The «Golden Stool» literary club in AUCA has proposed its representative from Kyrgyzstan for the 80th Congress of the PEN-club

September 11, 2014

 

From September 24^th to the 26^th, Bishkek will host the 80^th Congress of the PEN-club. Young author Kasim Bazil will represent Kyrgyzstan in this literary forum; he was selected from the “Golden Stool” literary club of American University of Central Asia. Such a large-scale event will be held for the first time not only in Bishkek, but also in the whole CIS. Kyrgyzstan is very proud of being the host for this event.

 

The International PEN-club was created in 1921 in London by novelist and playwright John Galsworthy, and became the most famous writers’ union in the world. The PEN-club’s Charter states: “Literature doesn’t know borders and must be a means of communication between nations, despite political revolutions or international tensions. In any circumstances and especially in war time, art, cultural heritage in a wide sense must not suffer from national or political ambitions”.

 

The idea of hosting the international congress in Kyrgyzstan belongs to the Bishkek PEN-center. However, during the preparations it was realized that nobody in the literary field could represent the Kyrgyz Republic. At that time, the organizing team of the Congress appealed to Nikolai Shulgin, Dean of Students at AUCA and founder of the «Golden Stool» literary club.

 

In the American University of Central Asia, the «Golden Stool» literary club has been meeting for 10 years.

Mr. Shulgin says that there are no two clubs alike. “There is discussion filled, noisy, debate clubs. Our literary club is silent, it includes just several people. We, the staff members of the Student Office do conduct an annual literary contest. As much as possible we involve AUCA students in the organization of the event, but have made sure they are not contestants and can’t have an influence on results, and do this job from the bottom of their heart like volunteers.

 

Everything has begun inside of the university; we had announced the contest among students. At same time it became clear that there are not so many writers, in AUCA as well. There was a dream to publish a book and it had funds, but we couldn’t publish it because we hadn’t found enough literary materials, readable writings, which could be reread again and again.

 

For 10 years until now, no literary contest for young people has taken place in Kyrgyzstan, not one. Neither government nor writers association, only our office could organize it. The government doesn’t have enough funds for this. We conduct it without money, or we find sponsors from outside, or call international organizations. When we were absolutely cashless, we had to pay from our own pockets.

 

We don’t do tea parties, we don’t climb up the table and don’t read prose works. Our approach to literature is new and creative; everyone can read, but we to the contrary have decided to write.

 

All our authors are literary children; it is very seldom that people are beginning to write. When children among adults begin to recite rhymes, adults put them on the stool because it is difficult to see them, and they become higher and more visible. And the Golden Stool is also for authors, in order for them to stay visible.  One of the slogans says: ”stand higher, get on the stool”. We offer the chance for young people to write. Young people must be able to publish, even their poor works, and to see their printed words on the paper. This contest is a path, it braces up and inspires.

 

PEN-club was asked to nominate Kyrgyz writers for attending the international forum. We analyzed books and selected 6 authors, and recommended them for examination. Andrew Wachtel, AUCA president, translated these writings to English” – said Mr. Shulgin.

 

“It is difficult to me to make an appraisal of literature’s degree in this country, because I’m not able to read well enough in Kyrgyz language in order to judge about product quality. But one thing is definitely evident, modern literature is almost invisible in this country. There are a lot of visual art and design, but I just can’t see forums for young writers (or even for famous writers) to submit their works. In Slovenia, where I lived almost one year between 1995 and 1996, writers’ unions play a very important role in the encouragement of writing, organizing contests and festivals, and translating other writings. I can’t see that the Kyrgyz Union of writers is doing something; they sit next to our building. Thus, writing is just a hobby; only several people who are busy with it do it just for prestige and any payments. Within the framework of nation constructing, the Kyrgyz government must do much more in order to assist the production of high quality literature in the Kyrgyz language.

 

There is one exception, an annual meeting of young writers that Nikolai Shulgin has carried out for the past 5 years. All writers, selected as laureates for the New Voices” contest (within the framework of the 80th Congress of the PEN Club) have won this contest, which means that their writing is recognized as high quality. And I agree that the quality of writings which I had a chance to translate was high, especially prose. I also agree with judges, they chose Kasim Bazil’s story, as it was the most forceful among finalists. He wrote in a free and easy style, with a very important theme – people’s tendency to expect that somebody should do something for them, when they must do it themselves.

 

Literary clubs, like those in AUCA, are very good opportunities for students interested in literature, they can have chance to exchange experiences, to get constructive criticism, and to find a target audience. I would like there to be many such groups and that they will become well known. This meeting with the International PEN-club has these purposes” – said Andrew Wachtel, AUCA President.

 

Kasim Bazil – this name is a pseudonym. He is the finalist in nomination of the “New Voices” contest. Before he joined the PEN-club, Kasim has many times published his writings within the network of Golden Stool. He has written short stories or the last 7 years, but his profession is as an economist. Kasim is always incognito, and never reveals real names and photos.

 

“It was extremely unexpected, as I take my literary activity very ironically. It always seemed to me, that a completely different degree of creative skills is required to take part in such contests. And of course, success of this writing for the contest is 99% on the translator’s merit. You know, I read this story in original Russian language, and have realized that it is very difficult to translate. I wrote this story 5 years ago. I was worried about trends in society. I had a blog, and many of my texts “walked around” various social-political problems. “Great Five” – it is a big punch to my own dreams about a miracle; it is a punch to my faith that someone kind and beautiful will come and will make everything OK. Sometimes it happens, when a man in the process of writing opens for himself a hidden up till now answer. The same happened here, it dawned upon me during the writing for the text. I think I don’t have any story in a generally accepted literary meaning. My creative work is closer to cock-and-bull stories, essays and humoresques. Low, very low prose – it is a territory in which I feel myself free” – said Kasim.

 

A fragment from Kasim’s text:

“Gena from Vinogradnaya street – is first, and everything seems to indicate that he is the last Buddhist in Chon-Aryk, believed that these five are emanation of Buddhas. We didn’t know what it means, the word “emanation”, but we feel from the heart that it is something not good. “They are arkhating monks, and their life is the cleansing of karma and approximation of satori. It was more difficult. We didn’t know words “arkhat”, “karma” and “satori”, that is why we added in our heads terrible things, because arkhat is very consonant to arkhar – wild ram. And we imagine something horned, bald-headed and awfully incomprehensible. “Goats, you are goats! You will see them near the river and will hear their mondo and understand that Amitabhare incarnated in Chon-Aryk”” – said he in a rage. What does it mean, we still don’t know, there are too many new words”.

 

“PEN-club is a very influential organization, considering that it is not engaged with any political party. For me personally it is a great honor. A contest created by me and implemented by our team was not a requirement for anyone. There is an underestimation of the cultural factor, and its’ impacts on social things. Culture is the starting point for everything; it gives you shape as an individual.

 

PEN-club wasn’t squeamish about our writers when we nominated them. It was very pleasant for us, when we opened this writing, and in some places we edited it. I caught and understood that points that the author wanted to get across. PEN-club obtained a man, a representative of Kyrgyzstan in the international forum from our university, this contest, and our Golden Stool club” – concluded Mr. Shulgin.

 

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