One ethonym, two nations: Orus People and Ak Padısha in the Radloff Variant of the Epic of Manas

Abstract

The Orus people are mentioned in many places in the Epic of Manas. In this article, it has been discussed who the peoples corresponding to the Orus ethnonym in the Epic of Manas are and whether Ak Padisha is really the Russian Tsar. The possible connection between Ak Padisha and White Horde (Ak Orda) was investigated. Russians and Ala Too Kyrgyz have been in contact with each other since the 17th century. In the 19th century, this interaction increased even more with the Russians annexing the Kyrgyz lands to their area of domination. The mention of the Russians (Orus) in the Epic of Manas is one of the results of this contact. However, in the Epic of Manas compiled by Radloff and published in 1885, the ethnonym Orus is used for two different peoples. One of these peoples is the people of Orus, who are affiliated with the Kalmyks, while the other is the people of Ak Khan/ Ak Padisha, the Russians (Orus). Researchers agree that Ak Padisha is the Russian Tsar. In the epic, the Orus people, who were dependent on the Kalmyks, are described as a negative people. Ak Padisha and his people of Orus are the Khan and the nation where Manas lives in peace. Manas receives authority from Ak Padisha, listens to his advice and fights on his behalf. However, it should be noted that Ak Padisha is mentioned only in the third part of the epic. In the other sections, neither the ally Ak Padisha nor his Orus people take place. This shows that the third part of Radloff's Epic of Manas was compiled from a different manaschi. Instead, in other episodes, the Kalmyk Orus people and the leader of the Orus people, Coloy, appear before us. The comparative text analysis method was used in the article.