# National anthem of Kazakhstan

National anthems of Kazakhstan :
| "The Internationale" | 1920–1945 |
| "State Anthem of the Kazakh SSR" | 1945–1991 |
| "Anthem of the Republic of Kazakhstan" | 1991–2006 |
| "My Kazakhstan" | 2006–present |
vte :
"Menıñ Qazaqstanym" ('My Kazakhstan') is the national anthem of Kazakhstan since 7 January 2006, replacing the previous anthem first used upon independence in 1991.
It is based on a homonymous patriotic song created by Kazakh composer Shamshi Kaldayakov and poet Jumeken Najimedenov in 1956. The original lyrics were modified in 2005 by the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, before the decree was issued.

## History

In 1943, when Kazakhstan was then a part of the Soviet Union, a competition was announced to create a national anthem for the Kazakh nation. The then-27-year-old poet Qaiym Muhamedhanov, in collaboration with Äbdilda Täjibaev and Ğabıt Müsirepov, wrote the lyrics to the anthem, which were set to the music composed by Mukan Tölebaev, Eugene Brusilovsky and Latıf Hamıdı. Their work was then chosen by Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic to be used as the Republic's official regional anthem.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, new lyrics were used for the succeeding anthem; however, the Soviet-era melody was retained.
On 9 May 2000, a ceremony was held, and then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev publicly stated that there should be a new anthem. A few weeks later, the Mäjilis took into consideration a replacement. A few candidates had been selected, but the process had later been abandoned.
In 2005, a popular patriotic song written in 1956, titled "Menıñ Qazaqstanym", was chosen to be the new national anthem of Kazakhstan. The song originally had three verses of eight lines each, along with the chorus. Nazarbayev modified the lyrics and reduced the text to two verses followed by the chorus. The first verse and the chorus of the original text were changed slightly, the second verse was omitted completely, and the third verse (now serving as the second verse in the current official edition) had five of the eight lines changed. On 7 January 2006, the new text was later amended to comply with the status of the national anthem.
The law for listening to the national anthem was also changed. When the national anthem is performed at official ceremonies, citizens of Kazakhstan must stand up and place the palm of their right hand on the left side of their chest.

## Lyrics
### Current official

Kazakh original :
| Cyrillic script | Latin script |
| Алтын күн аспаны, Алтын дән даласы, Ерліктің дастаны – Еліме қарашы! Ежелден ер деген, Даңқымыз шықты ғой, Намысын бермеген, Қазағым мықты ғой! Қайырмасы: Менің елім, менің елім, Гүлің болып егілемін, Жырың болып төгілемін, елім! Туған жерім менің — Қазақстаным! Ұрпаққа жол ашқан, Кең байтақ жерім бар. Бірлігі жарасқан, Тәуелсіз елім бар. Қарсы алған уақытты, Мәңгілік досындай. Біздің ел бақытты, Біздің ел осындай! Қайырмасы | Altyn kün aspany, Altyn dän dalasy, Erlıktıñ dastany – Elıme qaraşy! Ejelden er degen, Dañqymyz şyqty ğoi, Namysyn bermegen, Qazağym myqty ğoi! Qaiyrmasy: Menıñ elım, menıñ elım, Gülıñ bolyp egılemın, Jyryñ bolyp tögılemın, elım! Tuğan jerım menıñ — Qazaqstanym! Ūrpaqqa jol aşqan, Keñ baitaq jerım bar. Bırlıgı jarasqan, Täuelsız elım bar. Qarsy alğan uaqytty, Mäñgılık dosyndai. Bızdıñ el baqytty, Bızdıñ el osyndai! Qaiyrmasy |
| Arabic script | IPA transcription |
| آلتىن كؤُن آسپانى، آلتىن دأن دالاسى، اِرلىكتىڭ داستانى، اِلىمە قاراشى! اِجلدن اِر دگن، داڭقىمىز شىقتى غوي. نامىسىن برمگن، قازاغىم مىقتى غوي! قايىرماسى: منىڭ اِلىم، منىڭ اِلىم، گؤُلىڭ بولىپ اِگىلمىن، جىرىڭ بولىپ تؤگىلمىن، اِلىم! توُغان جرىم منىڭ – قازاقستانىم! ۇرپاقا جول اشقان، كڭ بايتاق جرىم بار. بىرلىگى جاراسقان، تأۋلسىز اِلىم بار. قارسى الغان ۋاقىتتى، مأڭگىلىك دوسىنداي. ٴبىزدىڭ اِل باقىتتى، ٴبىزدىڭ اِل وسىنداي! قايىرماسى | [ɑɫ.tʰə́n kʰʉ́n ɑs.pʰɑ.nə́ |] [ɑɫ.tʰə́n tǽn tɑ.ɫɑ.sə́ |] [jeɾ.lɘk.tʰɘ́ŋ tɑs.tʰɑ.nə́ |] [je.lɘ.mʲé qɑ.ɾɑ.ʃə́ ǁ] [je.ʑeʎ.tʲén jeɾ tʲe.ɟén |] [tɑɴ.qə.mə́s ʃəχ.tʰə́ ʁoj ǁ] [nɑ.mə.sə́n pʲeɾ.mʲe.ɟén |] [qɑ.zɑ.ʁə́m məχ.tʰə́ ʁoj ǁ] [qɑ.jəɾ.mɑ.sə́] [mʲe.nɘ́ŋ je.lɘ́m | mʲe.nɘ́ŋ je.lɘ́m |] [ɡʉ.lʉ́ŋ po.ɫʊ́p | je.ɣɘ.ʎe.mɘ́n |] [ʒə.ɾə́ŋ po.ɫʊ́p tʰɵ.ɣʉ.ʎe.mɘ́n | je.lɘ́m ǁ] [tʰu.ʁɑ́n ʑe.ɾɘ́m mʲe.nɘ́ŋ | qɑ.zɑ́.q(χə)s.tʰɑ.nə́m ǁ] [ʊɾ.pʰɑq.qɑ́ ʒoɫ ɑʃ.χɑ́n |] [cʰeŋ pɑj.tʰɑ́q ʑe.ɾɘ́m pɑɾ ǁ] [pɘɾ.lɘ.ɣɘ́ ʒɑ.ɾɑs.χɑ́n |] [tʰæ.ɥéʎ.sɘs je.lɘ́m pɑɾ ǁ] [qɑɾ.s‿ɑɫ.ʁɑ́n wɑ.χət.tʰə́ |] [mæŋ.gɘ.lɘ́k to.sʊn.tɑ́j ǁ] [pɘs.tɘ́ŋ jéʎ pɑ.χət.tʰə́ |] [pɘs.tɘ́ŋ jéʎ wo.sʊn.tɑ́j ǁ] [qɑ.jəɾ.mɑ.sə́] |
* English translation
* Sky of golden sun,
* Steppe of golden seed,
* Legend of courage –
* Take a look at my country!
* From the antiquity
* Our heroic glory emerged,
* They did not give up their pride
* My Kazakh people are strong!
* Chorus:
* My country, my country,
* As your flower I will be planted,
* As your song I will stream, my country!
* My native land – My Kazakhstan!
* The way was opened to the descendants
* By the vast land I have.
* Its unity is proper,
* I have an independent country.
* It welcomed the tests of time
* Like an eternal friend,
* Our country is blessed,
* Our country is such!
* Chorus
* Russian translation
* Солнца свет в небесах,
* Урожай на полях,
* Песнь о смелых сынах
* Прославляют в веках!
* Слава нашей земли
* С давних пор на устах.
* Как ты горд и силён,
* Мой родной Казахстан!
* Припев:
* Край мой родной! Мой народ со мной!
* В поле цветок, взращенный тобой.
* Песня звенит на устах народа:
* Родина — свобода — вечный Казахстан!
* Все пути предо мной
* Распахнул шар земной,
* И сплочённый народ
* В светлый путь нас зовёт.
* Кровных уз и добра,
* Счастья нового дня –
* Ты, отчизна моя,
* Всё дала мне сполна!
* Припев

### Original song

This song is based on a 1956 patriotic song titled "Menıñ Qazaqstanym" created in response to the Soviet Virgin Lands Campaign program. There is debate over whether it was to celebrate the program or to insist Soviet authorities should not turn Kazakhstan into Russia's corn belt.

## Protocol

"Menıñ Qazaqstanym" is played during official state ceremonies and social functions, such as sporting events involving national sports teams of Kazakhstan. All radio stations and television networks across the country play the national anthem twice, once during sign-on and sign-off every day, the performance of the anthem is not regulated by any government law; however, there is traditional protocol that is employed during a performance of the song. Most citizens put their hands over their heart while singing the anthem following United States practice. Traditionally universal etiquette is to stand during the performance. Officers and personnel of the Kazakh Armed Forces offer a Russian-style military salute when in uniform during the performance of the anthem when not in formation.

## Criticism

Nazarbayev's co-authorship was perceived in a negative light by some writers of Kazakhstan. In 2009, Kazakh poet Erlan Jünıs criticized the then-President of Kazakhstan, saying:
   “Nazarbayev insulted the memory of Şämşı Qaldaiaqov and Jūmeken Näjımedenov. How could he attribute co-authorship to the anthem of Kazakhstan? What kind of poet is he? He never wrote poetry in his life. He added a couple of words, changed a couple of words, and that's it. […] I can also make my own minor changes to any work by Äuezov [or by] Dostoevsky. So, should I claim co-authorship? Any proofreader does this everyday. [It's] stupid.”

## 2012 sporting event incidents

In March 2012, a parody national anthem, titled "O Kazakhstan", featured in the soundtrack of the movie Borat, was mistakenly played at the International Shooting Grand Prix in Kuwait. The Gold-winning medalist, Mariya Dmitriyenko, stood on the dais while the entire parody was played. The team complained, and the award ceremony was re-staged. The incident apparently resulted from the wrong song being downloaded from YouTube at the last minute. Senior officials in Kazakhstan were furious with the error and vowed to make a complaint to their Kuwaiti counterparts.
A similar incident had taken place earlier that month at the opening ceremony of a skiing festival in Qostanai, in which the first bar of Ricky Martin's single "Livin' La Vida Loca" was played instead of "Menıñ Qazaqstanym". However, "Menıñ Qazaqstanym" was played properly following the mistake.