There are many famous people from South Kazakhstan region: writers, athletes, scientists and artists. Biographies of them have been studied in detail. There is one name among them, which has beautiful legends. It causes difficulty, because you cannot to differentiate the truth from the exaggeration. The name of this legendary wrestler is Kazhymukan, who is known to every schoolchild in Kazakhstan. However, only few people know about his life and victories in sport in detail. Meanwhile, the life of the great Kazakh athlete is amazing and full of interesting pages, which shows fortitude and love to Homeland without any legends. The life of the great fighter is presented in detail in the Regional Sport Museum named after Kazhymakan.
Kazhymukan Munaitpasov - famous Kazakh wrestler and circus artist. He repeatedly (in 1908, 1909, 1911, 1913 and 1914) won the world championships in Greco-Roman wrestling among professionals. First Kazakh, who won the title The World Champion in French wrestling, and repeatedly defeated in the world, Russian, regional, and then the all-Union championships in Greco-Roman wrestling among heavyweights. He was the owner of about fifty awards and medals.
During the Great Patriotic War, Kazhymukan collected funds to help the army with his performances and gave to front a plan, which was named after Amangeldi Imanov. Despite to all his honors in front of country, he was left without supporting of local authorities at the end of his life. He died from pneumonia in 1948, as soon as he lived in a poor condition.
Museum of the great Kazakh wrestler is located in the Temirlan village, Ordabasy district, South Kazakhstan region. Kazhymukan spent last years of his life in this village. Monument to the great athlete was established in the center of the village.
The museum was opened in the eighties of the last century. It was in a small and unsuitable room for many years.
A great building of museum with dome arena was built by the help of sponsors in Temirlan village, 2001.
The construction looks like a circus, where Kazhymukan often performed. The museum, which dedicated to him, finally moved to a new comfortable place. It allows increasing expositions and presenting visitors new exhibits.
Museum of Kazhymukan is interesting with expositions, which present original things and awards of the great wrestler. A large number of collected documents, photos and materials tell about his glorious life.
The exhibition has three unique exhibits- 2 orders and 1 medal. "Golden Lion and the Sun" order was handed to Kazhymukan by Prince of Persia in 1910, for his victory in the final battle with the champion of Persia - Marshrut. "Welfare" order of Manchuria was given to Kazhymukan for the victory of Japan champion - Sarakiki Dzhinndofu. Medal was for victory at the international tournament in Lithuania, 1913. Engrave "K. Mukan" was on the back of each medal and orders.
Due to efforts of museum staff, these awards were purchased from Academician Alimkul Burkitbayev for 1 million 200 thousand tenge. A.Burkitbaev gained them at auction "Sports Trophy" in St. Petersburg, 1993. Unfortunately, it is only a small part of the 48 awards of legendary wrestler.
Kazhymukan left about 20 awards for pledge to his Baltic wrestler friend - Weiland Schultz in order to leave the Baltic, because of his father's funeral in Akmola, 1914. Two orders and a medal were put up for auction "Sports Trophy" by descendants of Weiland Schulz. The fate of other awards is unknown. The museum continues searching works.
In addition, the museum plans to purchase posters with the name of a great fighter and his belt, which was decorated with gold circular plates. It was transferred there from the waist Shah of Persia at that time.
Other valuable and original exhibits of Kazhymukan are two-pounds of weight, which Kazhymukan used in his performances in the circus, and a huge 350-pound stone that was put up in front of the audience by him during the war time.
Museum of Kazhymukan was a branch of Shymkent regional museum of ethnography. The status has changed and now it is a separate museum, which has its own budget.
It is noteworthy that among the staff of the museum is the great-granddaughter of the great fighter, she worked as a guide.
The museum named after Kazhymukan has several thousands of visitors each year. It is always open for those, who want to learn biography and glorious path of the great Kazakh sport hero.
State Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum “Azret Sultan” presents whole range of archaeological and architectural monuments. The ancient Turkestan city (the historical name Yassa), where is located the reserve museum, is literally surrounded by priceless monuments of the past. It allowed becoming a kind of symbol of the medieval history of Kazakhstan, and the center of pilgrimage and historical tourism.
This small museum can certainly be added to the list of the most interesting and unique museums in Kazakhstan. Geographical location, history of creation and a narrow thematic orientation make it unusual. Historical museum of the cotton economy is located 230 kilometers from Shymkent, in a small village Atakent, Maktaaral district, the South Kazakhstan region.