NOGAY CYCLE OF THE KAZAKH HEROIC EPIC

Abstract

Epic song heritage is an important and significant part of the Kazakh folklore. Important, socially significant issues of the Kazakh epic, an integral and composite part of the global epic heritage – praising the actions of the arrow-hunter, who lives separately from the people, protection of the family, protection of the clan, tribe, El, Motherland from foreign invaders, the struggle for the unity and independence of the people, the struggle for personal happiness, protection of honor and dignity of the individual, glorifying personal qualities of the average member of society, depiction of the internal struggles, religious feelings and affections, as well as interpersonal, intra-family, intra-tribe and inter-tribe interactions, etc. The national theme of protection of the Motherland, being relevant in many periods of history of Kazakhstan, is a dominant theme of the epics with heroic orientation, which received the highest artistic expression in classical samples of the heroic epic which were rightly included into the golden Foundation of the world epic heritage; images of the heroes- defenders became an example to follow for many generations. Heroes of classical samples of the heroic epic, for example, epics "Alpamys Batyr", "Kobylandy Batyr", "Kambar Batyr", etc. protect interests of specific clans and tribes which they lead. Heroes of Nogay cycle of the heroic epic don't protect a specific clan or tribe, but the whole Nogay El. In historical epics, the batyrs defend the interests of the Kazakh khanate, fight for freedom, independence, peace and happy life of the entire Kazakh people. These epic genres give us a panoramic picture of the progressive development of the national epic from the clan-tribal to the State epic. Nogay cycle is a semantically significant part of the heroic Kazakh epic, a symbol of a certain stage of its historical development. Nogay cycle of heroic epic is created within the frame of national epic traditions, however, it is characterized by its specific parameters and features.