The first Kazakh woman journalist was Nazipa Segizbaykyzy Kulzhanova. She was born on July 27, 1887, in the town of Torgay. At that time, girls living in towns faced fewer obstacles to education than those living in rural villages. Gifted and determined, Nazipa graduated from the Russian-Kazakh Gymnasium in Kostanay in 1902 and taught at a teachers’ seminary from 1903 to 1904.
Nazipa deeply admired the poetry of the great Abai. Beginning on January 26, 1914, she organized a series of literary evenings dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the great poet’s death. These events attracted large audiences and promoted the art of poetry. Poems were recited, and readers and listeners were introduced to the poet’s literary legacy. The renowned Oriental studies scholar G. N. Potanin shared his impressions of these evenings at the Omsk Geographical Society, writing: “Indeed, the Kazakh people are very musical, with clear and resonant voices. The singers perform their songs with remarkable skill.”
