AL-FARABI KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

A Comparative Analysis of the Philosophies of Abai

Kunanbayev and Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin: Two Poets, Two
Cultures, One Ideology

Specialty: Computer Science

Student: Bekele Samson Dawit
Course: Abai’s Teaching
Submitted to: Bailiyeva U.B.

Almaty, 2023
Abai Kunanbayev and Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin are both philosophical poets with strikingly similar
philosophies despite living in different historical periods and having different cultural backgrounds.
In this essay, I will compare their perspectives and examine their ideologies.
Abai hailed from a well-to-do family and attended a madrassa in his youth. However, he gravitated
towards Russian literature and secretly attended a Russian school against the strict rules of the
madrassa. Abai's poetry gift was quite prominent from a young age. He often sought the advice of
sages and poets, continually honing his skills. His work, which consists of poetry, essays, plays, and
composition, helped preserve and promote the culture of Kazakhstan. Before him, Kazakh literature
was kept oral and transcended generations through oral memorization. Thus, Abai is regarded as one
of the greatest figures in Kazakh literature and culture. He played a significant role in the way culture
and literature were preserved. His work dealt with themes of social and moral responsibility and
ethical issues. Also, it accentuated Kazakh nationalism. He insisted the Kazakh youth to embrace
education and learn from western ideologies while preserving their culture and values in order to be
self-sufficient and independent of foreign influences.
Tsegaye is an Ethiopian playwright, poet, and historian. He was born 32 years after Abai's death, but
they share a similar ideology. His work dealt with themes of historical tales and nationalistic
connotations. Tsegaye, like Abai, attended a religious (Christian) school in his youth, where he
learned Ge'ez – an Ethiopian equivalent of Latin. Unlike Abai, Tsegaye came from a low-income
family; his father was a soldier and his mother a clergy. He grew up in a village helping his family on
the farm. However, he stood out from other kids because of his skillful playwright abilities, which
were noticed in the local elementary school, just like Abai. At the young age of 13, his play was
staged and seen by Emperor Haile Selassie, the final Ethiopian monarch. Shortly after, Tsegaye
transferred to the prestigious British-Council-backed Wingate school, and from there, his education
excelled. He became an international student and won several scholarships. After studying law in
Chicago on a scholarship, he returned to his passion and traveled to Europe to study experimental
drama. Later, he returned to Ethiopia and directed the Ethiopian National Theater, cultivating
literature and developing literary talents. Furthermore, he established the Theatre Arts department at
Ethiopia's flagship educational institute, Addis Ababa University. At only twenty-nine, he won the
country's highest literary honor, and was given the title 'Poet Laureate', signifying his monumental
impact on Ethiopian literature.
Tsegaye was extremely patriotic. He was proud of Ethiopia's long history of independence and
cultural heritage. He hated politics and royalty, even after his success. He believed that the unity of
the Ethiopian people came before anything else. He was a man for the people, much like Abai.
Tsegaye was often beaten and abused by law enforcement and people who did not share his ideology.
Nonetheless, he often interacted with the common folk of Ethiopia to learn about his country and
people. He talked with peasants, patriots, soldiers, and even traitors. That is where he got his
inspiration from. But since it was a grueling period for Ethiopia, the comments he got were full of
melancholy and bitter memories. As a result, his work dwells on tragedy, unlike Abai, whose work
consists of different themes. Although Abai did not find his inspiration from the madrassa, it was in
the church institute Tsegaye learned about "qene", an Ethiopian form of poetry, that ignited his love
for poetry. And after joining the British school, he was introduced to western poetry, which further
fascinated him.
Although their ideologies are pretty similar, their writing styles are different. While Abai mostly used
animals as characters in his writing, Tsegaye used national heroes and figures in his works. Abai
conveyed moral, ethical and self-improvement lessons through his work, while Tsegaye mostly wrote
about the history, culture, democracy and human rights, and freedom of speech of Ethiopia. Abai was
known for his writings' musicality, elegance and deep meaning. In contrast, Tsegaye's works were
known for their political and social commentary and his ability to address complex themes and ideas
in his plays and poetry. Tsegaye strongly believed Ethiopia needed heroes and used his plays to
demonstrate what our ancestors went through for Ethiopia to continue existing. In doing that,
Tsegaye often made up his own powerful and expressive phrases that did not exist in the Amharic
language (Ethiopia's official language). Later in his life, he started leaning towards peace, human
rights and the dignity of humanity, which are the main ideologies of the great Abai. Both faced trials
in their journey as national literary figures in their respective countries. While Abai faced the Russian
expansion and domination of Russian culture over Kazakh culture, Tsegaye lived through three
regimes that drastically challenged the freedom of speech of the Ethiopian people. Both have openly
spoken out against them. And because of this, most of Tsegaye's work has been censored by all three
regimes.
In addition, Abai and Tsegaye were deeply committed to the education and empowerment of their
people. This is evidenced by the change they brought forth in their lifetime. During Abai's lifetime,
many socio-political and socioeconomic changes occurred, resulting in more educational
opportunities for Kazakh people. On the other hand, Tsegaye returned to Ethiopia to establish and
develop literary talents locally. Similar to how Abai is the father of written Kazakh literature,
Tsegaye decided to write about the commoner rather than religion and royalty, marking the
beginning of modern Ethiopian theatre.
Both poets were multilinguistic and understood the importance of language in preserving culture and
worked towards promoting their language. They also encouraged their fellow nationals to be
multilinguistic. Abai often emphasized the importance of being multilinguistic, and Tsegaye was
known to encourage his students to be multilingual while working in academia. Both poets used their
multilingualism to translate Western literary figures' works, which helped broaden the literary
landscape of their respective countries. Abai translated literary works to Kazakh from Russian,
English, and German, and Tsegaye translated to Amharic from English, French, German and Italian.
However, Tsegaye did not only translate literary works but also works on education, science, and
other subjects. They both created a bridge between their countries' literature and the world.
Both poets left an indelible legacy in their respective countries and cultures. Abai received many
awards for his work, including the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Stalin
Prize, and the State price of the Kazakh SSR, to name a few. Tsegaye was presented with the
Ethiopian Order of Merit, the International PEN award, and the World Academy of Art and Science
award, to name a few. Their works are read worldwide, and they are often celebrated even
posthumously. They birthed new literary forms and styles that had a lasting impact on their country's
literature. They are survived by their works, statues and memorials erected in their names.
It is quite surprising to see two poets from entirely different backgrounds, cultures, and even
religions share an astounding amount of similarities in their philosophies. Their principles were the
same: to stand for the people. They both chose a life of struggle for the sake of their people, and
because of their sacrifices, we are able to have literary figures that serve as a reference as we mold
the future of our nations. Their message continues to resonate with millions of people, their works
continue to be an inspiration for future generations, and their legacies will be remembered for a long
time.