October 5, 2017, the Republican expedition to the sacred places of Northern Kazakhstan started on the route Astana-North Kazakhstan-Astana. The expedition was headed by Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of ENU named after L.N. Gumilyov Dossymbayeva Aiman Medeubayevna. The working group included deputy head of the RC "Sacred Kazakhstan" Batyrkhan Zhumabayev, researchers Kundyzai Yerimbetova (Institute of the history of the state), Bekzat Irina (scientific institute "Halyk Kazynasy"), and Arman Suleimenov (Internet portal "History of Kazakhstan").

From the early morning of October 5, members of the expedition actively joined the work process, met with representatives of local executive bodies, gave interviews to the media of the North-Kazakhstan region. In the "Actual Question" program of the Municipal TV and Radio Channel, Professor Aiman Dossymbayeva explained what is meant by the term "sacred", noted that the discoveries of archaeologist V.F. Seibert in the Botay settlement corresponds to this concept.

The deputy head of the RC "Sacred Kazakhstan" Batyrkhan Zhumabayev told about the purpose and tasks of the scientific expedition, objects of the sacred geography of Northern Kazakhstan.

Kundyzai Yerimbetova and Arman Suleimenov spoke at the Kazakhstan-Petropavl TRC.

Then, in the museum "Residence of Abylay Khan" a round table was held, dedicated to the start of the first republican expedition "Sacred Kazakhstan" in the territory of the North-Kazakhstan region. The event was attended by the head of the apparatus of the akim of the North Kazakhstan region, representatives of the regional department of culture, scientists, and representatives of the creative and scientific intelligentsia, local historians, and media representatives.

The head of the apparatus of the akim of the North-Kazakhstan region Kozhakhmet Madyar Dussembayuly congratulated the North-Kazakhstanis with the beginning of the expedition and expressed pride that the expedition was started from Petropavlovsk. Using the opportunity, he congratulated a well-known archeologist V.F. Seibert with his 70-year anniversary.

After the official part, the participants of the expedition met with a working group of representatives of the North-Kazakhstan region on the program "Sacred Kazakhstan". The deputy head of the Department of Culture, Archives and Documentation of the North Kazakhstan Region Zaure Talapkerovna Nurmukanova opened the meeting and told about the work done.

The experts gave their characteristics to all the objects that were offered to the list of sacred monuments of the North Kazakhstan region: the memorial complex of Karassay and Agyntay Batyrs, located in Aiyrtau district, the Botay settlement, the Syrymbet estate, the museum complex "Abylay Khan Residence", the mausoleum of Kozhabergen zhyrau, which is located in Zhambyl district, the village of Blagoveshchenka.

A well-known local historian, professor of the North Kazakhstan SU named after M. Kozybayev Zarkyn Syzdykovich Taishybai introduced a proposal to include in the list of sacral objects of Northern Kazakhstan an amazing and unique archaeological monument - the site of the ancient settlement of Ak-Iriy. Settlement of the early Iron Age was discovered by scientists in 1968 near the village of Dolmatov, but for many years system studies and excavations have not been conducted here.

Their opinions were expressed by scientists V.F. Seibert, L.A. Grivennaya, S.Z. Malikova and others. Specialists and local historians noted that among the monuments of republican importance, it is possible to include such archaeological and historical objects as, for example, the mausoleum of Kulsary batyr, one of the associates of Abylay Khan, the altar "Star of Kazakhstan", established in the village of Ozernoye of Taiynsha district.

After the working meeting the members of the republican expedition were introduced to the complex "Abylay Khan Residence". The deputy director of the museum complex Assemgul Kydbekova told about the unique exhibits of the museum.

October 6, 2017, a working group, accompanied by media representatives and employees of local executive bodies, visited sacred objects of national importance.

Village Ozernoye of Taiynsha district has several interesting objects. For example, in the local history museum collected things and documents telling about the life of the Poles, deported to North Kazakhstan in the 30 years of the last century.

And the priest Wojciech showed a convent, a church, a chapel, in which there is an exposition "The Star of Kazakhstan".

The next point of the trip was the Syrymbet Manor. It was built for the Khansha Aiganym in 1822-1827; here Chokan Valikhanov spent his childhood. The estate consists of several buildings: mosques, schools, mills, bath-houses and other outbuildings.

The sacred object of the Aiyrtau district is the memorial complex of Karassay and Agyntay Batyrs, created in October 1999. The keeper Saladdin very closely monitors the safety of the memorial, which entered the republican list of sacred places in the North-Kazakhstan region.

October 7, 2017 members of the expedition visited the North Kazakhstan Regional Museum of Local History. The museum's expositions detail the ancient history of the region; the 19th century is represented by everyday objects, documentary sources, maps.

As the head of the republican expedition Dossymbayeva Aiman Medeubayevna noted, all members coped with their tasks, all comments and wishes were listened to, the start was successful!

The editorial staff of the portal "NDH" expresses gratitude to the leadership of the RC "Sacred Kazakhstan", the Department of Culture, Archives and Documentation of the Akimat of the North Kazakhstan region for organizing the expedition.

The Internet portal "NDH" will continue to cover the implementation of the program "Sacred Kazakhstan".

Translated by Raushan MAKHMETZHANOVA