Kobyz of Ykylas Dukenuly

Description

This musical instrument was made, used, and preserved by the famous kobyz player, kyui performer, and composer Ykylas Dukenuly, who lived in the 19th-20th centuries. According to his descendants, the kobyz is 140 years old. Since 1916, the instrument has been passed down from generation to generation as a sacred family heirloom and was carefully guarded.
According to legend, this kobyz was made by Ykylas’s own hands, and he performed his kyuis on it. After Korkyt and Koilybai, Ykylas is considered one of the most revered kobyz players in the history of the Kazakh steppe. In 2008, the musician’s great-granddaughter, Altyn Akinbayeva, a resident of Zhaylaukol village in the Sarysu district, donated the heirloom to the museum’s collection. Since then, the kobyz has been kept in the museum exhibition as a unique and especially valuable exhibit.