THE KHAN, THE TWINS, AND THE EVIL WIVES In ancient times, there lived a certain khan. This khan had forty wives, but he had no children. One day, the khan was traveling with his entourage and met three sisters on the road. — What can each of you do? — asked the khan.
Zhansak Any feast for Kyrgyz people begins and ends with tea, and it is customary to serve sweets with tea. In Kyrgyzstan, it is common to make sweets from the gifts of nature: nuts, fruits, berries, and fragrant mountain honey – for example, zhansak. This sweet is a type of candy. But unlike modern candies, they contain not a gram of chemicals.
Portable Dwelling of the Kyrgyz Kyrgyz wood craftsmen (zhygach usta) have mastered the production of the wooden frame of the yurt over time. The oldest among them learned this craft from their fathers and grandfathers and still cherish everything passed down to them through tradition. Usually, craftsmen made the frame of the yurt upon order, but it was also common to produce it in advance, without an order. In some cases, such work was done collaboratively by brothers living in different
The Conspiracy of the Kyrgyz Khans Hey! In the mountains, where the sunny Alay — The blessed land of the Kyrgyz, On that spring day gathered Six khans from six clans: The esteemed, glorious Muzburchak, From Andijan Sanzybek, Son of Elaman er-Toshtyuk, From Sar-Arka the Kazakh Kokche, And from Kemina the old khan Urby, And from the eshteks Jamgyrchy. Arriving at this invited feast, The khans whispered among themselves: — Inviting to the koketeev ash, Manas took all power for himself, He mocked
Comparison of the two full versions of Sagymbay and Sayakbay For better clarity, we will first list the events that make up the scheme of both versions. The version of the epic "Manas" by Sagymbay Orozbakov contains events presented in the following chronological order: • I. The birth and childhood of Manas. The section begins with the genealogy of Manas, followed by the story of the grief of childless Jakyp and his dreams. Then the birth of Manas is described, his childhood years,
Tarantas between the city of Karakol and the village of Preobrazhensky. Early 20th century Means of Communication of the Kyrgyz in the Second Half of the 19th Century Until the second half of the 19th century, the main means of movement across most of modern Kyrgyzstan were pack trails. In the valleys, they resembled dirt roads, which could accommodate simple wheeled carts. If the trail narrowed, it could only be traversed with difficulty by a rider on horseback or to transport some cargo. The
DIYKANBAI AND THE DEV Once upon a time, there lived a brave hunter named Dıykanbay. He had no livestock in his pens and lived solely on what he hunted. Dıykanbay was not only brave and strong but also a resourceful man. One day, Dıykanbay, along with another hunter, set out to track down some roe deer. They went into the mountains and stumbled upon a huge dev. The dev's nose was the size of a wineskin, and his legs were like a pair of tree trunks. When the dev saw the two hunters, he
Aigul Cookies Very tasty, delicate in flavor. Just melts in your mouth. Very easy to prepare; the main thing is to use good quality butter, and then the cookies will turn out well. The amount of sugar can be reduced if it is too sweet. To connect the cookies, use boiled condensed milk. Thick jam or thick cream also works well. It is important to chill the dough well before baking; you can freeze a piece of dough or place the baking tray with the cookies in the freezer. Ingredients for making
The Great Campaign. Reconnaissance. Meanwhile, Alma and Syrgak arrived at the pass where the white argali - the guardian of Konur - was located, and at the lake where the cunning duck - the messenger of Konur - lived. The argali and the duck, sensing Alma's approach, fled. Hearing the sound of the argali's bell, the two hundred thousand people who were camping at the pass of Mount Angushtu packed up and also fled, fearing an invasion by foreigners. The scouts found no one at the
SETTLEMENT AND DWELLING The presence of two different types of economic activities in the 19th and early 20th centuries—nomadic animal husbandry and settled agricultural-animal husbandry—determined the existence of two types of dwellings among the Kyrgyz: portable and permanent. Semi-nomadic Kyrgyz simultaneously used both types of dwellings. The settling down and transition to agriculture as the main occupation led to the gradual disappearance of portable dwellings from the lives of a
The Conclusion of the Mourning for Koketey On the eighth day, Bakai gathered The comrades and told them, That good news had arrived: — The Tulpaar of Manas, Ak-Kula, Has outpaced all the horses on the way. Following Ak-Kula is the steed Of Jolo's Ach-Budan. And so many prize victories The enemies will not forgive the Kyrgyz. And they might ambush Ak-Kula, Firing shot from their guns. The Tulpaar of the Chinese, Ach-Budan, Looks like Ak-Kula, like a brother. I ask you, my brave Almanbet,
WISDOM, HAPPINESS, WEALTH Once upon a time, Wealth, Happiness, and Wisdom were walking together down the road and argued about who was the strongest of all. Wisdom boasted to Wealth and Happiness: — I am the strongest. If a person has no wisdom, they will have neither wealth nor happiness! — If there is no happiness, then wisdom and wealth are of no use to a person! — said Happiness.
"Manas" as performed by Sagymbay and Sayakbay "Manas" as performed by Sagymbay and Sayakbay is recorded in full. This is the distinguishing feature of both from other storytellers, as all other known and living storytellers currently perform only excerpts of "Manas," primarily serving as performers of the second and third parts of the trilogy "Semetey" and "Seitek." Such are Togolok Moldo, Akmat, Shapak, Janibai, Moldobasan. Among contemporary
Devices for Transporting Goods The *chiyne* sled was often used for transporting goods, especially in the second half of the 19th century. It had no wheels and consisted of two parallel poles 3-4 meters long, secured with rawhide straps nailed across the crossbars. The front ends of the poles were tightly tied to the sides of a pack or riding saddle, while the rear ends spread apart to a width of 1.5-2 meters and dragged along the ground. Among some farmers, a two-wheeled cart of the Kokand
The Great Campaign. The Quarrel of Almambet with Chubak. After Almambet's departure, forty choro of Manas began to play in ordo, splitting into two parts. The leaders of the game were Kyrgyl, Chubak's comrade, and Azhybay, from Almambet's squad. Four mares were designated as the prize. The side of Kyrgyl lost. As the game neared its end, Jaynak from Kyrgyl's party struck the khan with a tompo, knocking him down, who was lying close to the boundary. - You threw without
Kyrgyz Woodworking Masters Woodworking masters also make musical instruments (Fig. 84) from juniper and apricot wood. The southern Kyrgyz string instrument (komuz) is essentially identical to that made by Kyrgyz masters in the north. There are many variations in the length of the neck and the degree of flattening of the resonator. In the past, ancient Kyrgyz musical instruments such as the bowed kyiak (also called kyzhak) and the flute choor were made in the south. Now, the youth do not play
The Duel of Manas with Konurbai The son of Koketey Bokmurun The latter announced the tournament. — While the horses gallop From the distant alaman-baygi, Let the contest of er-sayish End the memorial feast. For the prize of two thousand horses Will be awarded to the one who wins. The loser must give up His horse as well! — He shouted at sunset. In the morning, all the people gathered. Here the sun rose to its zenith, But for the tournament of er-sayish No one stepped forward: In a tournament
THE SEVEN SONS OF THE OLD WOMAN Once upon a time, there lived a poor old woman who had seven sons. Each of her sons learned a special, wondrous skill. One day, the old woman said to her children: — My children, your father left behind a single bow as inheritance, and I will give it to the one of you whose skill is the best and most needed! One by one, the sons began to tell what they could do.
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION The primary animal for horseback riding since ancient times has been the horse - at. People traveled long distances faster on it than on other riding animals. In the context of extensive livestock farming, it was used for transporting pack loads. Various sources testify that the ancestors of modern Kyrgyz almost never did without horses. Figuratively speaking, sitting on a horse, people spent more time than walking on the ground. The ancient tradition of horseback
"MANAS": LANGUAGE AND STYLE OF THE EPIC The text is taken from B. M. Yunusaliev's article "The Kyrgyz Heroic Epic 'Manas'" The Kyrgyz people have every right to be proud of the richness and diversity of oral poetic creativity, the pinnacle of which is the epic "Manas." Unlike the epics of many other nations, "Manas" is composed entirely in verse, which further attests to the special respect the Kyrgyz have for the art of versification. The
The Great Campaign. Almambet takes command of the army. Manas, riding at the head of the army, arrived at the plain of Chemuyuch, by the banks of the Chu, set up tents, and sat down to play chess. When Almambet, who was at the very end of the army, arrived and saw that everyone had unsaddled their horses, that many had undressed, made themselves shade from the sun with their capes, and carelessly collapsed to sleep, he was filled with anger. He approached Manas and said: - My Tere! What is
Ash-airan This dish is known in folk medicine as a dietary option. It is suitable for those who are on a diet. It is very healthy and low-calorie. Ingredients:
Special Wooden Vessels A characteristic type of utensils for the south (unknown in the north) are special vessels — togprocho or kurma (fig. 81, a, b, c), which have a convex tightly fitting lid, with an average height not exceeding 25—30 cm, while the width depends on the shape (they were made cylindrical, pear-shaped, conical, with a flat bottom and on trays). The walls and lid were decorated with grooves. An iron ring for a strap handle was fixed at the upper edge. The vessels were intended
The Struggle of Koshoy with Zholoy In the morning, the banner of Koketeya Trembled again in the valley. The son of Yraman, Yrchiy-uul, Summoned all the guests to the square. — Hurry to the balban-kuresh! And whoever wins the struggle, Will be glad of their fate: They will receive a thousand horses. So promised Bokmurun himself! — Shouted the boisterous Yrchiy-uul. Then a dispute arose among the guests: They discussed the strongmen, Who could in a strength contest Glorify the family honor. But
BEKZHAL AND THE BIRD ZYMYRYK In ancient times, a khan had a wonderful bird named Zymyryk. Every morning, the bird would tell the khan what was happening on earth. One day, the bird Zymyryk disappeared. The khan was very sad and sent his horsemen in all directions to search for the marvelous bird. But the horsemen could not find it. Then the khan gathered the people and announced: — Whoever finds the bird Zymyryk will receive half of my wealth.
Metal Processing by Kyrgyz Another material used for making dishes and household items was metal. The processing of metal has been known to the Kyrgyz for a long time. It is one of the ancient types of decorative applied art, relatively well-developed among the tribes that lived in the territory of modern Kyrgyzstan since ancient times. As early as the mid-2nd millennium BC, in some areas of present-day Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, herders and livestock breeders familiar with metalworking
MYTHOLOGY AND FANTASY Alongside battle episodes and social-domestic events, the motifs of mythology and fantasy occupy a prominent place in "Manas," which undoubtedly represent the most ancient elements in the epic. We consider it necessary to dwell on them for a while, although a more detailed analysis of this issue should be dedicated to a special work. In both versions of Manas, many battle episodes and descriptions of social-domestic events intertwine with myths and fairy tales.
The Great Campaign. Setting Out on the Campaign. In the morning, Manas distributed to all the arriving warriors from his herds a pair of spirited steeds: one stallion for breeding the herds, and one mare for slaughter. All the warriors were led in a line past the counters, and it turned out there were three million of them. When the army set out, Manas and his forty choro saddled their horses and rode out from the Akylay palace. Manas rode with a frown, troubled. Alma understood the reason for
Woodworking Production Wooden products held a significant place in the economic life of the Kyrgyz and their daily lives in the 19th century. Kyrgyz woodworking masters (zhyjach usta) crafted agricultural tools, including those for soil cultivation ("omach"), shovels, forks (besh-ilik), as well as sledges ("chiyna"), sleds ("chigina"), and saddles (eer). They produced wooden items used in domestic production: parts of weaving looms, spindles, sharpening machines,
Köche To prepare this dish in ancient times, corn, wheat, or barley was ground in a mortar. The grain was placed in the mortar, slightly moistened with water, and pounded until the husk separated. The crushed grain was sifted through a coarse sieve and then soaked in water for 5 to 6 hours. In some regions, this method of preparing grain is still used.
Shooting at the Golden Jamba The return of the galloping horses, Will take seven or eight days. And it was necessary to entertain The guests with games and spectacles. They hung on two pines With thin silk strings A jamba made of gold ingot. A diamond inserted in a circle Shines and tempts the eye. And if you break the silk strings With a bullet or an arrow — The golden ingot with the diamond Will be yours for accuracy! The guests shot hundreds of times, Squinting their keen eyes, But no one
Makmut In ancient times, there lived a man named Makmut. Makmut was not foolish, but he was weak and frail. He and his wife lived in poverty. They only had goats. Every day, Makmut would take his goats to pasture. His wife would send him off with a jug of sour milk. But as soon as Makmut reached the pasture, a fox would appear. With a swipe of its tail, the fox would knock Makmut to the ground and drink the sour milk from the jug. Following the fox, a wolf would come and attack the goats.
Production of dishes and household items from wood. The materials used were juniper, willow (tal), birch (kayin), poplar (terek), apricot (oruk), and walnut (jangak) trees. Techniques such as turning, hollowing, burning, and bending were applied. Woodworkers (жыгач уст) manually used a knife (uйди) and a lathe (кырма, дукён) to make large round wooden plates (жыгач табак) with a flat bottom and wide upward-curved edges (Burkovsky, 1954, p. 89) and large deep bowls чара (diameter 40 to 50 cm,
The Great Campaign. The Start of the Campaign. At the appointed time set by Manas, after forty days, an army began to gather from all sides: from Altyshaar came Jamgyrchy with a seven-hundred-thousand strong army, from Khotan - Tyoshtyuk with a hundred-thousand strong army, from Kemina - Urby with a two-hundred-thousand strong army, from Sarnarka - Kökche with a million-strong army, from Samarkand - Synchibek with a nine-hundred-thousand strong army, from Bukhara - Muzburchak with a
Silver Jewelry Among the Kyrgyz In the past, Kyrgyz jewelers widely used the technique of inlaying silver items with various gemstones. These were set into decorations for harnesses, rings, earrings, and bracelets. Masters acquired carnelian (akak) for this purpose. Coral red beads (shuru) were especially popular in women's jewelry. The ancient tradition of decorating with carnelian in the territory of Kyrgyzstan is evidenced by finds from the Kenkol burial ground. Here, "silver
Zhenmomo (dough balls) The basis of various flour dishes is dough. The Kyrgyz people have long prepared hot dishes using dough. Here is another product made from dough Ingredients
The Idea of the Unity of Deities The storytellers of "Manas," like shamans and mullahs, also performed the functions of a healer. This is known from the biographical data of the storytellers Keldibek and Sagymbay. Can we conclude from all this that the storytellers of "Manas" inherited these customs from shamans or imitated mullahs? In our opinion, the reason lies deeper. Here, the same idea of selection is at play, which was wonderfully analyzed by the famous ethnographer,
THE GOOD MAN AND THE ENVIOUS MAN Once upon a time, a good man and an envious man set off together on a long journey. They traveled and traveled, and soon ran out of food. Then the envious man said to the good man: — Kill your horse, and the next time I need to, I will kill mine.
TRADITIONAL UTENSILS The focus and nature of domestic crafts were determined by the nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle of the people and were mainly related to the processing of livestock products. They differed from those of settled peoples - the craft did not have a workshop organization of production. Typical were individual craftsmen working alone. Some of them did not even have a special room (Burkovsky 1954, p. 85). In the closed cycle of the domestic craft process, any able-bodied
Horse Race Early in the morning, at dawn, As the green flag of Koketey Fluttered in the rays of light, All the guests mounted their horses And rushed to the banks of Kegen, To watch and evaluate The horses heading to the start. On both sides of the river Forty, fifty rows Of riders crowded tightly, Leaving a strip in the center About a hundred large steps wide. A larger crowd gathered here Than black ants, As if it were not a race, But a grand and joyful feast. At the alaman-bayge races, For
Jewelry Masters of the Last Century Masters of silver craftsmanship adorned horse harnesses, items of women's and men's costumes, as well as household items. Since the early 20th century, the production of silver items began to gradually decline, particularly from the time when the Kyrgyz stopped nomadic life. The set of tools for jewelry production is approximately the same among all Kyrgyz. Recently, they have not changed, only supplemented by factory-made files and pliers. Silver
The Great Campaign. The Conspiracy of Six Khans. When preparations were being made for the memorial for Kökötöy, Manas ordered forty Kyrgyz clans to slaughter countless livestock, and forced all the oldest and noblest Kyrgyz and Kazakhs to listen to his command. For anyone who did not obey his orders, Manas shouted, and often lashed the disobedient with a whip across their backs. Then the noblemen despaired of maintaining their power and dignity, and the wealthy did not hope to keep their
Blacksmithing In the last century, blacksmiths primarily served the household needs of families and the requirements of their farms. In their forges, Kyrgyz people welded tips for plowing tools (“omach”), forged sickles (“orok”), hoes (“ketmen”), axes (balta, kol tesh), and picks (chukuldik). All the main tools for processing metal, as well as wood, were made by the blacksmiths themselves. They fulfilled orders for making parts of harness (stirrups, reins, buckles), traps. Blacksmiths also
THE LEGACY OF SULAYMANBAY Once upon a time, there lived a man named Sulaymanbay. He had one and only son, Mamyr. The father wanted his son to grow up wise and happy. He taught his son wisdom, but the stubborn Mamyr did not listen. When the son grew up, Sulaymanbay said to him: — My son, I am old now, and I have little time left to live. While I am alive, you should marry, but be careful in choosing a bride; do not chase after beauty, choose a girl who is smart and has a good, kind nature. But
Bread and Bread Products. Bread baking was most widespread in the southern regions and also in Karategin. It is based on common Central Asian traditions, primarily carried by Uzbeks - Sarts and Tajiks. Baked bread constituted a small part of everyday food. Flour products in various forms were combined with meat and dairy products; often they played an independent role in the diet. Baking dough in ash, frying in a dry cauldron or skillet, and boiling in fat or broth were widely practiced. These
Explanation of storytellers about their gift As mentioned above, almost all storytellers associate the beginning of their creative activity with a dream vision and inspiration. They like to mention that before the inspiration, they did not know the content of the epic, did not have the gift of a storyteller, and that both came to them only after the dream vision, in which Manas, Semetey, or someone from their companions supposedly instructed them to sing of them. They recount that this
Metal Production and Artistic Metalworking The production of metal products among the Kyrgyz is dedicated to a special work by A. F. Burkovsky. The products of the Issyk-Kul Kyrgyz are characterized by E. I. Makhova.
Making Harness To this day, specialists in the production of harness parts, particularly bridles (zhugyon) and whips (kamchi), continue their work. In the south, they are referred to as zhugyon usta and kamchi usta. Most of them are elderly people who learned the craft from their fathers. They have preserved their skills in the eastern part of the Osh region. In the Alai district, the masters Kutchu Atabaev (born 1881, village of Terek) and Zair Atayev (born 1878, Lenin collective farm) are