Aronuly Suinbai Banknote

The year 1993 was an auspicious one for the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this year currency was introduced to the country. The currency is known as Tenge.

Who better to engrave a banknote from the first series of banknotes for Republic of Kazakhstan? Why none other than The Master himself - Czeslaw Slania. 

From what I can ascertain, there were ten low value coins issued in this first series, and banknotes of the same denominations were also issued. Czeslaw Slania was responsible for engraving two of these banknotes - the 3 and 10 Tenge notes. In this blog I will take a close look at the 3 Tenge note.

The front (obverse) of the 3 Tenge note includes the portrait of Aronuly Suinbai (1815-1898). 

I have been unable to find a great deal of information on this man. What I have found comes from the website of Anne Mette Heindorff. Click HERE to view the page. Aronuly Suinbai was a gifted poet who had an innate talent for performance and improvisation. In his work we see reflected the traditions, life and culture of the Kazakhs. I wish I had been able to find some of his work on the net.

Let's now take a closer look at the amazing portrait on this banknote.

The beard of Aronuly Suinbai is a work of art in and of itself. Slania has managed to give the beard a sense of life and energy that seems to burst from the paper.. But it is to the eyes of the poet that I am immediately drawn. Slania has here given us a glimpse into the soul of the poet. We see warmth, vitality, burning curiosity, deep intelligence, and above all else a sense of true inner-piece. Staring into this man's eyes I feel like I have known him all my life, yet I yearn to learn more from him, to sit, spellbound, while he entertains with his enormous talent.

It is hard to turn from the hypnotic eyes of Aronuly Suinbai, but we must if we are to study the reverse of this lovely banknote.

On this side of the banknote Slania has engraved a stunning landscape scene in Alatau, Kazakhstan. Alatau is a province in south-east Kazakhstan. According to Wikipedia ... "it is notable for its Institute of Nuclear Physics."

As always...

Stay Slania Crazy!