AKBUZAT

“AKBUZAT”, a monumental epic work of Bashkir literature. The Ural­Batyr epic sequel. Written in a combined poetic and prosaic form. Recorded in Derevnya Babalar of Orenb. Uyezd of the namesake guberniya in 1917 by M.A. Burangulov as heard from Gatiatulla Bikkuzhin, storyteller. Main theme – the batyr struggle for people’s happiness and the triumph of justice. Traditional characters (Akbuzat, Khumay, Kakhkakha, etc) reveal both the ideological andartistic valueofthework. Khauban, the main character, became an orphan after the murder of his parents by Masim­khan’s vassals. However, he continues the noble deeds of his father Sura­batyr, grandfather Idel and great­ grandfather Ural­batyr. Nerkes, daughter of the underwater king, helps Khauban to capture Akbuzat and the cherished damask sword. That gives him an irresistible physical force. Horse taming part plays a significant role in the epic work. Akbuzat helps the main character to destroy diya, dragons and the Shulgan under­ water kingdom, kill Masim­khan and free Irandyk, Katay, Kypsak, Tabyn, Tamyan, Tuclyas and Yurmaty batyrs from slavery. These batyrs become clan leaders. Having defeated all enemies, Khauban marries Nerkes, an embodiment of the main characteristics of the women belonging to the period of matrilineal marriage existence. A. clearly includes 2 chro­ nologically heterogeneous plot layers. The archaic fantastic plot reflects the unconscious struggle of man with the elements of nature. The more recent layer reflects the period of tribes merging and the Bashk. ethnicity formation. Based on this epic, composers Kh. Sh. Zaimov and A.E. Spadavekkia created the Akbuzat opera. The Russian Drama Theatre staged the namesake rock opera (libretto by A.A. Kortnev, music by S.S. Chekryzhev). The typed text of the epic is stored in the Scientific Archive of the UFSRC RAS.