The archaic layers of Bashkir epic Ural-Batyr

(based on a discovered live-performed version)

Abstract

The relevance of the study of the problem is due to a comprehensive study of the version of the living (authentic) performance of the epic Ural-Batyr preserved in the memory of the people. Until recently, it was believed that the oral performance, as well as the actual tunes of the great epic of the Bashkirs, were irretrievably lost. However, in 2011, the author was able to record an epic from A. M. Usmanova (1930-2015) in his song-recitative, alternating with prosaic texts. Records were made repeatedly with breaks of 8 and 5 months, which allowed the most objective reproduction of a cultural phenomenon of historical significance. The purpose of the article is to make a comparative analysis of the text we recorded with the main one published in 1968, 1972 and on the basis of the found poetic parts to reveal mythosemantics, semiotics of art, archetypal codes, to establish the differences and the first thoughts of the episodes.

The leading approach is the mythosemantic retrospection, which allows revealing artifacts and mental artifacts, archetypes of images and peculiarities of mythopoetic traditions that have not been recorded in studies before in the plot of a new text. The chosen approach allows us to make comparative-typological, component analyzes on the reconstruction of epic strata, the beginning of which, as you know, dates back to the Upper Paleolithic (III-II millennium BC).

The main results were the discovery of the absence of poetic lines in the published text that were especially informative in terms of deeply archaic projections of plot motifs and mythological codes. Records of the most complete artistic characteristics and descriptions of the horse of Akbuzat were made. Unlike the well-known published epic, the praise of the winged horse in the discovered text is 45 poetic lines; take place details of motives forbidden blood, of conduct Humai, Ural-Batyr, and others... Five proper epic melodies have been recorded, which have traditionally been common in the practice of performing the Ural-Batyr epic: these are praises of Akbuzat, praises of sword, the dialogue of Akbuzat and Khumai, the conversation between Khumai and the Ural-Batyr, and the final singing cuboire. Based on the reconstruction of the text and a new reading, new evidence was revealed on human anthropogenesis, motives about the strata of confrontation between Horse and Man, especially mythological images and musical traditions, which allow emphasizing the important place and status of the pra-epic (pratext) Ural-Batyr in the world epic.

The work is of interest to ethnographers, folklorists, humanities specialists, both for studying archaic strata of the epic, as well as processes of transformation, the revival of epic traditions in modern times. The live, chanting performance of the Bashkir cubair Ural-Batyr, representing the oldest among the Indo-European, Vedic and Turkic-Mongolian plots, is regarded as a phenomenal phenomenon.

References

1. Soltangareeva R. A. Bashkort sasen maktabe [Bashkir school of narration]. Ufa, 2012, 289 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
2. Kotov V. G. Bashkirskij geroicheskij epos “Ural-batyr” [Bashkir heroic epic “Ural-batyr”]. In: Istoriya bashkirskogo naroda v 7-i tomah. T. 1 [History of Bashkir people in 7 vol. Vol. 1]. Moscow, Nauka, 2009, pp. 335-338.
3. Gallyamov S. A. Bashkordskaya filosofiya. Estetika. 4 t. [Bashkord philosophy. Aesthetics. Vol. 4]. Ufa, Kitap, 2007, 341 p.
4. Gallyamov S. A. Ural-batyr i shumerskij epos o Gil'gameshe [Ural-batyr and Shumer epic on Gilgamesh]. In: Bashkirskij fol'klor. T. 4. [Bashkir folklore. Vol. 4]. Ufa, 2000, pp. 122-153.
5. Suleimanov A. M. Bashkir kubayirs and their variants. In: Materials for the Dossier to include Bashkir kobayirs of the Ural-batyr cycle into the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Research institute for history, etc. Ufa branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Ufa, 2013, pp. 199-206. (In Eng. lang.)
6. Shakurova Sh. R. Bashkirskij narodnyj epos “Ural-batyr”. Arhivnyj pervoistochnik i ego tekstologicheskij analiz [Bashkir folk epic “Ural-batyr”. Archival source and its textual analysis]. Ufa, Gilem, 2007, 386 p.
7. Bashkort halyk izhady. Epos. T. 1 [Bashkir folk creation. Epic. Vol. 1]. Tjoz., bash һjuz jazyusy, angl.-ar birejuse M. M. Sagitov, jauaply red. A. I. Harisov. Ufa, Kirap, 1972, 342 p. (In Bashkir and Russ. lang.)
8. Bashkirskoe narodnoe tvorchestvo. Epos. T. 1 [Bashkir folk creation. Epic. Vol. 1]. Predisl. M. M. Sagitova, per. G. G. Shafikova. Ufa, Bashknigoizdat, 1987, 544 p.
9. Bashkort halyk izhady. Epos. III tom [Bashkir folk creation. Epic. Vol. 3]. Toz., bash. һuz., komment. avt-ry A. M. Sulejmanov, R. F. Razhapov. Ufa, Kitap, 1998, 448 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
10. Bashkirskij narodnyj epos “Ural-batyr” [Bashkir folk epic “Ural-batyr”]. Predisl., komment. F. A. Nadrshinoj. Ufa, Informreklama, 2003, 465 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
11. Bashkirskij narodnyj epos [Bashkir folk epic]. Sost.: A. S. Mirbadaleva, M. M. Sagitov, A. I. Harisov. Moscow, Nauka, 1977, 520 p.
12. Toporov V. N. Kosmos [Cosmic space]. In: Mify narodov mira. T. 2 [Myths of the peoples of the world. Vol. 2]. Moscow, Sovetskaja jenciklopedija, 1980, pp. 9-10.
13. Bashkort tele һuzlege. 2 tomda [Dictionary of Bashkir language. 2 vol.]. Moscow, Russkij jazyk, 1993, 814 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
14. Bashҡort halyҡ izhady. Yazma kissa һәm dastandar. VII tom [Bashkir folk creation. Written kissas and dastans. 7 vol.]. Toz., bash һuz, anl. avt. A. M. Sulejmanov, G. B. Husajenov, M. H. Nazergolov. Ufa, Kitap, 2004, 624 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
15. Izүkaj menәn Moraҙdym [Idukai and Muradim]. Bazyrga azer. N. T. Zaripov. Ufa, Kitap, 1994, 349 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
16. Sultangareeva R. A. Zhizn' cheloveka v obryade [Human life in the rite]. Ufa, Gilem, 2006, 342 p.
17. Yuldybaeva G. V. “Ural batyr” kobajyry halyk haterenda [Cuboire “Ural batyr” in memory of the people]. In: “Ural-batyr” i duhovnoe nasledie narodov mira: materialy II Mezhd. nauch.-prakt. konf. (Ufa, 10-11 ijunja 2011 g.). [“Ural-batyr” and spiritual heritage of the peoples of the world: materials of II International scientific and practical conference (Ufa, June 10-11, 2011)]. Ufa, IIJaL UNC RAN, 2011, pp. 106-107. (In Bashkir lang.)
18. Farhshatov M. N. Rasulev Zajnulla [Rasulev Zaynulla]. In: Bashkortostan: Kratkaya enciklopediya [Bashkortostan: brief encyclopedia]. Gl. red. R. Z. Shakurov. Ufa, Bashkirskaya enciklopediya, 1996, p. 493.
19. Berezkin Yu. E. Rekonstrukciya syuzheta sozdaniya cheloveka u stepnyh indoevropejcev [Reconstruction of the plot of human creation among the steppe Indo-Europeans]. In: Kul'tury stepnoj Evrazii i ih vzaimodejstvie s drevnimi civilizaciyami. Kn. 2 [Cultures of steppe Eurasia and their interaction with ancient civilizations. Book 2]. Saint Petersbutg, IIMK RAN, “Periferiya”, 2012, pp. 35-40.
20. Jashagan, ti, batyrzar. Bashҡort halyk akiattare [Lives, says, batyrs Bashkir popular tales]. Toz.-һe N. T. Zaripov. Ufa, Kitap, 2005, 416 p. (In Bashkir lang.)
21. Shefer E. Zolotye persiki Samarkanda [Golden peaches of Samarkand]. Moscow, Nauka, 1981, 608 p.
22. Rudenko S. I. Kul'tura naseleniya Central'nogo Altaya v skifskoe vremya [Culture of population of Central Altay in Scythian time]. Moscow, Izd-vo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1960, 358 p.
23. Kondybaj S. Mifologiya predkazahov. Book 4 [Mythology of prekazakhs]. Almaty, SaGa, 2008, 436 p.
24. Emel'yanov N. V. Syuzhety yakutskih olonho [Plots of Yakut olonkhos]. Moscow, Nauka, 1980, 375 p.
25. Mingazhetdinov M. H. Etnogeneticheskie motivy v bashkirskih skazkah [Ethnogenetic motives in Bashkir tales]. In: Arheologiya i etnografiya Bashkirii [Archeography and Ethnography of Bashkiria]. Ufa, 1971, pp. 301-308.
26. Obydennov M. F., Korepanov K. I. Astral'no-simvolicheskij stil' v iskusstve kara-abyzskih plemen [Astral-symbolic style in the art of Kara-Abyz tribes]. In: Ot drevnosti k novomu vremeni (Problemy istorii i arheologii). Sbornik nauchnyh trudov [From antiquity to the new time (Problems of history and archeology). Collection of scientific papers]. Vyp. 7. Ufa, BashGU, 2005, pp. 81-87.
27. Kotov V. G. O skhodstve kosmogonicheskih mifov u bashkir i ugrov [On the similarity of cosmogonic myths among the Bashkirs and the Ugrians]. In: Ot drevnosti k novomu vremeni (Problemy istorii i arheologii). Sbornik nauchnyh trudov [From antiquity to the new time (Problems of history and archeology). Collection of scientific papers]. Vyp. 7. Ufa, BashGU, 2005, pp. 92-103.
28. Hisamitdinova F. G. Mifologicheskij slovar' bashkirskogo yazyka [Mythological dictionary of Bashkir language]. Moscow, Nauka, 2010, 452 p.
29. Bashkirskoe narodnoe tvorchestvo. T 4. Volshebnye skazki i skazki o zhivotnyh [Bashkir folk creation. Vol. 4. Magic tales and tales of animals]. Sost.: N. T. Zaripov, L. G. Barag. Ufa, Bashknigoizdat, 1989, 512 p.
30. Yusupov R. M. Paleoantropologiya Yuzhnogo Urala i voprosy proiskhozhdeniya bashkir-gajnincev [Paleoanthropology of the Southern Urals and questions of the origin of the Bashkirs-Gainins]. In: Bashkiry-gajnincy Permskogo kraya: Istoriya, etnografiya, antropologiya, etnogenomika [Bashkirs-Gainins of the Permsky kray: History, Ethnography, Anthropology, Ethnogenomics]. Pod obshch. red. R. M. Yusupova. Ufa, Gilem, 2008, pp. 315-325.
31. Sultangareeva R. A. Melodicheskie osobennosti napevov bashkirskogo eposa “Ural-batyr” [Melodic features of the tunes of the Bashkir epic “Ural-Batyr”]. In: Tradicionnaya i professional'naya muzykal'naya kul'tura Respubliki Bashkortosan: materialy Vseross. nauchno-prakt. konferentcii (Ufa, 29 octjabrja 2015 g.) [Traditional and professional musical culture of the Republic of Bashkortosan: materials of All-Russian scientific and practical conference (Ufa, October 29, 2015). Ufa, 2015, pp. 33-39.
32. Yusfin A. G. Nekotorye nereshennye voprosy izucheniya muzyki eposa [Some unresolved issues of studying epic music]. In: Muzyka eposa: stat'i i materialy [Epic Music: articles and materials]. Yoshkar-Ola, Mar. kn. izd-vo, 1989, pp. 34-43.
33. Sultangareeva R. A. Risk of Extinction. In: Materials for the Dossier to include Bashkir kobayirs of the Ural-batyr cycle into the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Research institute for history, etc. Ufa branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Ufa, 2013, pp. 206-212. (In Eng. lang.)
34. Bukharova G. H. Linguistic and cultural characteristics of kubayir. In: Materials for the Dossier to include Bashkir kobayirs of the Ural-batyr cycle into the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Research institute for history, etc. Ufa branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Ufa, 2013, pp.187-195. (In Eng. lang.)
35. Muhtarov T. G. Koncepciya dos'e po vklyucheniyu tradicij ispolneniya kubairov cikla “Ural-batyr” v spisok nematerial'nogo naslediya chelovechestva [The concept of the dossier on the inclusion of the traditions of the performance of kubairs of the Ural-Batyr cycle in the list of the intangible heritage of human]. In: “Ural-batyr” i duhovnoe nasledie narodov mira [“Ural-Batyr” and the spiritual heritage of the peoples of the world]. Ufa, IIYAL UNC RAN, 2011, pp. 13-18.