«Manas» Epic Museum

The «Manas» epic stands as a unique cultural and intangible treasure, not just for the Kyrgyz people but for all of humanity. It is the largest Kyrgyz epic, named after its central hero—a mighty warrior who unified the Kyrgyz people. Recognized for its monumental significance, «Manas» has been included in UNESCO’s list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most voluminous epic in the world.

The epic is divided into three parts: «Manas,» «Semetey,» and «Seitek.» The main content focuses on the heroic deeds and adventures of Manas himself.

The versions of the epic narrated by Sagymbay Orozbakov (1867–1930) and Sayakbay Karalayev (1911–1971) are considered the classical renditions. These storytellers have preserved and passed down the epic’s richness, ensuring that its legacy continues to inspire future generations with its tales of valor and unity.

From Sagymbay, researchers in the 1920s recorded only the portion specifically about Manas, which amounted to approximately 19,000 lines. In contrast, the entire trilogy was recorded from Sayakbay, totaling an astonishing 937,000 lines. To fully appreciate the scale of these epics, it’s essential to understand the poetic structure: «Manas» is primarily composed of 7- and 8-syllable syllabic verses. However, in Sagymbay Orozbakov’s version, one can also find 4-, 5-, and 6-syllable lines, resembling rhymed prose. Sayakbay Karalayev’s rendition introduces even more complexity with lines ranging from 9 to 12 syllables.

In addition to these two, scholars recognize other significant recordings of the Manas segment made by storytellers such as Togolok Moldo (1860–1942), Moldobasan Musulmankulov (1884–1961), Shapak Rysmendeyev (1858–1956), Bagysh Sazanov (1818–1918), Ibraim Abdyrahmanov (1888–1960), and Mambet Chokmorov (1846–1932).

Dunkan Kochubeyev, born in 1886 in Echki-Bashi, Naryn region, was another notable contributor. A relative and disciple of the prominent bard Tanybek, from whom he learned the epic «Semetey,» Kochubeyev performed various excerpts from the first part of the «Manas» trilogy. His complete rendition of «Semetey» was meticulously recorded.

The most renowned Kyrgyz storyteller from the People’s Republic of China was Jusup Mamai (1918–2014). His version of the epic comprises eight parts, amounting to around 200,000 lines. This monumental work was published in 18 volumes in Urumqi between 1984 and 2007 and was later fully released in Kyrgyzstan from 2014 to 2018.

Scientific exploration of the epic began in the latter half of the 19th century with Chokan Valikhanov and V. Radlov. Valikhanov recorded one of the episodes, «The Memorial for Koketey,» in 1856 and partially translated it into Russian. Radlov was the pioneer who transcribed the great epic trilogy «Manas» between 1862 and 1869. These extensive folkloric materials were later published by the scholar in his foundational work, «Samples of Folk Literature of the Northern Turkic Tribes,» Part V, «Dialect of the Wild Stone Kyrgyz.» This significant publication was released in St. Petersburg in 1885.

Tradition traces the origins of the epic to a legendary era, with the first performer said to be a companion of Manas himself—Irchi-Uula, the son of Yraman—who sang of the hero’s deeds at his funeral. It is believed that various lament songs, existing separately among the people, were later unified into one epic by the legendary bard Toktogul. The Kyrgyz of the early 20th century believed that Toktogul lived 500 years ago. Tradition also mentions other storytellers, as well as the names of numerous 19th-century manaschi (epic reciters) whose works, unfortunately, were never recorded.

Modern scholars have not reached a consensus on the exact time of the epic’s origin, but some suggest that its story reflects events from the 15th to the 16th centuries. There have been hypotheses linking its foundation to the history of the Kyrgyz people in the 9th century. V.M. Zhirmunsky believed that the epic’s historical background generally aligns with the conditions of the 15th to 18th centuries, even though it contains elements from earlier periods. E.M. Meletinsky pointed out that the epic time in «Manas» is not mythical (unlike many epic tales of Turkic peoples in Siberia) but rather rooted in historical reality.

The first mentions of the epic date back to the 16th century. Of particular interest is the work of the medieval author Seyf ad-Din Ahsikendi, «Majmu’ at-Tawarikh» (The Compendium of Chronicles) from the 16th century. This unique source on the history and ethnography of the Kyrgyz contains the earliest known references to Manas. The part of the manuscript that holds the most fascination is the section with the earliest version of the Manas epic. In this medieval monument, all the essential elements of the epic are present: the legends of the Oghuz with their campaigns to Rum (or, in this case, from Rum); the homeland of Manas in Talas; his father, Yakubbek (known in Kyrgyz pronunciation as Jakup or Jakyb); the forty warriors of Manas, who assist him in defeating his enemies; the city named Manasia; and the struggle against the Kalmyks in alliance with the Kipchaks, among others.

In this version, Manas is depicted as a historical figure acting alongside real-life personalities like Tokhtamysh and Khwarazmshah Muhammad. The English historian Arthur Thomas Hatto suggested that Manas might have been «compiled to glorify the Sufi sheikhs from Shirkent and Kazan… [and] it is highly likely that… [Manas] is an interpolation created in the late 18th century.

Yevgeny Dmitrievich Polivanov (February 28 [March 12], 1891, Smolensk – January 25, 1938, Moscow Region) was a distinguished Russian and Soviet linguist, orientalist, and literary scholar. He was one of the founders of OPOYAZ (Society for the Study of Poetic Language), a participant in the Civil War, and, in late 1917 to early 1918, the head of the Eastern Department of the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR and one of Leon Trotsky’s two deputies. Polivanov worked for the Comintern, served as a professor at several universities, and was a vocal critic of Marrism. He was among the pioneers of Soviet sociolinguistics and historical phonology, developing an original theory of language evolution. Polivanov authored numerous works on Eastern languages (notably, he created the Russian transcription system for the Japanese language still in use today) and Central Asian languages, and he developed methods for teaching the Russian language to non-Russian speakers. Additionally, he contributed to language development initiatives. From 1934, Polivanov lived in Frunze (now Bishkek), where he worked as a professor at the Kyrgyz Institute of Cultural Development. Alongside his teaching, he actively researched the Dungan language and worked on translating the Kyrgyz epic «Manas.» On August 1, 1937, he was arrested on charges of espionage in favor of Japan. He did not admit guilt during the trial. On January 25, 1938, Polivanov was executed and buried at the Kommunarka shooting range.

Between 1923 and 1924, the «new doctrine of language,» known as the «Japhetic theory,» took shape, authored by N.Y. Marr. Marr’s academic authority, his ideas about a universal language, and his vehement opposition to «bourgeois» Western science and pre-revolutionary Russian academia drew numerous influential supporters, including those in the highest ranks of power. By the late 1920s, Marrism, enjoying state support, had effectively become the dominant ideology in Soviet linguistics. Other linguists were pressured to fully embrace this «new doctrine of language» and adhere to its principles, while all other scientific approaches were eradicated. Only a few dared to challenge this pseudoscientific doctrine, and among them was Polivanov. Initially, he viewed Marr’s theory with equanimity and even acknowledged some of its valuable ideas. While appreciating Marr’s achievements in the comparative-historical study of South Caucasian languages, Polivanov could not accept the Japhetic theory, given its lack of substantiation by linguistic facts. In February 1929, Polivanov presented a report at the Communist Academy, convincingly exposing the unproven and flawed nature of Marr’s constructs. However, the Marrists, led by V.M. Friche and V.B. Aptekar, responded with denunciatory polemics, even accusing Polivanov of having ties to a reactionary Black Hundreds organization in pre-revolutionary times. The mood of the audience, largely composed of non-linguists, was against him, and Polivanov faced defeat. This marked the beginning of a targeted campaign against him—he was soon stripped of any opportunity to work in Moscow.

In 1929, Polivanov relocated to Samarkand, where he began working at the Uzbek State Research Institute. In 1931, he moved with the institute to Tashkent, yet even in Central Asia, the Marrists continued their persecution. That same year, Polivanov managed to publish his book, «For Marxist Linguistics,» in which he once again criticized Marrism. Following this, the campaign against him intensified, and he was deprived of the chance to publish in Moscow and Leningrad. One of his last published works was an article about the Japanese language in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.

Following the death of the Kyrgyz khan Nogoy, the ancient enemies of the Kyrgyz people, the Khitans, take advantage of the indecisiveness of his successors. They seize Kyrgyz lands and drive the people out of the Ala-Too Mountains. The descendants of Nogoy are exiled to distant regions, while those who remain fall under the brutal yoke of the conquerors. Nogoy’s youngest son, Jakyp, is exiled to the Altai Mountains, where, for many years, he is forced to serve the Altai Kalmyks. Through years of toiling in agriculture and working in the gold mines, he gradually amasses wealth. In his later years, Jakyp becomes the owner of countless livestock, but his heart is consumed by the bitterness of a fate that has left him without an heir. He mourns this misfortune and prays fervently for divine mercy, visiting sacred places and offering sacrifices.

At last, after experiencing a miraculous dream, Jakyp’s eldest wife conceives, and nine months later, she gives birth to a son. On the very same day, a foal is born in Jakyp’s herd, which he immediately dedicates to his newborn son. Overjoyed, Jakyp organizes a grand feast to celebrate and names the boy Manas. From a young age, Manas exhibits extraordinary qualities that set him apart from all others. His strength is immense, his behavior spirited, and his generosity unmatched. His fame soon spreads far beyond the Altai.

The Kalmyks who dwell in the Altai rush to inform the Chinese khan Esenkan about the emergence of this formidable hero among the rebellious Kyrgyz. Recognizing the potential threat, Esenkan decides that Manas must be captured and destroyed before he grows into a powerful warrior. He sends spies disguised as merchants to infiltrate the Kyrgyz lands with the mission of capturing Manas. They find the young hero engaged in a game of «Ordo,» a traditional Kyrgyz game, and attempt to seize him. However, Manas, alongside his peers, swiftly overpowers the intruders and captures them. He then distributes all the wealth from the caravan to the common people, sharing his bounty generously.

Against the Kyrgyz, a massive army led by the Kalmyk warrior Neskar is dispatched. Uniting all the neighboring peoples and tribes, Manas rises against Neskar and achieves a resounding victory over his army. Recognizing the young hero’s accomplishments and seeing in him a protector, many Kyrgyz clans, as well as neighboring Manchurian and Kalmyk tribes, decide to unite under his leadership. Manas is then elected as their khan.

Manas engages in an unequal battle with the Uighurs and emerges victorious. In this struggle, he receives invaluable assistance from the khan of the Kyrgyz tribe of Katagans, the warrior Koshoi. One of the defeated Uighur rulers, Kayypdan, offers Manas his daughter, Karaboryk, who herself expresses a desire to become the hero’s wife.

On Koshoi’s suggestion, Manas decides to reclaim the ancestral lands of Ala-Too that were seized by the enemies of the Kyrgyz. Gathering an army, he embarks on a battle and wins. The Kyrgyz resolve to migrate from the Altai back to their native lands. Manas, along with his people, settles near the sacred black mountains of Aziret. Meanwhile, the old adversary of the Kyrgyz, the Chinese khan Alooke, decides to halt the expansion of the Kyrgyz and begins preparing for an invasion. Learning of this, Manas quickly sets out on a campaign with his forty comrades. He effortlessly scatters the enemy forces and captures Alooke’s camp. Witnessing Manas’ determination and bravery, Alooke chooses to make peace with the Kyrgyz and, as a sign of submission, offers his son Booke to Manas.

During this period, tensions escalate on the southern borders, where the Kyrgyz tribes face growing confrontation with the Afghan khan Shoruk. Rallying his forces, Manas engages in battle, and the defeated Afghan ruler establishes a diplomatic marital alliance with the Kyrgyz by offering his daughter Akylai to Manas, along with forty of her maidservants.

A separate storyline of the epic narrates the tale of the hero Almambet, covering events from his birth until he joins Manas. Almambet’s father, Soorondyk, was a prominent Chinese general who remained childless for many years. It was only in his mature age that he finally had a son.

From a young age, Almambet studied various sciences, mastered the arts of magic and sorcery, and enrolled in the «Dragon’s Teachings» school (in Kyrgyz, «Azhydaardyn okuusu»). He studied alongside children from noble families but proved to be the most outstanding student, eventually becoming a brave warrior. His wisdom, honesty, and courage made him famous. While still young, Almambet succeeded his father and took command of the entire Chinese army. During a hunting expedition, he met Khan Kökchö, who urged him to abandon sorcery and embrace the light. Upon returning home, Almambet encouraged his relatives to convert to the new faith. However, neither his parents nor his kin were willing to listen, and Soorondyk ordered the arrest of his son for renouncing the ‘faith of their ancestors.’ Escaping from the Chinese, Almambet sought refuge with Kökchö. Almambet’s generosity, intelligence, and fairness enhanced his reputation, yet the warriors of Khan Kökchö were envious of this new favorite of their ruler. They spread a false rumor about a romantic relationship between Almambet and Kökchö’s wife, Akerchek. Unable to bear the slander, Almambet left Kökchö.

It was by chance that Almambet encountered Manas, who was out hunting with his forty warriors. Having heard much about Almambet, Manas welcomed him with great honor, hosting a grand feast in his name. Manas and Almambet became blood brothers. Since Manas had married Akylai and Karaboryk to establish peace, the hero asked his father Jakyp to find a suitable wife for him. After a lengthy search, Jakyp arrived at the court of Khan Atemir in Bukhara, where he was impressed by the khan’s daughter, Sanirabiga. Jakyp proposed marriage, paid a generous bride price, and, following all the proper traditions, Manas took Sanirabiga as his wife. The Kyrgyz named Manas’ wife Kanikey, meaning «one who has married a khan.» Manas’ forty warriors also married the forty women who had accompanied Kanikey. Almambet took as his wife Aruuke, the daughter of the guardian of wild mountain animals.

Upon learning about Manas, his long-exiled relatives in the distant north decided to return to him. These were the children of Jakyp’s elder brother, Usen, who had spent many years among foreign people, taken wives from the Kalmyks, and forgotten the customs and traditions of their ancestors. Among the Kalmyks, they were known as the Közkamans. During this time, Manas had to leave to aid the warrior Koshoi. The Afghan khan Tülkü, taking advantage of Koshoi’s absence, launched a raid on the Katagan tribe and killed the son of the Kyrgyz hero. However, Tülkü’s younger brother, Akun, sought to avoid further bloodshed and resolved the conflict that had arisen between the Kyrgyz and the Afghans. Tülkü admitted his guilt, paid compensation for the death of Koshoi’s son, and yielded his throne to Akun.

Manas and Akun established a pact of friendship and agreed that if they were to have a boy and a girl respectively, their children would be betrothed. Moreover, Bokmurun, the son of the Kyrgyz khan Kökyetöy (who had settled in Tashkent after Panus’ expulsion), expressed his desire to marry Tülkü’s daughter, Kanyshai. Following Manas’ advice, Bakay traveled to Tülkü to arrange the marriage and performed all the required rituals. During Manas’ absence, the Közkamans arrived. Kanikey joyfully welcomed her husband’s relatives, gifting them all the necessary items for managing their household as per tradition. On his return, Manas held a feast in their honor. He provided them with land, cattle, and various household items. Despite such a warm reception, the envious Közkamans began plotting against Manas.

They conspire to poison the hero, seize the throne, and claim all of Manas’s wealth. The Közkamans find a suitable moment to invite the hero and his retinue for a visit. Upon returning from another campaign, Manas eagerly accepts the invitation. Unbeknownst to him, poison is mixed into the food served to him and his warriors. Surviving the treachery, Manas fortifies his companions and returns to his encampment. In the aftermath, the Közkamans, seeking to assign blame for their failure, fall into infighting. Tensions escalate, knives are drawn, and they meet their demise.

The illustrious Kyrgyz khan, Kökötöy, having reached a venerable age, departs from the earthly realm. He leaves behind a testament for his son Bokmurun, detailing how to conduct the burial and perform all the posthumous rites. He also instructs him to seek counsel from Manas. After laying Kökötöy to rest, Bokmurun spends three years preparing for the grand feast in honor of his father. Manas takes the reins of organizing the memorial.

Numerous guests from far-flung lands arrive for the feast. Bokmurun offers lavish prizes for the victors of various contests. However, a faction of Kyrgyz elders and khans expresses dissatisfaction with Manas’s unilateral control over the proceedings. They convene a council and resolve to voice their grievances openly. Yet, the elder Koshoy pacifies the conspirators, persuading them not to stir discord in front of a large gathering, especially with old adversaries of the Kyrgyz present. He promises to help them keep Manas in check after the feast.

A year later, the conspirators demand that Koshoy lead a delegation to Manas and assist them in dethroning the obstinate ruler. Citing his age, Koshoy declines to comply with their demands. Undeterred, they resolve to send messengers to Manas, informing him that all the noble heads of Kyrgyz clans wish to visit him as guests. Their plan is to arrive en masse, hoping to provoke Manas into making a mistake in the ritual of hospitality, thereby instigating a quarrel and demanding that he renounce his title as khan. Manas graciously agrees to welcome the esteemed guests along with their sizable entourage. Forty warriors greet the arrivals and accommodate them in their yurts and ails. Observing the unity among the warriors and recognizing the steadfastness of Manas’s authority, the Kyrgyz khans find themselves in an awkward position. When Manas inquires about the purpose of their visit, none dare to offer a coherent answer.

At this point, Manas reveals that he has heard news of a looming invasion against the Kyrgyz. The Chinese khan, Konurbai, harboring resentment from past defeats, is amassing a vast army to subjugate the Kyrgyz once again. Manas calls upon the Kyrgyz khans to preempt the enemy, urging them to mobilize and unite their forces to defeat the foe on their own territory, thereby thwarting any attempts to conquer the Kyrgyz. Reluctantly, the khans acquiesce to Manas’s proposal. During the great campaign, Bakay is elected as the khan of all Kyrgyz, and Almambet becomes the chief commander of the Kyrgyz army, leading them toward the Chinese capital of Beijin.

After a long and arduous journey, the Kyrgyz forces reach the borders of the Chinese state. Leaving the army to rest, Almambet, Syrgak, Chubak, and Manas embark on a reconnaissance mission. Delving deep into enemy territory, they capture numerous herds. The Chinese troops pursue the raiders. A battle ensues, and the Kyrgyz manage to defeat and scatter the large enemy force. According to the epic, Manas and his warriors (the tyumens) seize Beijing (which translates from Kyrgyz as “the bad mare”) and rule for six months. The Chinese pay tribute and express their desire for peace. Manas magnanimously decides to spare Konurbai and the other Chinese nobles.

Yet Konurbai cannot accept defeat; he stealthily kills the finest Kyrgyz heroes one by one. Almambet, Chubak, and Syrgak fall in battle. Under cover of darkness, Konurbai infiltrates Manas’s camp and delivers a fatal blow to the hero, stabbing him in the back with a spear as the unarmed warrior performs his morning prayers, the baghymdat namaz. Returning to his homeland, Manas is unable to recover from his wound and ultimately dies. Kankey lays the hero to rest in a dome. The tragic conclusion of the first part of the trilogy reaches a striking realism. In his dying testament, Manas speaks of clan disputes and the weakening of the might of the united Kyrgyz people he had forged.

The birth of Manas’s son, Semetey, foreshadows the vengeance that will come for his father’s defeat. Thus unfolds the second poem, thematically and narratively linked to the first, which is dedicated to the life and feats of Semetey and his companions, who echo the heroism of their fathers and ultimately triumph over foreign invaders.

Not even forty days after Manas’s death, Jakyp demands that Kanikey be given in marriage to one of Manas’s half-brothers. In Manas’s stead comes his half-brother Kobesh, who oppresses Kanikey and seeks to eliminate the infant Semetey. Forced to flee with her child to her relatives, Kanikey escapes the treachery surrounding her. Growing up unaware of his true lineage, Semetey, upon reaching the age of sixteen, discovers he is the son of Manas and expresses a fervent desire to return to his people.

He journeys back to Talas, where his father’s encampment once stood. There, he confronts the enemies of Manas, including his half-brothers Abyke and Kobesh, as well as the treacherous warriors who betrayed his father, all of whom meet their end at Semetey’s hand. This conflict takes place in one of the tombs of the Kyk-Choro complex, where legend holds that Manas’s fallen warriors lie, slain by Semetey for their betrayal of their father.

Semetey marries Aichurek, with whom he was promised before his birth, as per Manas’s vow. He conducts raids into Chinese territory, ultimately engaging in single combat with Konurbai, avenging his father’s death. However, Semetey is betrayed by Kanchoro, who conspires with the enemy Kyas. Mortally wounded by Kyas, Semetey vanishes without a trace. His loyal companion, Kylchoro, is captured, and Aichurek falls into enemy hands. The traitor Kanchoro ascends as khan, while Aichurek awaits the birth of Semetey’s child, a secret known to none.

The heroic poem «Semetey» is the most frequently performed segment of the trilogy. The valiant heroes depicted in the poem also fall victim to injustice, but their demise is not at the hands of foreign invaders; rather, it is brought about by internal enemies. The epic narrative concerning the struggle against these internal foes is explored in the third part of «Manas,» titled «Seytek.» This section tells the story of the mighty warrior Seytek, the grandson of Manas, and serves as a logical continuation of the preceding parts. Within this narrative lies the same ideological foundation centered on the desire to preserve the unity of the people, rid themselves of both external and internal adversaries, and achieve a peaceful existence.

The plot of the epic «Seytek» revolves around several key events: Seytek is raised among the enemies of his father, unaware of his true lineage. As he matures, the mystery of his origins is revealed, leading to the expulsion of the foes and the return of Semetey to his people. Ultimately, this culminates in the unification of the nation and the onset of peaceful life. Through the characters of Semetey and Seytek, the longing of the people to preserve the legends of Manas within the heroic narratives of his descendants is vividly reflected.