All manaschy are presented in chronological order, and their stories have been enriched with verses written by manaschy Rysbai Isakov. Nurbek Talantbekov noted that manaschy is not just an art or entertainment, but an important cultural heritage that is passed down from generation to generation.
How many names of manaschy have survived to this day, and how many remain unknown? Society still does not know the exact number of manaschy that exist at the moment.
According to the author, his goal is to convey the names of all manaschy to the people, and this list will be updated in subsequent editions.
As part of the AKIpress section "History of Manaschy," we will tell the life and work of each of the 150 manaschy.
Chokmor uulu Mambet (1896–1973)
Mambet Chokmor uulu was born in the high mountain pasture of Archaluu in the Ton district and belongs to the Kydyk clan of the Buguu tribe. His connection with the world of "Manas" is filled with various legends and events passed down from generation to generation.
One such story tells of how four-year-old Mambet once woke up, left completely naked, and disappeared for four days. The locals searched for him and found him only in the area of the mazar Tastar-Ata. When asked what had happened to him, Mambet could not give a clear answer.
When he was about fifteen years old, he found himself again in the area of Tastar-Ata, and this event left an indelible mark on his life. While riding a cow, he suddenly saw a huge detachment with fluttering banners. One of the warriors approached him and asked if he knew them. Upon replying that he did not know, the warrior said, "Pierce him with a spear." However, another warrior intervened and explained that this was the detachment of Manas, then introduced all the warriors and added, "When you turn twenty, you will tell the story of Manas," placing his seal on Mambet's chest.
From the age of twenty, Mambet began to travel across vast expanses and narrate the epic "Manas." People who met him often fainted from excitement. But soon he fell ill and became partially paralyzed. Learning of his plight, his uncle, manaschy Eshimbek uulu Denizbay, brought him to the people, where Mambet was able to begin performing "Manas," which helped him restore his health and strength. Thus, his uncle opened the path of the storyteller for him.
From 1963 to 1971, specialists from the "Manas" sector of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, such as E. Abdildaev, S. Begaliev, K. Kyrbashiev, S. Aliev, and R. Sarybekov, recorded fragments of three parts of the epic "Manas" from Mambet Chokmor uulu. To date, the manuscript fund holds 397,557 lines from his variations of the epic (of which "Manas" has 302,608 lines, "Semetei" has 71,609 lines, and "Seitek" has 23,340 lines).
Mambet himself always claimed that he did not learn from other manaschy, did not adopt their style, and did not memorize texts, but created all his works from inspiration. The locals of Ton recall that Sayakbay Karala uulu once said: "I will not perform 'Manas' where Mambet is present."
Despite the fact that Mambet Chokmor uulu's "Manas" has some common features with other versions, it differs significantly from them. In particular, in his interpretation, Manas is not born in Altai, but in Arslanbob; the two brothers-khans, Sary Nukur and Kara Nukur, are his ancestors; Nogoy, the son of Asan Kaygy, is described as a great oluya (saint) and the true grandfather of Manas; it is also mentioned that Atalyk uulu Kozkaman was the cause of Jakyp's exile to a foreign land.
Rysbai Isakov dedicated lines from his work "Manaschylar" to Mambet Chokmor uulu:
Chygarbaim jomok oydon kep,
Chyndygy ushul bolgon kep.
Kopchuluk azyz kylgandy,
Köngülkö tuyup koygon kep.
"Kök jal'dar mörün Mambettin,
Köönüne basyp koygon," – dep.
Körgön'dör aitkan: "Andyktan
köödenü ırga tolgon," – dep.
Manzhyly barsaŋ aityshat,
"Mazar'dyn eesi bolgon," – dep.
Arstanbapty köp aityshat:
"Abaltan bizge korgon," – dep.
Sayakbay özü baalagan:
"Sapar'lash jürgön jorgom," – dep.
Ötölü aityp ysymin,
Ömürü örnök boydon dep.
