved to Almaty with his family to work as a copper- and tinsmith at the Kirov Factory. He worked there for 23 years, till 1978, when he retired to enjoy his well-deserved rest. He brought up three sons and one daughter. He died in 1979 and was buried in Almaty.
- Sattar Magomeduly Gassanov was born to a peasant family in 1911. Having left primary school, he moved to Tashkent to work as a tinker. In 1941, the Tashkent Military Commissariat called him up for military service, which he did near Moscow. Having suffered wounds, he went to hospital and later fought in the Battle of Kalinin. He finished his military career in Poland. He was awarded with the Medals for Victory over Germany and for the Liberation of Warsaw. He moved to Almaty to work at a household device maintenance factory. He died in 1982.
- Gaid Imramuly Imranov was born to a peasant family in 1910. He obtained a five-year’s education in Unchukatlin School. Having learnt the trade of tinker at an early age, Gaid spent the period from 1927 to 1933 working in the Universal Artel, Omsk. In 1933, the Omsk Military Commissariat called him up for military service, which he did as a radiotelegraph operator in a detached battalion connected to Special Rifle Division 73, Siberian Military District. Having returned to Unchukatl in late 1935, he worked as a collective farm worker in the Red Star Kolkhoz. In 1939, he moved to Omsk to work as a tinker for the EPD railway till 1940. In 1940, he went to Akmola. He worked as a tinker at the District Food Trust. In July 1941, the Akmola Military Commissariat called him to arms. He served at the West Front till March 1942, working as the radio telegraph operator of Rifle Regiment 1322, Military Division 413. Having suffered severe would, he spent the period from March to May 1942 in hospital in Moscow. From May 1942 to April 1943, he served as a radio rifleman in Special Rifle Brigade 123 in the Volkhov Battle. From April to June 1943, he was in Leningrad Hospital. From June 1943 to October 1945, he was a Staff Sergeant serving in Special Regiment 123 and a radio officer at the Leningrad Front. Being a valiant soldier, he was awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War, class 1, the Medals for Courage, for the Defense of Leningrad, for the Defense of Moscow, for Victory over Germany, and for the Capture of Königsberg. He worked as a tinker for Akmola Railway from 1945 till 1965. Having resided, he moved to Kaspiysk, Dagestan in 1965, where he died in 1992.
- Musa Magomeduly Suleymenov was born to a peasant family in 1911. Having left school in his home village, he learned copper smothery from his relatives and later became a tinker. He lived in Tashkent. In 1941, the Tashkent Military Commissariat called him up for military service, which he did in battles near Ukraine. He suffered wounds and, having been discharged from hospital, fought at the Belarussian Front. He ended the war in Poland. Suleymenov was awarded with the Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw and the Medal for the Victory over Germany. In 1945, when the war had ended, the family moved to Almaty, where he worked in his specialization at an amenity complex. He died in 1980.