Karalaev, Saiakbai

Karalaev, Saiakbai

 

Born in 1894, in the village of Uch-Koi-Su, present-day Issyk-Kul’ Oblast; died May 7, 1971, in Frunze. Soviet Kirghiz storyteller. People’s Artist of the Kirghiz SSR.

Karalaev memorized more than half a million lines from ancient folk tales and legends, including the epic Manas. He dictated a complete version of Manas.

REFERENCES

Abramzon, S. M. Ocherk kul’tury kirgizskogo naroda. Frunze, 1946. Zhirmunskii, V. M. “Sredneaziatskie narodnye skaziteli.” Izvestiia
Vsesoiuznogo geograficheskogo obshchestva, 1947, no. 4.
Auezov, M. O. “Skaziteli eposa.” In Mysli raznykh let. Alma-Ata, 1959.