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SOURCE AND HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE MULTI-SPORT SPORT
Tursunov Oqil Amrilloyevich,
Bukhara State Pedagogical Institute
Annotation:
Kopkari is a traditional sport with deep roots in the culture of the peoples of Central
Asia, its sources are associated with the life and pastoral culture of the ancient Turkic peoples.
This study analyzes the source study and historical formation of the game of kopkari. The main
attention is paid to written sources, folk oral literature and ethnographic research, highlighting
values such as courage, dexterity and teamwork that are manifested in the game process.
Also, a conclusion is given about the modern development of kopkari and its significance as a
national heritage.
Key words:
Mahmud Kashgari, Central Asia, Chavgon, "Uloqda", Babur, Abdulla Qodiri,
Devonu lugatit turk.
There are various written and oral sources about the origin of the sport of Kopkari. Ancient
historical works, folk folklore, as well as ethnographic studies show that the roots of this sport
are associated with the culture of herding and military training. In particular, ancient Turkic
sources mention it as an exercise conducted to improve the physical fitness of cavalry warriors
and strengthen the spirit of collective unity. Also, references to the game of Kopkari are found in
the work “Devonu lug‘atit turk” by Mahmud Kashgari. In oral sources, Kopkari is described as a
tradition held as part of various ceremonies and holidays. Often, this game was held during
weddings, hashar or harvest festivals to strengthen friendship and unity between people. The
history of Kopkari is mainly associated with the life of the pastoral peoples of Central Asia, and
it was originally formed as a means of military training. Through the game of Kopkari, young
men honed their skills in horse riding, running, and roping. In the historical and cultural
development of the peoples of Central Asia, this game was considered a symbol of courage,
dexterity, and bravery among the people[5;173].
Historical sources have different names for the game of kopkari, for example, the Kazakhs called
it “kokpar”, the Kyrgyz called it “ulak tartysh”. Although the rules of the game and the forms of
its conduct had regional characteristics, the main essence remained the same - it was a test of
strength, courage and agility. During the Soviet era, kopkari was formalized as a sport and
brought into a competitive form. During the years of independence, kopkari was revived as a
national heritage and was recognized internationally[3; 240].
If we pay attention to the formation of this game among the Uzbeks, we do not have information
about the game of kopkari in the samples of folk oral art typical of the South Uzbek school of
epic poetry, but we can see the presence of the horse games “oltin qobok”, “chavgon” and “kiz
kuvmoq”. In particular, it is characteristic that the Uzbeks have one of the ancient rituals of our
people - the shooting game "golden gobo", which served as the basis for the formation of the plot
of the epic. It describes the organization of the game "golden gobo" by Goroglu in order to
determine a worthy candidate who could take over the rule in the Chambil region before going
on a pilgrimage, and the victory of Avazkhan in this contest. Although detailed information
about the game of gobo is not provided in the work "Boburnoma" by Zahiriddin Muhammad
Babur, one can often find similar things, such as horse and cavalry troops, and the game of
chavgon. After all, it should not be forgotten that the game of "polo", which is one of the popular
sports today, spread throughout Europe and the whole world thanks to the Baburs, whose basis
was the game of "chavgon", which went to India. It is difficult to answer the question of whether
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chavgon or kopkari is more ancient, but written sources indicate that chavgon dates back to a
long time. The works of the famous representative of Uzbek literature, Alisher Navoi, mentions
sports such as wrestling, chavgon, chess, and golden goblin, but there is no information about the
game of uloq kopkari. In particular, in his ghazal, which begins with "Chobukekim, har taraf
maydan aro ailar shitob...", the ancient folk game of "Qavoq" is described [4;78]. Zahiriddin
Muhammad Babur describes the game of "golden goblin" in two places in his work
"Boburnoma" in the following way: "He had enthusiasm. Although there was no case where he
was successful, they say that in some battles he showed signs of courage. He was a very good
shooter. His arrows, both feathered and unfeathered, often hit the wild boar. He would often hit
the pumpkin placed for the target from either end of the field...", "Again, Islim was a brave man.
He was a Turk. He was good at birdwatching. He did some amazing things. He would shoot
thirty or forty batman arrows with force and make them pass through the board. In the Qabaq (a
target used in archery practice) field, he would run from the beginning of the field, lower the
bow, shoot it and hit the pumpkin-shaped target. He would also tie a zehgir (a device like a
scythe worn on the finger) to a half-year-old string, fasten the other end of the string to a piece of
wood, and spin. While spinning, he would shoot the arrow and make it pass through the zehgir.
At one point, Babur, describing Hasan Yaqubbek in his work about the game of chavgon,
mentions that "...he was a brave man. He shot arrows well and played chavgon well"..." As we
have seen, information about the game of köpkari or similar horse racing scenes is not found in
the works of the above authors[2; 16].
In Uzbek literature, one can see that kopkari and uloq are constantly referred to. As proof of this,
the story "Uloqda" (1916) by the famous Uzbek novelist, a major representative of Jadid
literature, is incomparably higher than his previous works and is considered the pinnacle of
Uzbek realistic literature at the dawn of the 20th century, the best example of a realistic story.
The reason is that at the end of the story, Abdulla Qodiri wrote that he did not make any
unnecessary changes because it was a memory of his childhood. It can be seen that even in those
days, even in Tashkent, the game of kopkari/uloq was played with pleasure, and the riders were a
symbol of courage and strength for every young man, and all the impressions of the game of uloq
are described with the feelings of the young Turgun. The story "The Night of the Horse" (1979),
written by the writer Togay Murod, is among the literary works that describe national wrestling,
games such as kopkari, and riders, which were under threat of extinction at that time. In the work
"The Night of the Horse" he writes: "Late in the fall, I set off for our homeland. I met a horseman
named Sattor. He found me a horse. I mounted it! During the day, I rode kopkari with riders
from different countries. I fell off my horses many times. At night, I made a noise with the riders.
The riders beat the drums and talked about kopkari, about horses, about riders. For a long winter,
the kopkari house became my workplace, and the riders "I became a roommate, horses became
my brothers..." There are lines like this. Another famous Uzbek writer, Oybek, also describes the
"goat game" in his memoir "Childhood": "Goat" is an ancient folk game. Musa, who saw it for
the first time, was stunned. "...A lively horse flew like an arrow through the thicket of people.
The herdsmen, who were suddenly confused, rushed after it like a raging river. One by one, the
herdsmen took the goat and ran away, and the whole herd rushed after it..." As we can see, the
frequent references to this horse game in literature, especially in stories and novels, indicate its
widespread use and its place in social life[1;35].
It is necessary to emphasize the innovations and methods that the Uzbeks introduced into this
game, unlike other Turkic peoples. In many places, before the game of uloq, they played a horse
game called "kiz kuvdi". In Syrdarya, Tashkent region, South Kazakhstan, Asht (Tajikistan),
Novvat (Kyrgyzstan), the game of "shogulok" is also played during the game of uloq.
"Shogulok" is one of the ancient horse games, played to test and hone the strength of young men.
Today, it is often held during weddings and holidays, mass gatherings, in the slow-flowing and
stagnant parts of rivers and streams. In particular, Turkish researchers distinguish that the Uzbek
"köpkari" was played in areas near water. In many districts of the Boysun district of the
Surkhandarya region, performances called "eshak köpkari" and "shoguloq" were often held on
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the riverbank during weddings and holidays. In the game "Shoguloq", the head, arms and legs of
the goat were first cut off separately, and the skin of the cut areas was carefully sewn up. Going
to the river bank, under the leadership of one of the leaders of the mahalla, saying "I am a
bakovul. Let no one be arrogant," the goat was thrown into the middle of the water, and
dexterous and agile riders rushed to pull it through the water and bring it to the bakovul. A
kopkari competition was also held at traditional weddings. The faces of the kopkari players were
aimed at the mirror so that they would be bright. According to A. Malikov, who conducted
research on the history of the kopkari game in Samarkand in the 19th-20th centuries, there is no
mention of kopkari in Samarkand in medieval sources, this term is found only in Uzbek folk
tales - epics. Kopkari is believed to have entered the culture of the city of Samarkand in the late
Middle Ages, when the mass settlement of semi-nomadic groups in the Samarkand oasis took
place. The ruling dynasty of the Bukhara Emirate, the Mangids, actively participated in the
kopkari, thereby demonstrating, on the one hand, their closeness to the semi-nomadic Uzbeks,
who were their military support. Their strength and, on the other hand, their participation ensured
that this game acquired a prestigious status among the rest of the population[6; 128].
Kopkari is an ancient folk game based on courage, teamwork, and strength, and through its
source and historiography, not only the history of sports, but also the cultural heritage of the
people are studied. This sport is still important in preserving national values and passing
them on to future generations.
REFERENCES:
1. Kubakov K.K. Children's games and amusements of the Uzbeks (based on the materials of
the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions). // Issues of archeology, ancient history and
ethnography. Samarkand, 1981. - P. 35.
2. Muhammadiev L. Sogintirgan khalk oyinlari ... - B.16.
3. Tursunov O.A. //Ko‘pkari va ot sport o‘yinlarining milliy urf-odat va an’analar bilan
aloqadorligi masalasi// Ilmiy-nazariy va metodik jurnal Scientific theoretical and methodical
journal. №5. 2024. B-238-248.
4. Usmonkhuzhaev T.S., Khuzhaeva.F. Ming bir ўyin... – B.78.
5. Shaniyazov K. Uzbeks-Karluks... – P.172-173.
6. Shaniyazov K.Sh. Uzbeks-Karluks. Historical and ethnographic essay, - Tashkent, 1964;
c-342.
