How did contact with Russia affect the development of written Kazakh literature?

Contact with Russia significantly transformed the development of written Kazakh literature, particularly during the 19th century as the Russian conquest of the region neared completion. This influence manifested in two primary ways:1

• Preservation of Oral Traditions: Members of the tribal aristocracy began to systematically collect and document Kazakh folklore and oral literature, which had previously been the dominant literary form.123
• Emergence of Written Literature: Under the influence of Western and Russian culture, the first Kazakh written literature began to emerge. Intellectuals like Shoqan Walikhanov, who received a full Russian education, and Abai Qunanbayuly were central to this shift. Abai, in particular, urged Kazakhs to blend their native traditions with Russian culture, integrating Russian literary models—such as the works of Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov—into his own poetry.13

By the early 20th century, this foundation led to the introduction of prose, short novels, and drama, alongside the rise of Kazakh-language newspapers that further fostered modern literary and political discourse.12