Manaschi
Encyclopedia
A Manaschi (Kyrgyz: Манасчы) is a person who recites the epic of Manas
which is the centrepiece of Kyrgyz literature. The Manas contain up to nearly five hundred thousand lines which makes it twenty times longer than Homer's Odyssey
and Iliad
combined
.
Epic of Manas
The Epic of Manas is a traditional epic poem claimed by the Kyrgyz people dating to the 18th century, though it is possibly much older. In some earlier versions, however, Manas is identified as Nogay. This opens the possibility of Manas having spoken a dialect of Turki similar to that of the...
which is the centrepiece of Kyrgyz literature. The Manas contain up to nearly five hundred thousand lines which makes it twenty times longer than Homer's Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
and Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
combined
.
External links
- Manas
- "Manas: The Kyrgyz Odysseys, Moses, and Washington", article examining the place of Manas in Kyrgyz mythology and national identity