3. What is Manas epos?
Periods of Manasresearches.
The time of constitution and development of the
epos
Problems of complex researches.
References
4. IT IS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA IN WHICH KYRGYZ AND OTHER
PEOPLES’ HISTORIES ARE PORTRAYED.
5. In the epos we can find information about
history, ethnography, culture, customs,
language, philosophy, pedagogy, geography,
medicine, flora and fauna, armory and so on
and so forth of those times.
"Manas is an encyclopedic collection of all Kyrgyz
myths, folktales, legends brought together in
time and centered around the hero Manas.” Chokan
Valikhanov(1835-1865).
6. FOR INSTANCE, IT CONTAINS
VALUABLE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE BELIEVES OF
KYRGYZ PEOPLE PRIOR TO
MUSLIM RELIGION.
A SPECIAL ATTENTION
REQUIRE THE MOMENTS IN
WHICH SHAMANISM WAS
DEPICTED.
ACCORDING TO THE LINES, THE
CULT TOOK ITS ROOTS FROM
SOUTH SIBERIA.
7. It is twenty times longer than the Homeric epics
Iliad (15693) and Odyssey (12110) taken together
and 2.5 times longer than the Indian epic
Mahabharata.
The epos not only the longest one, but also it
should be revered for its exceptionally poetic
language and rich content of historical events.
8. IT IS ACCEPTED BY SCIENTISTS
THAT RESEARCHES OF
MANAS EPOS ARE DIVIDED
INTO TWO PERIODS: THE
FIRST IS APPROXIMATELY
FROM MIDDLE AGE UNTIL
1917TH,
The second is from
1918th and until
these days.
9. Arabian author, traveler, and at the same time doctor, TahirAl-
Marvazi at the beginning of 12th century wrote that kyrgyz
rulers had their own narrators and singers, who entertained
their rulers at night times with songs and tellings
accompanied by stringed instrument (might be komuz). This
was the first written mention about kyrgyz performers of
folklore product.
Another written source, which tells about Manas epos directly,
is “Madjmu at-tavarih” (collection of history) written by Saif
ad-din Ahsikenti in Tajik language. The book was finished after
the death of the author by his son Nur Muhammad. Generally,
the material is dated to 1503.
10. First Russian little material about Manas epos was written by
Mayor G. Franel (1849). He wrote that kyrgyz considered
themselves as offsprings of nogois.
The first official publication of Manas epos was in 1885 by V.V. Rodlov
Chokon Chingisovich Valihanov (1835-1865) was Kazakh universal
scientist. He first got acquainted with kyrgyz in 1856, and took
down some episodes of the epos, “Funeral repast of Koketei”. His
work about kyrgyz was published only in 1904.
11. The first voice recording of manas epos was done in 1903
by Russian artist B.V. Smirnov. He also draw kenje Kara, who
was the first drawn manas teller. The version of kenje Kara
has its special features
Another written episode done by Hungarian orientalist G.
Almashi. There is no date when he took that, but that was
the only version in which Manas said goodbye to Semetey.
12. Belek Soltonoev (1878-1938) was on of the first Kyrgyz
scientists who studied Manas epos.
Vasiliy Vladimerovich Bartold (1869-1930) thought that the
fight between Kyrgyz and Djungar feudals (15-18A.D.) left
significant trace on Kyrgyz epos. At that time, he wrote that the
formation of the epos was not finished yet, and to some
episodes of the epos, some things were added or changed by
manasches depending on auditoriums.
13. Saul Matveevich Abramzon (1905-1977) did great and complex
ethnographic researches of Kyrgyz nation.
He compared some characters of Manas and Djangar (Kalmak
people’s) eposes. Kangurbai with Hongor, epic Joloi and real
Sholoi who was a lord of Mongol tribe in 14-16centuries.
He sugested that Manas epos should be studied with other
South Siberian and, Central Asian folklores, and with Mongol-
oirat, Saiano-Altay eposes. During his working period, he
could create methods of working with oral creating.
14. • Aleksandr Natanovich Bernshtam (1910-1956) is mostly
known as historian and archeologist. He wrote around 10 books
about Manas epos and saw the epos as historical resource.
• The scientist tried to connect the content of the epos with
two uprisings of 8-9 A.D and 18-19A.D. But, he confessed that
historic moments between two stages of uprisings might be
added to the epos.
• According to Bernshtam the name Manas came from Syrian
language meaning teacher, leader (вождь). He explained it
with the spread of Manichaeism in Central Asia in the middle
of 8th century
15. Nowadays there is no concrete date of the origination of the
epos. But, we can talk about the development of Manas epos.
For the basis and nuclear of the epos Kyrgyz nation
might took their relationship with the Kara-Kitays, in 10-
12centuries. And, with this chronology, we can link the
1000th year of the existence of the epos, which was
celebrated in 1995. But, 10-12centuries’ chronology is
relative dating.
16. It deserves mentioning that in
other Turkic- mongolian
folklores of Siberia there always
was information about Kyrgyz
nation and that is why it is a goal
to conduct comparative research
of Manas epos with all other
eposes of Turkic- mongolian
people and 60 local versions of
the epos.
The
17. Chokon Valihanov, in his “Notes about kyrgyzes”,
wrote that Kyrgyz eposes, including Manas,
referred to “Golden Horde” period. Indeed, in
Manas epos the events of “Golden Horde” take
place, 8-9 centuries.
According to Rodlov the epos was founded during
9-10th A.D.
18. If we consider B. Soltonoev’s researches, scientist suggested
looking for traces of the epos in 9 main historical events from
210 B.C. The historical events could be portrayed in the epos.
First - event happened in 210 B.C. when kyrgyz state (Gian-
Guns) was destroyed by Guns (гунны).
Second – break-up of Guns,1A.D.
Third – supremacy of Turkic-Oguzes in Altay, 6-8 A.D.
19. Fifth – invasion of Karahanids to Middle-Asia.
Sixth – the period of Great-Power of Kyrgyzes and itsbreak-
up (9.A.D.).
Seventh – invasion of Karat-Kitays to Middle Asia.
Eighth – epoch of Timur.
fourth – invasion of Arabs to Middle- Asia in 8th century.
Ninth – aggression of oirats to Middle Asian peoples.
20. M.O. Auezov and P.Falev suggested that it worth learning
the epos via orhon-runic inscriptions.
Auezov even told that the epos showed concrete date, when
Bei-Teyin was conquered by Kyrgyz people (against
Uighurs), and the commander of that battled died in 847.
21. In 15-17 centuries historical-political theme of the epos was
determined: struggle of Kyrgyz people with kitay and
kalmak peoples and the role of manas as a leader in that
battles.
From 17thto 19th centuries new layer was added to theepos
– islamization.
22. Most scholars, including K.A. Rahmatulin, B. Unusaliev,
think that the formation of manas epos was during
9-10 and 10-12 A.D, altay period when Kyrgyz people
was fighting with kara- kitays.
23. According to I.S. Sherstyk nucleus of the epic was founded during 6-
10 centuries. He aslo suggested that the historical events of
Barsbek time was taken to the epos. Defeat of Barsbek from
Kok- Turks, in 711.Victory of Kyrgyz people over Uighurs in 9th
A.D. and defeat from Kara-Kitays in 10th A.D.
24. Summarizing the epos chronologically, we can divide its epic
events, development, its layers to 7 periods.
Hun (220 B.C – 2A.D.) and Gunn (2-4 A.D.) periods
Old- Turkic and Kyrgyz periods (6-9 A.D.)
Kara-Kitay and Karahanid periods (10-12A.D.)
Mongolian period (13A.D.)
Golden-Horde and other kingdom’s periods (14-16 A.D.)
Djungarsk or Oirot-Kalmik period (15-18A.D.)
Late layers (19-20A.D.)
25. Only folklore researchers have learned the epos more
precisely than other representatives of different sciences.
There are several vital issues on epos learning:
1.There are few works devoted to epos tellers, to their ability
to tell thus much information at once.
2.Geographic works also need to be done, it is important to
map all toponyms from the eposes. For instance epos Djangar
was taken down in Sin Sian, China, Mongolia, Buriatia, Tuva,
and in Kyrgyzstan. But there is no such work about Manas epos.
26. 3.There are few or almost no works and publishes of full
academic versions of Manas epos. All versions of the epos are
printed in shortened forms. It is better not to shorten some
episodes, for comprehensive research, besides repeated ones.
For instance, erotic subjects are always eliminated even for
scientists.
4.Manas and other eposes contain wealthy lexical material, in
Manas epos, we can meet words from at least 5languages.
27. 5.In Sagymbaev’s version of the epos we can read more than 120
ethnicities, but not all of them were explored. Researches on
those ethnicities will give us information about kyrgyz’s
relationships with other people of that time. For instance we
still do not have enough information about kara tulo,
barang, ayat, sakalat, subun, taiyp etc.
6.Studying the toponyms or epic geography of the Manas epos
can be significant to define settlings of those nations.
28. 7.Often, we mostly know about main characters of eposes, that
is why anthroponomical researches of other characters must be
done.
8.To be right as much as possible when studying any source, it
is very vital to open such centers where eposes will be
researched together by a group of divers scholars such as
folklorists, philologists, historians, ethnographers,
philosophers etc. Such work would eliminate the absence of a
coordination among specialists.
29. “Manas” – historic-cultural monument of Kyrgyz
people. I.B. Moldobaev, 1995.
The Kyrgyz Epic Manas
http://www.silkroadfoundation.org/folklore/manas/ma
nasintro.html
