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- Kereez, Words of Testament
- 199 F. A. Phielstrup. Iz obriyadovoi jizn i kirgizov nachalci XX veka (On the Customary Life o f the Kyrgyz in
- Shan, Chong Kemin, and Talas Kyrgyz in the northern part of present day Kyrgyzstan. Many o f his
- 200 The episode was recorded from various singers, who told their own versions, which differed slightly
- (1867-1930) and Sayakbay Karala uulu (1894-1971). The seventy five year old Kokotoy khan is said to
- Then when Bokmurun is fifteen years old, Kokotoy becomes very ill and calls his kinsman Baymirza and asks him to deliver his kereez
- The wedding offered for a bride [and groom] and a memorial feast for an old woman are smaller than a memorial feast for a khan. It implies that the feast should a modest one.
- 205 Manas, Version by Saginbay Orozbakov. Vol. 1, p. 9. 206 Ibid., p. 24.
- Uguzuu and K abar beriiu
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197 Chotonov, p. 229. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 198 imagine a funeral without the above-mentioned rituals. Many Kyrgyz feel strongly about their old traditional values and customs and use the traditional expression “ki'rgi'zdi'n kanina singip kalgan,” [these old customs] “have deeply penetrated into the blood of the Kyrgyz” to describe the significance of funeral customs, for they truly constitute the essence of Kyrgyz identity. In order to be a pious or true Muslim, i.e., obeying the Shariah and the Quran fully, the Kyrgyz will have to give up these sacred rites and moral values inherited from their centuries old nomadic past. Below, I will continue to discuss Kyrgyz funerals in greater detail by addressing all the major rituals and customs associated with a funeral and explaining their significance in contemporary Kyrgyz society.
Among the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs it is very important to carry out the kereez, final words or words of testament of the deceased person. The kereez varies in content. It can simply be wise words and blessings of the dying person to his/her children or can deal with the division of the remaining livestock or wealth of the father or valuable items or jewelry of the mother, or it could be the fulfilling the request of the dying person about his/her own funeral and memorial feast. Before his/her death, the person tells one or two of his wise kinsmen about the number of animals to be killed, whom to inform, who should wash the body and recite janaza prayer before the burial, where he/she wants to be buried, etc. My great uncle Anarbay described kereez in the following way: When a person feels that his/her death is near, he/she tells his/her
has three or four children who are not married yet and still live with their parents. Their enchis (share) are not allotted yet. He will say: there is this Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 199 many livestock in the yard, give ten sheep and a mare to so and so, five sheep and goats to so and so, and a mare to so and so. In this way, he divides his children’s shares if he has not given them before. This is one type of kereez. The second kind of kereez is said to a bilerman, one who knows. He or she says to him/her: “when I die, bury me in so and so place.” In other words, he/she tells where he likes to be buried. The second thing he asks is that his body should be washed by so and so. Usually, he chooses one of his kudas [in laws]. He says that so and so should hold my head, so and so should pour the water, etc. Then he says that a certain mullah should recite janaza [funeral prayer before the burial] for him.198 . . . When my father, your great grandfather died, we carried out his kereez. We appointed those elderly men whom he asked to wash his body and distributed the gifts to them . . . In his descriptions of Kazakh and Kyrgyz death rites, Philestrup also mentions kereez'. “When a person is dying from illness, or he feels his death is approaching, he tells his words of testament: he writes down (if he is literate) or he calls someone who knows to write. In his testament he says the following: ‘After I die, my brothers (sons or other close kinsmen) should sacrifice one third or one fourth of my livestock in my memory and to appease my soul.’”199 Furthermore, he lists the prizes (in livestock) for carrying out certain funeral rituals. 199 F. A. Phielstrup. Iz obriyadovoi jizn i kirgizov nachalci XX veka (On the Customary Life o f the Kyrgyz in the 20th Century), Moscow: Nauka, 2002, p. 98. F. A. Philstrup (1889-1933), who came from a Dutch family background and lived in St. Petersburg, gathered rich ethnographic material on many aspects of Kyrgyz social life and customs during the mid 1920’s. He conducted his fieldwork among the central Tian- Shan, Chong Kemin, and Talas Kyrgyz in the northern part of present day Kyrgyzstan. Many o f his valuable materials did not get to be published because, like many other scholars of his time, he became the victim o f Stalin’s repression. He was murdered brutally, i.e. he was forced to gulp boiling hot water and died in 1933. His father, who was a mechanical engineer worked at the city telephone operation o f the city of Petersburg, whereas, his mother, who was English, gave private English lessons to people. The value of his material lies in the fact that he did a comparative study o f Kyrgyz traditional customs and rituals between various existing Kyrgyz tribes. Moreover, he wrote down almost all the Kyrgyz terms and words pertaining to Kyrgyz social life, customs and rituals and kinship that he describes. He also gives at least the names of people from whom he recorded the story or material. Among his many other interesting ethnographic materials, the material on Kyrgyz funeral customs and rites Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
2 0 0 The importance of this tradition is also well observed and celebrated in the Kyrgyz heroic epic Manas. One of the famous episodes of the epic, called Kokbtbydim
glorifying the life, immense wealth, and generosity of Kokotoy khan. Its rich formulaic and poetic language, as well as the vivid and detailed descriptions of all the Kyrgyz funeral customs and memorial feasts, take the reader into the glorious time of the nomadic Kyrgyz, who sacrifice everything to honor their dead, especially if the deceased is a well-known leader or khan, like Kokotoy.200 On deathbed, Kokotoy tells Baymirza, close kindman, that he is leaving his countless livestock and wealth and that his son Bokmurun, and that he “should not” spend his wealth unwisely and that he should consult with Manas about his burial and memorial feast. Baymirza delivers to Bokmurun his father’s kereez and suggests that he should bury his father quickly in a simple way by killing just few animals. However, Bokmurun, regretting the fact that he did not get to see his father before he died and hear his last words in person, consults with Manas about how he should bury his father. Manas tells him that he should not spare his wealth and livestock, but offer a great feast and send the news to all the khans and heroes of both Muslims and infidels. Since we are dealing with epic poetry, Kokotoy’s kereez is told in an ironic form. There is an interesting and strange discussion between Kokotoy’s son are quite valuable in terms of its comparative nature. When he finds similarity or difference, he mentions also Kazakh funeral customs. 200 The episode was recorded from various singers, who told their own versions, which differed slightly from each other. In the versions o f two well known manaschis (singers o f Manas), Sagimbay Orozbak uulu (1867-1930) and Sayakbay Karala uulu (1894-1971). The seventy five year old Kokotoy khan is said to have seven wives, who bore him daughters, but not a son who would inherit his countless livestock and treasures. While hunting with his companions in the wilderness, Kokotoy khan one day finds a child and brings him home and offers a big feast by killing many animals. He names his son Bokmurun (Filthynose). Then when Bokmurun is fifteen years old, Kokotoy becomes very ill and calls his kinsman Baymirza and asks him to deliver his kereez to his son, Bokmurun, who had been away in search o f a wife for himself. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 201 Bokmurun, Baymirza and Manas about whether or not they should offer a big memorial feast. Logically, in traditional Kyrgyz society, there shouldn’t be any question about ash, because it is an obligatory custom. Kokotoy is a very knowledgeable and wise man. As part of his kereez, he gives all the names of people, Muslim and infidels and their great khans and heroes and describes in detail in which cities or lands they live and what kind of skills and powers they possess. The reader is puzzled by the nature and tone of Kokotoy’s testament, for he does not want his son to offer a great memorial feast. Upon listing so many great khans and leaders to Baymirza, he then, at the end of each testament, tells not to send the news to them. Usually, the kereez is told in a positive sense, meaning you should do this or that. However, Kokotoy tells his kereez in a negative form by telling not to carry out all the important funeral customs and rituals essential in his nomadic culture. However, Kyrgyz scholars of Manas note, this kind of negative message is characteristic of traditional oral epic poetry. So, does it mean that Kokotoy is being just humble or stingy? As a famous khan, he should know that he couldn’t be buried without elaborate funeral ceremony. Or, is there another reason for his denial of this important memorial feast? In reading the first part of Kokotoy’s testament, it is quite clear that he does not want his son to offer a memorial feast and invite all the people from far and near. However, there are many poetic lines, which do not fit in the context of his message. Therefore, one has to read between the lines and critically. Kokotoy’s message has a double meaning, and there must be a good historical reason for that. The singer seems to be confused and hesitant about glorifying the Kyrgyz nomadic culture, particularly its memorial feast. It is my personal feeling that there was an outside pressure Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
2 0 2 from the Muslim clergy who opposed this most important custom of the nomadic Kyrgyz as being unfit to Sharia. The epic singer feels very passionate about the importance of the funeral customs and especially about the ash, but he struggles about how he can make it so that he does not upset the religious clergy. The singers were quite smart, however. They just negated the last verse line, but left the previous elaborate descriptions of the memorial feast in the positive form. To avoid confusion, the reader should read everything that Kokotoy says not to carry out; in fact he means that his son Bokmurun should do all of the things he says not to do. For example in the following verse lines Kokotoy tells his kereez about his burial and memorial feast ironically in a negative form: Kelgen kelin toyunday, Meni komsiin Jash baldar ki'lgan oyunday. Kempirdin ash'i ki'lsin, Kedeydin bashi ki'lsin. Olgoniim, tiriligim bilinbesin, Oz jurtum bulunbosiin. Eki, iichtop kara soyungar, Eliiii, kirk chapan kiyit kili'p, Eptep meni koyungar.. .203 Ozongo biitor bayterek, Olgongo da mal kerek, Otiiruk chachip ne kerek. Tikkenden onor bayterek, Tirikke da mal kerek, At semirse jal kerek, Atas'f olgon balaga Ar ish ki'lsa mal kerek.. ,205 May he make the funeral Like the feast for a new bride Like a game played by children May he offer the memorial feast of an old woman Or the feast by a well-off poor man. May my life and death remain unknown; May my own people not suffer. Kill only two or three large animals, Prepare forty or fifty coats of kiyit,202 And bury me however is convenient.
Even the dead need livestock, It is not necessary to waste in vain.
Even the living need livestock, Horse needs a mane to grow fat, The son whose father has died Needs livestock for any kind of deed.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 03 Then Kokotoy wants his son to get ready to drive his livestock to a particular valley where he will hold the memorial feast, ash for his father, which again contradicts his earlier mentioned kereez in the negative form. The singer uses traditional/formulaic verse lines, which are usually used when people get ready to move to a far away mountain pasture:
Kozusun saabay tiirk kils'in, Weaning the lambs, he should turn them into big an fat sheep. Kochkordu bichip irik kils'in Castrating the rams, he should turn them into whethers. Aygirdi bichip at kils'in . . .206 Castrate the stallions, he should turn them into riding horses. In the following lines, Baymirza first tells Kokotoy’s kereez to Bokmurun that he should invite everyone: Adam atin ukpagan He mentioned all kinds of people Ar bir tiirduu el aytti, Of whom no human has heard, “Adam uulu bolgondon “Don’t leave any one out Asti koybo”- dep aytti'. Who is considered the children of Man,” he said. Adam tursun bul jakka Not just to just men, “Aytip kabar ber”—dedi You should send out the news Doo, peri t'fyakka. To the lands of giants and angels he said, “Kabar sal dedi kalikka, “Send out the news to the people Baarina daam bergin dep, And feed everyone Dayrada jayan balikka. Even the scorpion fish in the river. When Bokmurun asks what his father really meant by saying that he should invite everyone and offer the memorial feast, Baymirza tells the opposite. Then Bokmurun gets very angry with Baymirza and he guesses himself: Baymirza kak bash sen beleng? Baymirza, are you not old and foolish! Baladan bozoy men belem? Am I not a young man [left behind], Atakem aytkan kereezin Am I not up to carrying at
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 0 4 Ki'lbay koyor kem belem! “Kilba”—dep ayti'p salipti'r, Kiyamat ketip kalipti'r. Kiyamat ketken ozii eken, “Kil” dep aytkan sozii eken. Akiret ketken ozii eken, Arti'ndag'f kalganga “Ash ber”—degen sozii eken. Ash bermek bizge kariz eken, Atamdi'n aytkan arz'f eken, Artindagi kalganga, Aki'r bir nuska ch'igarip Ash berdirmek darti eken .. ,207 My dear father’s testament He left behind! Saying “Don’t do it” He himself left for the other world, But his word meant “Do it.” He himself left for the next world For those left behind His word meant “Give my ash” It is our duty to offer the ash, It is my father’s last request, indeed, It was his wish to give his ash To those who remained behind And thus continue the custom . . . The hero Manas gives the following advice to Bokmurun: KM r chalgan Kokotoy Atamdan jaki'n kishi ele. Kari'yabiz Kokotoy Kandik tuusun ashtagi'n, Karkap kirk kiin bolgoncho Komboy iiygo tashtagi'n! “Kan atakem oldii”—dep, Kalkka kabar saldirip. Ak jooluktun baarina Atakelep joktotup, Nark bolsun kiyinki olgongo, Aytuu bolsun korgbngo, Ayanbaylik Bokmurun Atangdi jaksh'i komgbngo! Kilgani'ng kalsi'n bir iilgii, KiTimga bolsun soziing shar, Kila ber onor ayabay, Kizmatingda men da bar! . .. Kokotoy, blessed by KMr, Was a man closer than my own father. Prepare the khan banner of Kokotoy, Our respected elder, Until the forty days pass Don’t bury him, but keep him at home! Saying: “My dear father, khan died” Send out the news to the people. Make all women wear a white scarf And sing laments saying “Oh, dear father!” Let it be an example for those who die later. Let it be spoken by those who witness it, Let us not spare anything, Bokmurun, From giving a proper burial to your father! Your deeds should be an example, Your words should ring for the centuries, Do everything that you can, For I am ready to be in your service!. . . The singer also confirms the importance of this custom among the nomadic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz:
Kazakh, ki'rgiz kaliktir, The Kazakhs and Kyrgyz are people 207 Ibid., p. 31. 208 Ibid., p. 35. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 205 Olgoniino mal chachkan Who spent so much livestock for their dead Oshonun narki kalipti'r .. ,209 The legacy of that custom remained. Thus, fulfilling the kereez continues to be a sacred duty of the deceased’s children and relatives in contemporary Kyrgyz and Kazakh societies. If the deceased’s kereez is not fulfilled, his spirit is believed to be dissatisfied and thus keep coming in his children or relatives’ dreams.
(Telling/Breaking and Sending the Bad News to Family Members, Kinsmen and Others) Like in many cultures, Kyrgyz funeral consists of institutionalized actions, which are implemented with the full participation of tribesmen or community. There are definite steps or measures that should be taken right after a person dies. One of the first tasks of the deceased’s relatives is to send out the kabar, (from Ar. “qabar,” “news”) to all the close friends, torkiin, family and kinsmen of the deceased’s woman, kuda-sooks (in-laws of the deceased’s married children, and to the public in general. The relatives, usually men, sit down and begin writing out “notification letters” in which they say the date and time of the deceased’s taziya, burial or correctly the expression of one’s condolence. Contrary to Muslim tradition, the Kyrgyz keep the body of the dead at least one day, and that gives them enough time to inform those who are away. The letters are sent through kabarchis, messengers who deliver them in person to the destined people. Distant relatives receive notification letters, whereas, the immediate family members are told indirectly. It is very important to inform the torkun and kuda-sbok of the deceased who have to make it before and for the burial. If some of these people do not receive the news 209 Ibid., p. 42. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 20 6 and thus come to the funeral late, after the burial, they express their discontent to those family members of kinsmen, who were responsible to inform them. The late Kyrgyz poet Esengul Ibrayev, who, like many wise Kyrgyz elderly, knew all the details and obligations of Kyrgyz funeral customs. He told me the following true story which confirms the importance of informing the family members on time: This took place in the eighteenth century. One of the ancestors of Atake biy, named Tashtanbek, who was from the Big Tinay tribe [which inhabited the Chiiy Valley] had an only sister, Kumiishay, who had been married to a man in Talas [northern Kyrgyzstan], She received the news about her brother’s death too late and therefore could not make it to his funeral. So, she came to the jetilik, the memorial feast offered after seven days. She did not come alone of course, but at least ten people accompanied her. When people heard that Kumiishay was coming, the entire people of Chong Kemin [region in the Chiiy Valley] stood on their feet and cried out loud, they say, for she was the only younger sister of Tashtanbek. Then, she entered the yurt and began singing her lament song [in which she expressed her anger towards the people who were responsible to inform her on time]: Abilay, Sabir Chagaldak, Atamdin tonduu uulu ele, Atakelep okiirgon At kotorgiiz chong kalmak Atamdin kaysi kulu ele. Bulardin jegeni suur ele, Kiygenderi kuur ele, Koychular menen ish kilip, 9 1 0
Kizdari kolotko tuur ele... Abilay, Sabir, and Chagaldak Were all my father’s adopted sons, You, who cry out loud saying “Atake!” (Dear father!) The Big Kalmak, whom a horse cannot lift, Were all my father’s slaves, 210
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