British writer publishes book about foreign explorers of Great Steppe

The book by Mr Fielding, Travellers in the Great Steppe: From the Papal Envoys to the Russian Revolution, tells the history of exploration of the Kazakh lands by Western travellers. This book can rightfully be considered a unique project, as it was the first attempt at a comprehensive study of the history of such explorations, the official website of the Kazakh Embassy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reads.

It is no secret that the territory of modern Kazakhstan, located at the very junction of Europe and Asia, has always attracted the attention of researchers, traders, and travellers, for the legendary Silk Road ran through the steppes and deserts of nomads. Among them were the early British traders Anthony Jenkinson and Jonas Hanway, who tried to divert the Silk Road to the north, and papal emissaries who visited the steppe khans hoping to convert them to Christianity.

Mr Fielding told their fascinating stories in his book, and talked about the outstanding women travellers who explored the Kazakh lands, such as Adele Hommaire de Hell, Lucy Atkinson and Marie de Uifalvy-Bourdon.

«This book, Travellers in the Great Steppe, is probably the first history in English of people who travelled through the Great Steppe over the last 1000 years. It starts with the emissaries sent by the popes to the court of the great Genghis Khan and his sons, and it carries all the way through until the 20th century. I think that for a nomadic society where there are few written records, the records of outsiders are extremely important. I hope it will shine a light into the early history of Kazakhstan,» Mr Fielding said about his work.

During the event, the author of the book presented to the audience the most interesting stories, photographs and drawings made by explorers during their travels in the Great Steppe.

The English version of the book was published with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK and launched at the Royal Geographical Society in London in 2020. The new Kazakh and Russian editions were translated and published in 2021 by the Akimat of the Almaty Region together with Kazakhstan’s National Bureau of Translations upon the initiative and with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko, who took part in the event, thanked Mr Fielding for his interest in Kazakhstan and noted that his work allows people to connect with history and understand it better.

In his welcoming speech, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UK Erlan Idrissov noted that the book is being launched in Kazakhstan in the year of the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan-UK diplomatic relations.

«Nick Fielding’s book is a story of love and mutual respect between different cultures. I am very glad that we managed to bring enthusiasts together and translate this unique book about the history of Western travellers in the Great Steppe into Kazakh and Russian, so that Kazakhstanis could read this book. I thank everyone who took part in this project, which disseminates the great history of the Great Steppe around the world,» Ambassador Idrissov stressed in his speech.

The British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach also took part in the launch and noted Mr Fielding’s book proves that diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the UK don’t just go back 30 years, but several centuries.

The initiator of the Kazakh and Russian editions’ launch in Nur-Sultan was the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK and QazaqGeography, which among other things engages in researching the history and culture of Kazakhstan and the implementation of other important projects aimed at preserving the unity and revival of the spiritual values of the Kazakh people.

«As a public association whose goal is to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the country, it is important for us to see our country «from the outside», study the works of foreign authors about our country, collect them and «insert» them into the pages of History. And Nick Fielding’s book is yet another proof that the territory of Kazakhstan has always been of interest to researchers not only from an economic, but also from a cultural viewpoint,» said Orman Nurbayev, Chairman of the Board of QazaqGeography.

Event attendees also included representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps, Kazakh historians, ethnographers, local historians, expats living in Kazakhstan, as well as representatives of Kazakh and foreign media.

Notes to editors:

Nick Fielding is a British writer and traveller, former reporter for such reputable publications as The Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, and The Independent.

In November 2015, he was the first to publish South to the Great Steppe: The Travels of Thomas and Lucy Atkinson in Eastern Kazakhstan 1847-52, a book about the Victorian-era explorers, Thomas and Lucy Atkinson, who travelled through Kazakhstan in the middle of the 19th century. He also writes a blog called Siberian Steppes and regularly undertakes horseback expeditions to the remote mountains of the Dzungarian Alatau.

QazaqGeography is a voluntary geographical society of people united by a common desire to explore the rich nature and distinctive culture of Kazakhstan, preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the country and pass on their knowledge to future generations

QazaqGeography was founded in 2013 as a national geographical society and today unites more than 1,000 members and has 11 regional offices throughout Kazakhstan.