Schools of Epic Tradition in Uzbek Epic Heritage and Other Turkic Peoples: Naming and Classification
Conference paper > Full Text
Authors: Fedakâr Selami
General Section, , , International, Full Text, pp 183-191
DOI: 10.66343/cstpf/vol1_iss1/art32
Summary
The most important factor that has ensured the survival of Turkish epics up to the present day is their creation and performance within a well-established tradition. Epic narrators, who are the representatives of this tradition, have ensured the development and continuity of the epic heritage through the master–apprentice training system. Over time, this traditional training system, which became increasingly structured and systematic, led to the emergence of different epic performance schools among Turkic peoples. Among the representatives of the Uzbek epic tradition, these schools created by bakhshis are called “mekteb” (schools). In different regions of Uzbekistan, many bakhshis have emerged from various epic schools, each distinguished by its own narrative style and performance techniques.