Ritual-performative formulas in the Altai epic of “Alyp-Manash”

The Altai heroic epic “Alyp-Manash” belongs to older periods than its other variants formed in Central Asia. There are enough traces of the ancient worldview of the Altai Turks in the epic. The aim of the article is to reveal the ritual-performative formulas used in the epic “Alyp-Manash”. Ritual-performative formulas appear in various forms. As examples of these formulas, we can cite “greeting”, “farewell”, “going on a journey”, “prayer”, “applause”, “dialogues”, etc. They also make it possible to analyze the behavior of heroes in various psychological situations. Uncovering common ritual formulas used in Turkish epics can also contribute to the discovery of common cultural values.

The article also examines the “master-student” relations in the process of telling epics in the Altai tradition. The article uses a comparative-historical method.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the examination and systematization of ritual-performative formulas functioning within the text of the epic. Performative features in Turkic epic tradition constitute a fundamental component of the narrative structure and manifest themselves both in the dialogues of the heroes and in the depiction of various ritual practices.

Special attention is given to the reflection of archaic representations, sacred cults, and beliefs characteristic of the traditional worldview of the Altai people. In the epic “Alyp‑Manash”, the hero is conceptualized as an integral part of the natural world. All metaphors, hyperboles and similes employed by the storyteller (kaychi) are directly related to natural phenomena and imagery. A distinctive feature of the Altai epic tradition is the storyteller’s obligatory invocation of nature spirits before beginning the performance of the epic. The praise of nature and the reception of sacred blessing constitute a stable ritual formula in the introductory part of the narrative. The analysis shows that the plot structure and imagery of the “Alyp-Manash” epic possess a high degree of originality and significantly differ from the Central Asian and Anatolian variants of the cycle.

This study may be of scholarly interest to researchers specializing in Turkic epic tradition, ethnography, mythology, and performative practices.

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