International Journal Of Literature And Languages
153
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
153-156
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue06-43
The Issue Of Recording the Repertoire of Kurbanbay
Zhirov Tazhibayev
Orazımbetova Aysholpan Muratbay qızı
Karakalpakstan Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan Karakalpak Scientific Research Institute of
Humanities, Nukus, Uzbekistan
Received:
30 April 2025;
Accepted:
28 May 2025;
Published:
30 June 2025
Abstract:
This article discusses the recording of the repertoire of Kurbanbay Zhirov Tazhibayev, who has gained
significant importance among Karakalpak zhirovs. Information on when and by whom more than 20 of his epics
were recorded is presented in tabular form.
Keywords:
Kurbanbay Zhirov, Karakalpak epics, repertoire, folklore, folklorist, recording
Introduction:
Karakalpaks are a people that stands out
among the Turkic peoples with their rich heritage,
history, culture, literature, folklore, customs and
traditions. This people has been continuing its history
from ancient times to the present day, passing on its
oral folklore from generation to generation. That is why
these noble works have come down to us and will live
on as an inexhaustible treasure of humanity.
When it comes to getting acquainted with the skill of
composing epics of Karakalpak zhirovs and talking
about their repertoires, the art of zhirov singing by
Kurbanbay Zhirov Tazhibayev is of particular interest.
Because studying the repertoire of Kurbanbay Zhirov
means studying the lifestyle, customs, traditions,
history, present and future, way of thinking and
spirituality of this people. It reflects the thousand-year-
old way of life and worldview of the people.
Known for his immortal epics, Kurbanbay Zhirov
Tazhibayev has always been the center of attention of
scholars. A number of scientific research works have
been conducted on this topic and articles have been
written. In particular, attention has been paid to it by
Q.Ayımbetov [3], N.Dáwqaraev [6], Q.
Maqsetov [8],
I.Saǵitov [12], O.Adambaeva [2], S.Bahadırova [4],
N.Madraximova [7], J.Mambetov [11] and others.
Kurbanbay Zhirov's involvement in the zhirovs genre
dates back to the former Soviet Union. However, the
establishment of the Soviet government, the wrong
political conditions, and the preservation of the rich
traditions of the old folk heritage created difficulties for
the zhirovs. This could have been a slight obstacle to
their creativity and composing epics. Because from this
point of view, there was a risk of being accused of being
"old-fashioned" and "nationalist". Therefore, they
could not compose as they had before. This fact was
also confirmed by the research conducted by the
scholar S. Bakhadirov [5.3].
It is also known from history that in the past, some rich
people, scholars, poets who spoke the truth, and
bakhshi- zhirovs, did not like them.
Some wealthy people and scholars did not accept the
fact that Guloyim and his friends in the epic poem
"Forty Girls" composed by Kurbanbay Zhirov held
weapons like men, rode horses, and chose their own
mates, and were against it. They even expelled them
from the country.
Folklorist K. Maksetov recalls the words of Kurbanbay
Zhirov as follows: “I performed the epic poem “Forty
Girls” at a rich man’s wed
ding. The rich were surprised
to hear me praise the girls’ heroism, and when they saw
that the girls had chosen a partner for themselves
honestly, they stopped me from performing, saying
that this did not correspond to Sharia law,” says
Kurbanbay Zhirov [8]. Indeed, during the time when
zhirov lived, many rich people wanted bakhshi-zhirovs
to perform the pain and problems of the people at
weddings and celebrations. However, despite this, it is
a joyful fact that Kurbanbay Zhirov’s repertoire,
although incomplete, has reached us in a rather rich
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
154
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
form. In this regard, scholars N. Daukaraev, A.Begimov,
N.Zhapakov and K.Aiimbetov paid special attention to
the fact that Kurbanbay Zhirov did not become
separated from the people. That is, Kurbanbay Zhirov
was called to work at the Republican Radio
Broadcasting Committee and was assigned the task of
recording his repertoire.
In 1938-1956, several Karakalpak writers, poets and
scholars managed to record the epics from the
repertoire of Kurbanbay Zhirov. The epics recorded
from Zhirov are kept in the manuscript fund of the
Karakalpakstan branch of the Academy of Sciences of
the Republic of Uzbekistan. All of them were published
in the 100-volume "Karakalpak Folklore". Three epics
from Zhirov's repertoire, entitled "Zhanadil", "Guldirsin
Afsanasi", and "Baltekey ugli Farrukh", have not been
published and their manuscripts are located in the
folklore sector of the Institute of Uzbek Language,
Literature and Folklore of the Academy of Sciences of
the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The Uzbek
version of these epics was written by Feruza Sultonova.
Of course, the role of folklore scholars who collected
and recorded the rich epic work of Kurbanbay Zhirov,
who knew by heart more than 20 epics, each of which
was a book in size, and could skillfully compose them,
is incomparable. The names of these folklore scholars,
the years in which the epics were written, and the
names of the epics are given in the table below:
Recorded epics
Years of epics recorded
People
who wrote them
"Er Kosay"
1938
Sadirbay Mawlenov and
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
"Kurbanbek"
1938
Sadirbay Mawlenov and
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
"Kırıq kız"
1938, 1944
Sadirbay Mawlenov,
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
and Asan Begimov
"Bozaman"
1939
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
and Sadirbay Mawlenov
"Shyrin-Sheker"
1939
Sadirbay Mawlenov and
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
"Shirin bilan Shakar" (in
Uzbek)
1957
Feruza Sultanova
"Jaskelen"
1939
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
and Sadirbay Mawlenov
Boltakay botir (in
Uzbek)
Feruza Sultanova
"Bozzhigit"
1939
Sadirbay Mawlenov and
Shamshet Khojaniyazov
"Hajı-Gerey"
1941
Saypnazar Beknazarov
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
"Er Ziywar"
1941, 1953 and 1958
Saypnazar Beknazarov and
Genjemurat Esemuratov
"Kanshayım"
1955
Kabıl Maksetov
“Jahansha”
1956
Maten Seytniyazov
"Salimjan"
1956
Maten Seytniyazov
"Hatamtay"
1956
Maten Seytniyazov
"Menlikal"
1956
Maten Seytniyazov
"Alpamıs"
1956
Artıq Karimov
"Janadil"
1956
Feruza Sultanova
"Güldirsin apsanası"
1956
Feruza Sultanova
"Er Sayım"
1957
Maten Seytniyazov
"Ilimkhan"
1957
Maten Seytniyazov
"Baltekey ulı Farrukh"
1957
Feruza Sultanova
"Yusip Mergen"
1958
Artıq Abdireymov
The work of writing down the epics from Kurbanbay
Zhirov was not easy. Of course, there were also some
difficulties. Because at that time, technology was not
well developed, there was no radio, television, or other
recording equipment. The work of writing down the
epics was done only by hand. Even scholars traveled
long distances to write down a single epic. This process
was carried out simply by writing down the epics on
paper, word for word, with the zhirov next to them. For
example, about the recording of the epic poem
"Kanshayim", K.Maksetov emphasizes the following:
"K.Maksetov comes to Turtkul from Moscow to get the
epic poem "Kırk kız"
from Kurbanbay Zhirov. However,
Zhirov tells him that this epic poem was previously
recorded by Sadyrbay, Shamshet and Asan, and that he
cannot set it now as he did then. However, Kurbanbay
Zhirov gives K.Maksetov, who came from Moscow, the
epic poem "Kans
hayım" to him so that he will not leave
empty-handed. Thus, in 1957, the epic poem
"Kanshayım" was recorded by K.Maksetov [10.4]. The
second copy of this epic poem was recorded again by
U. Khojaniyazov in 1957 [9.113-114].
The repertoire of Kurbanbay Zhirov also includes epics
set in two languages, namely Uzbek and Karakalpak.
Among them are “Shirin bilan Shakar”, “Zhanadil”,
“Güldirsin afsanası” and “Boltakay batır” (in Karakalpak
“Zhaskelen”). However, the epics “Zhanadil”, “Güldirsin
afsanası” were not r
ecorded in Karakalpak [1.104].
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the article mentioned the recording of
epics by Kurbanbay Zhirov Tazhibayev. Thus, work on
recording the repertoire of epics began in 1938. Also,
general books, dissertations and articles were written
on the work of Kurbanbay Zhirov, and reports were
made at international conferences. However, no
scientific analysis was conducted on many of his epics.
Therefore, detailed research on his repertoire is
necessary.
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