3. Manas and Company The peak of Kyrgyz culture is the Manas Epic, revolving around the hero Manas.

Pervious articles/chapters explored the similarities between Manas father Jakyp and the biblical father Jacob, and between Rabiga and Rebecca. There are a multitude of other characters and heroes in the epic that are also worth getting to know. We will start this section with a closer look at the hero, Manas.

The Semitic Manas Our comparative analysis begins with the Torahs account of Manasseh. Jacobs ten oldest sons sold his 11th son, Joseph, as a slave to Egypt. Joseph eventually became Egypts second most powerful person. His Egyptian wife gave birth to their rstborn, Manasseh, which meant made to forget, because Joseph forgot and forgave his brothers betrayal.

Many Indian languages have the word Manas or Manasa, which means heartmind purity,1 a quality which I imagine is quite necessary for the Torahs implied denition forgive and forget. How did this biblical terminology end up in India? Such a question goes beyond the scope of this treatise. But before leaving the subject let us note that the main Kyrgyz Y-chromosome (R1a) is also prevalent in

Personal interviews, Bangalore 2006. Catholics contend individuals like Maria Goretti possessed enough heart-mind purity to be canonized as saints. Maria Goretti forgave her murderer while bleeding to death in 1902 and was venerated in 1950.

India.2 So we have found the same name, Manasa or Manas, with the same basic denition, kindness, which may be a link between India and Manassehs Tribe.

Such a link would be meaningless in our research if the Kyrgyz hero was not named Manas. As noted above, Indians and the Torah are quite clear about the denition of Manas and Manasseh, but Kyrgyz debate the denition of their heros name. Some say Manas means heaven others say generous. The popular name Aikol Manas, means Generous Manas. Aikol literally means moon-lake, implying generosity as broad as a moon-lake - Manas forgave and presented gifts to six khans who rebelled against him.

Incredibly, the biblical, Indian, and Kyrgyz denitions of Manasa or Manas might all be rooted in the same concept: kindness, generosity, and forgiveness.

Manasseh Becomes Manas Manasseh ( from right to left: )is Menashe in Standard Hebrew and Manatch in Samaritan Hebrew. Kyrgyz names do not end with vowels or soft sounds so Menashe might become like the Samaritan Manatch or perhaps Menash, or might nish the third syllable with a hard consonant like Menashat. Kyrgyz language has vowel harmony and stresses the second syllable, so Menash would naturally become Manash. Etymologically sh and s are often interchangeable. This rule holds true among biblical tribes:

Semino, Ornella, et al, The Genetic Legacy of Paleolithic Homo sapiens sapiens in Extant Europeans: A Y Chromosome Perspective (Science Vol. 290, 10 November 2000)

They said, All right, say Shibboleth. If he said, Sibboleth, because he could not pronounce the word correctly3 Manash would be pronounced Manas among some tribes, who could not pronounce sh, so Manas and Menashe are variations of the same name.

Even after 3000 years there are no unnatural linguistic alterations of this central gures name, unlike my own name which has gone through many modications in 15 years: from Hewitt to several cyrillic renditions: , , , etc. and then electronically regenerated back into Latin letters as Khevit. Unstated The holy books never specically states the name Jacobs son Manasseh. The name is only derived from Jacobs declaration to his son Joseph:

your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. Like many modern Kyrgyz, Jacob takes his grandsons as his own sons, so Manasseh is no longer called Josephs son Manasseh. He is now Jacobs son Manasseh, which is etymologically a perfect match with Jakybs son Manas.
3

Judges 12:6 (Authors emphasis added.)

Finding this biblical character in a Central Asian epic is so profound that even the Bibles most adamant opponents are forced to admit some connection exists between Kyrgyz and the great nomadic prophets. Kyrgyz say, (A re does not start from empty land). There must be a reason for such afnities.

Christians and Jews were inuencers on the Silk Road during different eras. If Kyrgyz converted to Judaism or Christianity centuries ago they might adopt certain practices from the prophets biographies, but they would not pick up the name Jakybs son Manas, because the name is too vague and obscure in the holy books. Only descendants of the man himself would remember Manasseh as Jacobs son. Converts would know him as Josephs son.

Manassehs Growing Fame Let us note the spread of Manassehs fame within its Middle Eastern context. Jewish and Islamic storytellers interwove traditions to create many variations of Josephs biblical and Quranic narratives. These Middle Eastern accounts started attributing Manasseh with extraordinary courage and power typical of Central Asias Manas. The following is from Kurdistans interpretation of the Joseph narrative. In this scene Judah and Joseph confront each other: Then Judah, enraged, shouted (with) such a fearful voice that all the Egyptians trembled, half the walls in Egypt collapsed and were destroyed, and all pregnant women who were there miscarried. Now Joseph, astonished and

apprehensive, motioned to his rstborn son, Manasseh, to pat Judahs shoulders with his hand, so that his rage might cool off.4 The Qissit sayyidna yusuf il-siddiq or The Story of our Master Joseph the Righteous gives Manasseh a shout to match Judahs: Then Manasseh got up from his throne, and he took a cane and beat Simeon and put him in prison. And Manasseh let forth a yell - the Tribes fell on their faces, even their brother Joseph fell off his throne - and the Tribes said to each other in Hebrew, There is no doubt that this fellow is one of us. 5 The Kyrgyz Manas also has a terrifying voice; even before he was born: He shouted while still in the womb And called out the battle cry 'Manas!'6 These oral renderings provide an evolutionary link between Manassehs written biography and the epic Manas.

Is there more evidence?

Sabar, Yona; The Folk Literature of the Kurdistani Jews: An Anthology (Yale University Press, New Haven, London, 1982) p. 19. Similar interpretations of Joseph exist from Persia, Kyrgyzstan, and into Western China.
5

Bernstein, Mark; Stories of Joseph: Narrative Migrations between Judaism and Islam (Wayne University Press, Detroit, 2006) p. 122
6

Karalaev, Saiakbai, Manas; Translated by Elmira Kochumkulkizi, Ph.D. Candidate in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington (Seattle) lines 3976-3978

Manas and David - Matching Story Lines Shepherd King Manas was a boy shepherd. He rose to the level of national hero after conquering a giant and was eventually elected khan.7 David was also a shepherd boy who became a national hero after killing a giant and eventually became king. The following is a small section of young Manas victory:

Upon reaching the giant He spoke these words to him: "A curse on your father's grave, Kanjar the giant! You are a mare herder; I'm a shepherd, You tormented all the boys, Stop this torture of yours! Now vultures will carve out your eyes8 The prophet shepherd-boy also approached a giant boldly: David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Like Manas, David also promises that the birds will eat the giants esh:

when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and goodlooking. So the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that
7

The well-known Kyrgyz historian, Professor Dastan Sarikulov, believes Manas title khan was added to the epic recently. Sarikulov states ancient Kyrgyz did not have political kings or rulers. All were equal. Sarikulovs perspective of ancient Kyrgyz matches that of the ancient nomadic era under Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the later reign of judges who led the tribes before Israel implemented kings. For more information look at the book of Judges and 1 Samuel chapter 8.
8

Karalaev, Saiakbai, Manas; Translated by Elmira Kochumkulkizi, Ph.D. Candidate in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington (Seattle) lines 5579-5588.

you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods9 David said to the giant, This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 10 Manas was angered because the giant, Kanjar, had tormented all the boys. These boys were Manas warriors. David fumed because the Philistine giant, Goliath, had tormented the armies (the boys) of Israel:

Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have deled. 11 Manas killed the giant with a blow to the head:

Chasing after Kanjar He hit him right on his crown. When he tasted Manas' club, His head was smashed to pieces, The giant fell to the ground His soul leaving him screaming.12
9

1 Samuel 17:42 (New King James Version) 1 Samuel 17:46 (New King James Version). Authors emphasis added. 1 Samuel 17:45 (New King James Version). Authors emphasis added.

10 11 12

Karalaev, Saiakbai, Manas; Translated by Elmira Kochumkulkizi, Ph.D. Candidate in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington (Seattle) lines 5616-5621.

Davids blow to the head produced similar results:

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in the forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.13 These two young giant-killers share a few more attributes. Forty Friends (Choros) Both Manas and David traveled with about 400 men: Manas attacked with 400 soldiers from Joloys left.14 From the Torah: everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and every one who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.15 Manas true friends were an inner circle of 40 great warriors; of the 40, three were especially valiant their individual deeds are described in the epic. The previously mentioned giant had killed four of Manas forty friends leaving thirty-six.16
13 14

1 Samuel 17:49 (New King James Version)

400 . Sooronov, Omor, - 1503 : Manas, Written in 1503; (Bishkek, 2003) p. 41, 53;
15 16

1 Samuel 22:2 Karalaevs version says the giant killed four friends.

From Davids 400 rough comrades, thirty-seven warriors became famous; three were especially valiant their individual deeds are mentioned in scripture.17 On occasion both the epic and Bible number thirty warriors, not forty or thirty-seven: Thirty herdsmen, Manass friends, Did not let them attain their ends Fell upon merchants, Kalmaks, Kitais And a fight began likewise. 18 Davids warriors were also loosely referred to as the thirty: And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped... 19 Neither hero had thirty warriors, but both were loosely summed up as thirty. Killed 200 Both David and Manas killed 200 of the enemy early in their hero careers. Of their two hundred warriors, The noble Manas, the panther, Massacred them all.20 And from the Bible: ...therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed
17 18

1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 23

Orozbakov, Sagymbai; Manas, Translated by Walter May (Rarity, Bishkek, 2004) Vol. I, 5263-5266. Authors emphasis added. Manas friends are more commonly counted to 40.
19 20

2 Samuel 23:13 (English Standard Version). Authors emphasis added.

Karalaev, Saiakbai, Manas; Translated by Elmira Kochumkulkizi, Ph.D. Candidate in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Washington (Seattle) lines 8032-8034.

two hundred men of the Philistines... 21 These 200 helped establish both young ghters as warriors extraordinaire! Meditation David and Manas had a special adoration for mountains, and both meditated on God beside quiet streams. From the Manas Epic:

Before the sunrise Covered in prayer Manas, like Opol Mountain22 Barefoot, without boots Beside the stream23 David also prayed beside water. His famous prayer-song contains these lines:

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams...24 Both men had a habit of praying early in the morning, beside running water. 25

21 22 23

1Samuel 18:27 (New King James Version) 1 Kings 10:11 - mentions the gold of Ophir.

Jakiev, Beksultan Manas, The Kyrgyz Heroic Epic Translated by the author. (Biyiktyk, Bishkek, 2007) p. 201. Also for reference to Davids adoration of mountains look at Quran 21:79 and Psalm 15 and Psalm 23
24 25

Psalm 23:1,2 (New Living Translation) Note Psalm 5:3 and the previous mentioned lines from Manas.

Mercy (Aikol) Like Manas, David was also known as a noble soul. Both David and Aikol Manas could kill furiously, but developed reputations as merciful.

King Sauls anger against David boiled over one day at a feast. He then pursued the shepherd warrior for years. David could have killed Saul twice, but let him go each time. His story is reminiscent of Manas, who released six rebellious khans return to their homelands. Here is the account of Davids story:

Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head... Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time! But David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lords anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lords anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go. So David took the spear and the jug of water by Sauls head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a

deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them. Now David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them. And David called out to the people May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lords anointed. And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life.26 Later Saul forgot Davids kindness and continued his pursuit. Manas enemy, Kongurbai, also became jealous of Manas and made his hatred known at a feast. The following is a summary from Beksultan Jakievs Manas, the Kyrgyz Heroic Epic: Kokotoys son had a memorial feast for his father. The epic story is known as Kokotoys Memorial Feast ( ). He invited everyone, including the Kalmyk enemy, Kongurbai. During the games things got heated. Kalmyks stole Kyrgyz horses. Warriors started sparring, a contest often ending in death. Kongurbai intimidatingly challenged Kyrgyz knights. Almambet wanted to accept the challenge and kill his childhood nemesis, but Manas would not allow it. Instead, Manas accepting Kongurbais challenge, knocked him from his horse, and had a chance to spear him into the ground, but Manas relented.27 Later Kongurbai, dismissing Manas mercy, continued his pursuit of Manas just like Saul continued his pursuit of David.

26 27

1Samuel 26 (New King James Version)

, (, Bishke, 2007) p. 151,152

Manas brought the kingdom to great glory, and gave God credit. David also brought Israel into one is its greatest historical moments and thanked God for success. At their deaths both had sons appointed to rule, but each son had to contend with power-grabbing relatives to regain leadership.

Almambet Almambet, son of an enemy Kitai king, was Manas best friend. He is quite similar to Davids best friend, Jonathan, son of King Saul.28 Jonathan Both Almambet and Jonathan quietly slip away to aid the other side, and both enrage their fathers for such disloyalty. Both David and Manas love their new friends honor, courage, and strength. After the David killed Goliath, Jonathan brought David into his inner circle of friends:

... the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.29 When Manas rst sees Almanbet he proclaims:
God has sent a new comrade to me! My dear friend, good luck, suyunchi (Good news) He brings good luck and good fortune I see! 30
28

The book Makhzan-i-Afghani written about A.D. 1612 by Nehmatullah, a scribe at the court of Mughal Emperor Jehangir, suggests that Afghans descend from Jonathan.
29 30

1Samuel 18:1 (New King James Version) Orozbakov, Sagymbai; Manas Vol. II, 9424--9427

Jonathan and David should have been natural enemies, since David was poised to take the throne from Jonathan. Manas and Almanbet should also have been enemies since Almambet came from a ruling family who was poised to attack Kyrgyz. In both cases these natural enemies became best friends.31 Esther Almanbets mothers story parallels Esthers (Davids great grandmothers) from the Bible. The following is a summary from Beksultan Jakievs shortened version: Azizkan, a foreign king in a distant land, needed a bride for his son. Azizkans brother gathered all girls from 15-33 years old. Almanbets mother, Ainagul, the daughter of an old Kyrgyz man living in China, was chosen. She became queen and bore a son, Almanbet, who eventually helped save Kyrgyz from the kings destructive advances.

Biblical Esther is quite different, but structurally her biography remains similar: Esther was under the care of an older man, Mordecai. They lived as foreigners in an alien land. King Xerxes needed a new queen so he gathered all the girls to his palace. Eventually he chose Esther, who used her position as queen to save her people from the kings destructive decree.32

These may be classic archetypes that could be found in many cultures. Nonetheless, I nd their comparisons remarkable: the enemy king gathered girls in
31 32

1 Samuel 20:3,4 Biblical book Esther

mass to make one his queen. A loving father-gure from a minority ethnic group gave the girl into the kings service. The foreign girl was chosen. As a result the minority nation was saved or aided. River Crossing The Red Sea crossing is one of the prominent stories in the holy books, but absent in Manas epic. In all my studies and interviews I have never heard Kyrgyz mention a major water crossing on their migration. It seems strange that such a major event would be missing if the epic and Bible really are linked.

The epic does, however, mention Almanbets use of magic to cross the mighty Orkon River during a Kyrgyz campaign against Beijing, not where we would expect to nd it, in the Kyrgyz migration from Altai to Talas:

Then Almambet his own right heel Placed in the river and everything ceased! All his eleven spells were released People looked at it what a sight! It was a mighty river all right, But its waters were shallow now, And in some places missing somehow!33 Almambets armies then proceeded across the river and onto their conquest. Joshua, Moses successor, had a similar experience crossing the Jordan river:

33

Orozbakov, Sagymbai, Manas, the Great Campaign; translated by Walter May (Kyrgyz Branch of the International Centre Traditional Cultures and Environments Bishkek,1999) lines 6334-6370

and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over...34 Joshuas armies went on to conquest just as Almambets did.

Both Almambet and the biblical priests put their feet in the river to break its ow and make a way to the other side. This is interesting because both Almambet and the priests had special religious or spiritual knowledge that others did not possess. In the epic there were some religious or magic books that common Kyrgyz could not understand, but Almambet, educated in China, could. Likewise, the educated Levite priests were entrusted with Gods law, the Torah. Conclusion About Manas Parallels continue to mount adding evidence to evidence of a mysterious link between Kyrgyz and the forbidden book. Obviously, my presentation of this material may be deemed subjective. Catherine Kohler Riessman accurately states that I, the transcriber, am presenting you, the reader, the essence of my research:

Photographers, like investigators (transcribers), x the essence of a gure. By denying viewers (readers) information, they paradoxically provide us room to supply our own.35
34 35

Joshua 3:15, 16

Riessman, Catherine Kohler; Narrative Analysis, Qualitative Research Methods Series 30 (Boston University, 1993) p. 13

There are huge sections from both the Bible and Manas Epic not presented in this analysis. I am denying you information; presenting only the artifacts which I think you will enjoy. Critics may challenge my objectivity, stating that I have not displayed mounds of sifted material. They are right; much of the material does not apply to this theme or the time frame we are analyzing, or is too complicated for this introductory discourse.36 Anthropologist Clifford Geertz said,

man is an animal suspended in webs of signicance he himself has spun, I take culture to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning.37 The Manas Epic and Kyrgyz culture contain ethnographic data which, if properly interpreted, give meaning to all realms of Kyrgyz society. As a foreigner living in Kyrgyzstan I do not have the right to make meaning for Kyrgyz, especially when dealing with such a sensitive topic, but as a treasure-hunter who stumbled upon a great cache in the Kyrgyz epic, I feel obligated to share my discovery with those who have hosted and guided me.

36

Manassehs tribe was separated while the biblical narratives were still being writing, before the books were canonized. Their oral tradition has been acquiring new events or material since the Assyrian exile.
37

Geertz, Clifford; The Interpretation of Cultures. (New York: Basic, 1973) p. 5