Poet and playwright J. Bokonbaev was born on May 16, 1910 — July 1, 1944, in the village of Mazar-Sai in what is now the Toktogul district of the Osh region, into a poor family. Having lost his parents at an early age, he was raised in the Kogart orphanage near Jalal-Abad from 1924 to 1926.
From 1926 to 1931, he studied first at the Osh and then at the Frunze Pedagogical Technical Schools, and from 1933 to 1935 — at the Communist Institute of Journalism in Moscow.
From 1931 to 1933, he worked as head of a department at the editorial office of the newspaper "Kyzyl Kyrgyzstan," and from 1935 to 1941 — as editor of the newspaper "Leninchil Zhash," and as chief editor of the magazine "Soviet Literature and Art."
In 1941, J. Bokonbaev voluntarily joined the ranks of the Soviet Army and became the editor of the divisional newspaper "For the Motherland, Forward!".
In 1927, a poem by J. Bokonbaev titled "Jer alğan kedeilerge" ("To the Poor Who Received Land") appeared in the Osh canton newspaper. It was dedicated to one of the significant events in the life of Kyrgyz peasantry — the land-water reform in southern Kyrgyzstan. In 1933, his first poetry collection "Emgek telu" ("The Beginning of Labor") was published. He was the first among Kyrgyz poets to introduce images of workers and enthusiasts of industrial construction in the republic into Kyrgyz literature.
A significant role in the poet's work was played by his poem "Altyn kyzy" ("Golden Girl"), published in 1935. Based on its plot, a musical drama, the librettos of the operas "Ai-Churek," "Toktogul," and the play "Semetey" were created. In 1939, during the first decade of Kyrgyz art and literature in Moscow, "Altyn kyzy" and "Ai-Churek" were presented to the capital's audience. The poem "Golden Girl" was published in 1936 in Russian. Subsequently, several editions of J. Bokonbaev's works were published in Russian. A number of the poet's works were included in the anthology of native literature for Kyrgyz schools and humanitarian faculties of universities in the republic. Many poems, set to music, became beloved songs of the Kyrgyz people.
The poet is also credited with translations of several works by Sh. Rustaveli, A. S. Pushkin, M. K. Lermontov, and others into Kyrgyz.
A member of the CPSU since 1934, a member of the Union of Soviet Writers since 1934.
Awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.
The poet tragically died during a business trip while preparing for the filming of a movie based on the epic "Manas."
In the capital of the republic, Frunze, there is a monument to Joomart Bokonbaev on Dzerzhinsky Boulevard. Several streets in the capital, the district center of the Ton district in the Issyk-Kul region, a state farm in the Toktogul district, a pedagogical college in Osh, many schools and libraries, as well as streets in villages and cities of the republic are named after the poet.
SEPARATE PUBLICATIONS
in Kyrgyz
Altyn kyzy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1933. — 48 p. Golden Girl.
Emgek telu: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1933. — 25 p. The Beginning of Labor.
Ak altyn menen kara altyn: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1934. — 40 p. White and Black Gold.
Dobulbas: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1935. — 80 p. Storm Petrel.
Altyn kyzy: Poema jana yrlard. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1934. — 32 p. Golden Girl.
Joomarttyn yrlary. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1936. — 178 p. Poems of Joomart.
Altyn kyzy: Poema. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1938. — 79 p. Golden Girl.
Kомuz: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1938. — 142 p.
Aichurek: 6 suréttuu opera. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 16 p. Moon Beauty.
Altyn kyzy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 58 p. Golden Girl.
Bal'dar uchun yrlard. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 23 p. Collection of Children's Poems.
Kargasha. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 31 p. Barrier.
Toktogul. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 50 p.
Toktogul'dun emuru. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 78 p. Life of Toktogul.
Yrlard. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1939. — 212 p. Poems.
Aichurek: 6 suréttuu opera. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1940. — 16 p. Moon Beauty.
Toktogul'dun omuru. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1940. — 80 p. Life of Toktogul.
Burkut taczshydy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1941. — 66 p. Song of the Eagle.
Shumkar yry. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1942. — 51 p. Song of the Falcon.
Ajal menen ar-namys. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1943. — 38 p. Death and Honor.
Kagylayyn tuugan zher: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1943. — 48 p. Native Land.
Chabuul: Jatsy yrlard. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1944. — 32 p. Offensive.
Yrlard jana poemalar jıynagy. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1946. — 355 p. Collection of Poems and Poems.
Chyg'armalarynyn toluq jıynagy: 2 tomduk: 1-t. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1950. — 343 p. Complete Works.
Chyg'armalar: 2-t. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1954. — 272 p. Works.
Ajal menen ar-namys: Poema. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1958. — 76 p. Death and Honor.
Chepten erdin kuchu bek: Yrlard, tamcildar jana poemalar. — Fr.; Kyrgyzokupedmambas, 1959. — 92 p. The Strength of the Brave is Stronger than the Fortress.
Chyg'armalar. — Fr.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1960. — 319 p. Works.
Omur: Yrlard. — Fr.: Kyrgyzokupedmambas, 1960. — 136 p. Life.
Kyrgyzdyn Ala-Toosu: Yrlard jıynagy. — Fr.: Mektep, 1968. — 74 p. Kyrgyz Ala-Tuu.
Tandalg'an chyg'armalarynyn 2 tomdugu: 1—2-t. — Fr.: Kyrgyzstan, 1973. — 532 p. Selected Works in 2 Volumes.
Altyn kyzy: Drama. — Fr.: Mektep, 1976. — 48 p. Golden Girl.
Ajal menen ar-namys: Poema. — Fr.: Mektep, 1979. — 40 p. Death and Honor.
Tandalmalar: Yrlard jana poemalar. — Fr.: Kyrgyzstan, 1980. — 328 p. Selected.
Torgoy menen zhagalmai: Tamcildar. — Fr.: Mektep, 1983. — 28 p. Lark and Hawk.
in Russian
Golden Girl. — Fr.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1936. — 39 p.
Kомуз: Selected Poems. — Moscow: Sov. writer, 1947. — 95 p.
Selected Poems. — Fr.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1955. — 68 p.
Selected: Poems and Poems. — Fr.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1958. — 319 p.
Lark and Hawk: Fables. — Fr.: Mektep, 1984. — 32 p.
