The great Kazakh scientist, orientalist, historian, ethnographer, geographer, folklorist, educator, democrat. Shokan (real name is Mukhammedhanafia) Chingizuly Ualikhanov (he was born in November, 1835 in Kusmuryn fortification of the present Kostanay region, dead in April, 1865 near Altynemel settlement of the present Almaty region) is the great Kazakh scientist-educator, orientalist, historian, ethnographer, geographer, folklorist, educator, democrat. He graduated from Omsk Military school (1853). In childhood Shokan was interested in historical poems, tales, legends, stories, listened them attentively. Shokan Ualikhanov began his studies at Kusmurun in Kazakh school, where he studied Arabic. By tradition, according to which the son of Khan should know 7 languages, Shokan studied Arabic, Shagatay languages from the childhood, and later learned the Turkic languages of Central Asia. In 1847 father placed 12-years-old Shokan in Military school with the help of his Russian friends. The teacher of Russian literature, orientalist N.F. Kostyletskiy, exiled scientist Gonsevskiy, who was teaching history, literary man Lobodovskiy (a friend of childhood and the comrade of N.G. Chernyshevskiy) mainly, influenced spiritual growth of Shokan. Due to Kostyletskiy, Shokan started to be friends with I.N. Berezin in 1852. On behalf of Berezin Shokan wrote review for the book of Toktamys “Khan zharlagyna” (To Khan’s orders). This is his first scientific work. Thereafter, the teachers of the Military school and progressive intellectuals of Omsk noticed Shokan. Shokan was unceasingly reading books on the history and geography. In 1853 Shokan graduated from the Military school, he was promoted to cornet rank of mounted troops. He was appointed to serve as an officer of the regiment in the Siberian Cossacks army. In 1856 Shokan joined the military and scientific expedition, led by M.M. Khomentovsky. Expedition was instructed to investigate thoroughly the Kyrgyz land, to make a map of Issyk Kul surroundings.Disease (tuberculosis) began to progress and on the advice of doctors he returned to his native land in spring 1861. Unfortunately, Walikhanov succumbed to his illness on April 10, 1865 at the age of 29.
