The Scientific Significance of the Search and Publication of Kazakh Fairy Tales Preserved in Manuscripts

Abstract

The process of collecting and publishing Kazakh fairy tales dates back to the second half of the 19th century. During the period of the colonization of the Kazakh steppe by the Russian Empire, people of different professions who came here for different purposes and worked in the civil service began to pay attention not only to the registration of land wealth, but also to the study of samples of oral folk art. On the pages of the first editions “Turkistan ualayatynyn gazeti”, “Dala ualayatynyn gazeti”, published in the second half of the 19th century in the Kazakh language and spreading in the Kazakh steppe, numerous folk tales were published, taken from oral folk art. Along with Russian scientists, representatives of the Kazakh intelligentsia and educators were also engaged in the study of fairy tales. Kazakh fairy tales were published several times at the beginning of the twentieth century and after the establishment of Soviet power. After gaining independence of Kazakhstan, numerous fairy tales were published in whole volumes. At the same time, some publications were found and re-published fairy tales that had not been previously published. We know that Kazakh fairy tales, collected in manuscript centers and library funds, have a rich heritage. Finding and republishing unpublished tales is an urgent need today. In the article, the author notes the importance of searching for fairy tales in the archives of the regional level, as well as among the manuscripts collected in manuscript funds and written in Cyrillic, Arabic or Latin letters, and the publication of these fairy tales, especially previously unknown ones. He also draws attention to the spiritual heritage of the people and the significance of fairy tales in modern folklore.