Living in Sweden, kobyz performer and telecommunications specialist Zhuldyz Kydyrbayeva is one of the active figures promoting Kazakh culture abroad. She worked in Atyrau for many years before moving to Europe for professional reasons. At present, Zhuldyz Kydyrbayeva participates in various cultural events as a member of the Kazakh cultural association “Dostar” in Stockholm, presenting the art of the kobyz to a wide audience. In this interview, she shares her experience of adapting to life abroad, speaks about the activities of the Kazakh community, and highlights the importance of promoting national art.

– Good afternoon, Ms Zhuldyz! We are very pleased to meet you. Welcome to Kazakhstan! To begin with, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

– Good afternoon! Thank you very much. I am delighted that you have invited me for this interview. My name is Zhuldyz Kydyrbayeva, and I am originally from the city of Atyrau. I worked in Atyrau for 19 years, and four years ago I moved to Sweden for professional reasons.

– Which field are you currently working in?

– I previously worked in the oil industry, and I am now employed in the telecommunications sector.

– How did your relocation to Sweden go? Was it easy for you to adapt to a new environment?

– Since I moved for work, the host company in Sweden has provided comprehensive support. At first, I was offered temporary accommodation for three months. Stockholm is a large city, and finding permanent housing there can be quite challenging: there are many newcomers but few available flats. That was one of the first difficulties I encountered. Later, thanks to acquaintances, I managed to find a permanent place to live after about three months.

As for the language, I am currently learning Swedish. At work, we communicate in English. Sweden offers special Swedish language courses for foreigners, and I attend them regularly. When you move abroad, your sense of patriotism becomes especially strong. I studied in a Russian-language school, but now I am striving to gain a deeper command of the Kazakh language.

– Ms Zhuldyz, you are a kobyz performer. How did you come to this art form, and why did you choose this particular instrument?

– When I was ten years old, my father enrolled me in a music school and placed me in the kobyz class. Initially, I said, “I want to play the dombra.” But my father replied: “Many people play the dombra, but few play the kobyz. That is why you should choose the kobyz.”

That is how I began to learn this instrument. I completed five years of music school and received a diploma. Since then, the kobyz has accompanied me throughout my life. I currently play the prima kobyz, but I am also learning the kyl kobyz. When I was a child, our school did not have a kyl kobyz class, and there are certain differences between these instruments.

At cultural events held in Sweden, I most often perform on the prima kobyz. When I lived in Kazakhstan, I also never parted with the instrument — I took part in various concerts and events, performing musical pieces on the kobyz.

– Ms. Zhuldyz, when did you join the Kazakh cultural association “Dostar” in Stockholm, and in which events have you participated so far?

– I moved to Sweden in 2021. After that, I began looking for fellow Kazakhs — at first through Facebook. That is how I found the “Dostar” association and sent them a message. At that time, a film festival was taking place, in which they were involved. We met at that event, got acquainted, and I gradually started taking part in their other projects. Later, I performed on the kobyz and became a member of the community.

Speaking about our association, “Dostar” is an officially registered organisation. Its main purpose is to support Kazakh citizens who have recently moved to Sweden. Newcomers often have many questions, and we try to assist them by answering through Facebook or Instagram. For example, a number of students come to Sweden, including those studying for Master’s or Doctoral degrees. We do our best to help them adapt, offer practical advice, and provide moral support.

In addition, we are actively involved in cultural events. For instance, last year our Embassy and the Kazakh community “Dostar” jointly organised a two-day film festival, where films by Kazakh directors were screened. On the first day, the Embassy hosted a reception for its guests, and that evening I performed on the kobyz. After the performance, I spoke in English, explaining that the kobyz is a traditional Kazakh instrument with an ancient history and profound meaning. Many guests showed genuine interest — they approached me to ask what kind of instrument it was, how it was played, and they noted how beautiful its sound was. Over time, the local audience has become increasingly interested in the kobyz.

This year, we also organised the celebration of Nauryz. The event was attended not only by local residents but also by members of Dimash’s fan club in Sweden. These Swedes have a sincere interest in Kazakh culture — they regularly attend our events, admire the sound of the dombra and kobyz, and some have even learned a few words in Kazakh.

During the Nauryz celebration, members of the fan club took to the stage and recited one of Abai’s poems, which they had translated themselves from Kazakh into Swedish, preserving the rhythm and melody of the original. It was a very moving moment for us. Their respect and interest in Kazakh literature and culture truly touched and impressed us.

We also held another literary evening dedicated to the writer Dulat Isabekov. His book “Ystyq kün, yzğarly zhel, zhandy dala” (Hot Sun, Piercing Wind, Living Steppe) was translated into Swedish, and its presentation took place in one of the literary clubs. Unfortunately, the writer could not attend in person but joined the event online. The evening was held at a very high level.

I also performed at that event, playing several pieces on the kobyz and speaking in English about the instrument’s history and its significance in Kazakh culture. The audience’s reaction was very warm — they listened with great interest and later came up to ask questions such as, “What is this instrument? How do you play it? What is it made of?” In this way, we continue to take part in various cultural projects, introducing foreign audiences to the richness of Kazakh musical traditions.

– In general, how do local residents perceive the kobyz? How interested are young people in it?

– Many of my colleagues are foreigners. Sometimes, during meetings or informal gatherings, I play melodies on the kobyz to introduce them to Kazakh culture. When I offer, “If you like, I can show you our national instrument,” everyone always agrees with great enthusiasm. They really enjoy the sound of the kobyz. One of my colleagues even said, “This music reminds me of soundtracks from Hollywood films.”

I believe that one of the main responsibilities of Kazakhs living abroad is to promote our culture. First of all, we ourselves must know it well; secondly, we should share it not only with our fellow Kazakhs living overseas but also with local communities. That is my personal view.

In my opinion, to strengthen cooperation within the diaspora, it is important to develop such initiatives more actively — to organise language courses, cultural clubs, and literary evenings more frequently.

– What do you believe should be done to strengthen cooperation between Kazakh diasporas abroad? What advice could you offer?

– Generally speaking, enhancing cooperation is an important task not only for the Kazakh diaspora in Sweden but also for all communities abroad. Even simple gestures of interest and support through social media, such as Facebook or Instagram, already help bring us closer together.

Personally, I take part in online Kazakh language courses organised by the NJSC Otandastar Qory. I tell other Kazakhs in Sweden about these classes and invite them to join: “You should definitely try them — they’re useful and engaging.” The courses are offered not only from Russian into Kazakh, but also from English into Kazakh. This opportunity is especially valuable for children of Kazakh families living abroad, as many of them do not speak Russian and communicate only in English. Therefore, I regard the introduction of such courses as a highly significant form of support.

Recently, a volunteer joined our association and said, “I would like to teach young girls traditional Kazakh dances.” We were delighted to support her initiative — we found a suitable venue and helped organise the classes. The first lesson took place last week and was a great success — both parents and children were very pleased. This aligns perfectly with our mission: to help children maintain a connection with Kazakh culture and absorb it from an early age.

Moreover, we maintain contact with Kazakh communities in other countries, such as Denmark and Norway. We stay in touch, exchanging ideas and experiences — asking each other, “How do you organise your events?”, “What approaches work best for you?”, “What advice can you share?” In this way, we exchange experience, support one another, and discuss the possibility of organising joint events and mutual visits in the future.

– Thank you very much for your time and for sharing such an interesting and inspiring story!

 

Interview conducted by Aidanа Kerimbayeva