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Abstract

The hero of the epic "Manas" is one of the most iconic characters in Kyrgyz folklore. The epic serves as a reference for determining the religious affiliation of the Kyrgyz people. In modern Kyrgyz society, people try to appeal to the fact that the hero Manas was a Muslim or was not a Muslim in disputes about the religion of the Kyrgyz. However, in the question of the religious affiliation of the hero, the religious views of the narrator of the epic "Manas" play a significant role. They are not just keepers of the tales in the epic, but also the entire historical and cultural memory of Kyrgyz people. Modern Manas tellers (manaschys) are the messengers of knowledge, values and worldview of the Kyrgyz people including religion. Since the epic “Manas” exists orally until now, each narrator of the story tells the story of the hero through his own beliefs and understanding of the world of Manas.

The purpose of the study is to explore how religious beliefs of Manas tellers (manaschys) impact the religious character of the hero Manas in the epic from the perspectives of the narrators. I will interview six to eight modern Manas tellers (manaschys) using semi-structured interviews, and analyze some episodes from the epic to better understand the religious belief of Manas (e.g. the episode where Manas was wounded by a Chinese hero Konurbai).

My argument is that Manas was a follower of syncretism since the elements of different religions are blended in different versions of the epic. The protectors of the hero Manas (alp kara kush (a mythical bird), dragon and kabylan) were the representatives of ancient totemic beliefs of the Kyrgyz people, and Manas worshiped ancestral spirits. Moreover, Umai ene was the patroness of mothers and children who assisted the birth of Manas.

The research will contribute to the existing knowledge on the epic Manas and religious study of Kyrgyz people. This knowledge will provide a solid foundation for a more informed discussion of the nature of religious affiliation of the Kyrgyz and the possibility of coexistence of different religious elements within the cultural and traditional practices of one ethnic group.