As a Kyrgyz intellectual deeply versed in our nomadic culture, oral traditions, and music, I am delighted by Daniel Prior's English translation of “The Memorial Feast for Kökötöy Khan.” This pioneering work, the first on Kyrgyz oral literature published by Penguin Classics, is a testament to Prior's exceptional translation skills and his astute decision to partner with a renowned publisher, thereby introducing the monumental Manas epic tradition to the English-speaking world. The text, originally recorded from the celebrated manaschy Saghïmbay Orozbaq uulu, is replete with rich insights into the culture, history, pastoral life, social structure, ethnic and religious politics, and other facets of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Inner Asian/Kyrgyz nomads. This translation offers readers a unique lens to explore this world through Saghïmbay manaschy's rich poetic language, fantasy, and imagination.
“The Memorial Feast for Kökötöy Khan” is a vital and popular segment of the epic Manas. This epic, central...
