The Formation of Abdikerim's Personality
Master of Political Game
Baitik, Uzbek, and Abdikerim were destined to become masters of the political game. While the first believed he should not yield to anyone in military valor, and the second fought primarily through propaganda, diplomacy, and even bribery, the third, being a subtle and observant psychologist, skillfully smoothed over all rough edges, supported friends, swayed the undecided to his side, attracted others with his external appearance and personal charm, sharp mind, and reasoned speech. In other words, Abdikerim did not gamble everything for victory; he preferred to untie knots rather than cut through them. He also triumphed through his diligence, perseverance, patience, tenacity, and ability to navigate complex situations.
Abdikerim's famous ancestors sought to improve the world they came from while still remaining part of it. They can be called conduits of the driving forces of history that lay hidden in the depths of Kyrgyz society. Their aspirations included the unification of the Kyrgyz people, the cessation of internecine strife, and joining great Russia, which they saw as a guarantor of their people's prosperity. Abdikerim's dreams, however, were directed far into the future. In the colonial situation of Kyrgyz society, he found no object for improvement other than the destruction of this system, so that his dream of seeing his people free and equal could become a reality. Another common quality shared by fathers and children was their unwavering dedication to their goals and broad visions. Despite the differences in means and objectives, they were obsessed with the idea—like those who simply fulfilled the demands of the times, as well as those who were focused on the future.
In his childhood, Abdikerim received a wonderful home education and also graduated from a Muslim primary school, where he mastered the Quran and Arabic writing. Muslim education was mandatory for the children of the local nobility and was generally accessible to all who wished to learn. In Turkestan, there were about 6,300 Muslim schools and madrasahs, where more than 75,000 students studied. For Abdikerim, this was the second stage in understanding the world around him, as the first was completed in a home environment surrounded by numerous experienced mentors. It has already been mentioned that Abdikerim's grandfather's house was a place of frequent meetings and competitions among famous Kyrgyz akyns and manaschi, where he attended his first universities.
The Kyrgyz epic "Manas" had a tremendous impact on the formation of Abdikerim's personality, particularly as he passionately studied it until the end of his days, as his contemporaries testified. In it, he found answers to many questions that troubled him: for example, what actions should be considered honest and dishonest, what qualities an ideal leader should possess, what human wisdom consists of, what family psychology should be like, what love, strength, courage, and other human qualities that define a standard of behavior are. The epic extolled the ideals of caring for personal honor, courageous restraint, self-esteem, loyalty, steadfastness, attention to loved ones, disdain for cowardice, weakness, and betrayal, and respect for wisdom and age. Abdikerim's later life shows that he managed to cultivate most of these human qualities within himself.
Abdikerim Sydykov and His Ancestors
