Ay Qap
Ay Qap was a Kazakh journal of opinion and debate published in Troitsk from January 1911 until September 1915 under the editorship of Muxametžan Seralin. It brought together well-known nationalists and reformists, progressivist thinkers and scholars, educators and writers, such as Akhmet Baytursinuli, Alikhan Bokeikhanov, Mirjaqip Dulatuli, Mäšhür Žüsip Köpeev, Maġžan Žumabaev, Beyimbet Maylin and many others. Articles focused mainly on questions related to the modernisation of the Kazakh customary society, Russian politics, land redistribution and educational issues. It also published a lot on Kazakh language and literature. Along with Qazaq, Ay Qap played an important role in the development of the intellectual and political life among early 20th century Kazakhs.
It was an independent journal and relied fully on sales and subscriptions. Issued at first monthly and then twice a month, it published eighty-eight issues. Publication was stopped because of financial problems and political pressure.
The journal was printed in Arabic script. The language displays features common to the literary language in use at that time among Central Asian and Volga intellectuals mixed with more typically Kazakh elements.
The original articles have been recently reprinted in Cyrillic script with a thematic index and a general introduction.
