The language of the heart: how employees of HPP Cascade discovered the beauty of the Kazakh language
Within the festivities of Nauryz, a special marathon – “Men kazaksha soyleimin” – was held at the HPP Cascade. This is not just a challenge, but a real dialogue of cultures, which united 20 participants of different nationalities. Colleagues plunged into the world of the Kazakh language, proverbs and poetry, proving that language is not only a means of communication, but also a bridge linking the past with the future.
Project author Gulnaz Merembai, an engineer at ASUP, revealed the secrets of the preparation:
“We divided the marathon into three blocks so that everyone could find his or her own way to the language:
1. “Bir makal – bir chocolate aydary” – we learn proverbs! Colleagues of other nationalities memorized wise sayings, and for their efforts they won “Kazakhstan” chocolate bars.
2. Kazak propaganda – surprise interviews in Kazakh language! The participant in a T-shirt “Kazaksha soyle” (Speak Kazakh) asked colleagues questions, and they pleased with knowledge, and sometimes they were nicely embarrassed.
3. Verse “Otan” by Mukagali Makatayev – to arouse the patriotism. Everyone read the passage, penetrating into the meaning of the lines. Initially, we wanted to reward only the proverb tellers, but we decided to give chocolate to everyone for their courage!
Evgeny Krasnoshchekov, an engineer for the organization of equipment operation and repair, one of the active participants, shared:
“It is an honour to participate in such a marathon. But for me it is more than a project. As the proverb says: “Til kadirin bilmegen, oz kadirin bilmeydi”(“Who does not value the language, he does not value himself”). The Kazakh language is boundless and very interesting, the language of Abai Kunanbayev, Mukagali Makatayev, our great ancestors. To learn this language means to uplift our Motherland. I wish everyone to discover its boundless depth!”
Lyudmila Kurbatova, a participant of the marathon, confessed: “It was easier to film others than myself. At first, I thought: “Well, it’s just language and phrases…”. But when I got in the film myself, I was anxious! I am glad that my colleagues have revealed themselves in a new way. It’s true that many of them still have a modest level of Kazakh, but it’s a start. Such projects ignite interest! It is also a breath of creativity in the work routine, especially during the budget preparation period.
Despite their busy schedules, employees found time to learn proverbs, recite poems and laugh at funny moments. Oleg Chekhov, head of the logistics department, after receiving a chocolate bar, joked: “Now both sweetness and knowledge of Kazakh language are in one package”. And the author of the video, Gulnaz, added:
“We thank the management for their support! Even a small project is important when it’s about a bigger thing – about love of language and country”.
The marathon ended, but its echo remained. The participants agreed to continue learning the language, and the idea with proverbs may develop into a permanent column. “Remember: even one memorized word is a step towards mutual understanding”, Eugene reminded them.
This project became not just a challenge, but a sincere conversation in the language of culture, traditions and heart. After all, as Makatayev said:
“Til beyne zhurekten shugady.
Zhurekten shykkkan soz – mangilikke zhazady”
(“Language is born from the heart. Words coming from the heart are written for eternity”).
HPP Cascade has proven: when language becomes a part of the soul, work becomes a big family where everyone is important and traditions are alive.
Look at video https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zIYB27ukDKk
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WkSiLtUTOMo