The Kyrgyz Manas Epic was officially included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, - said lenta.ru. The decision was made at the eighth meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on December 4, 2013. In addition, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris has planned a ceremonial event dedicated to the Epic for spring 2014.
The Manas tells about the life and deeds of hero Manas, his son and grandson Semetei Seitek. A legend has it that it was Manas, who united separate Kyrgyz tribes into a single nation. The trilogy describes Kyrgyz culture, customs and traditions. The versions of the Epic, which is considered to be classic, were recorded by researchers from hearsay of the narrators Sagymbay Orozbakov (1867-1930) and Sayakbay Karalaev (1894-1971). When the Epic was created is unknown, but the scientists believe that the Manas appeared not until the year 840.
Formerly the Manas was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest epic: its volume is 5000 lines - twice the volume of the ancient Indian Mahabharata. The Epic was translated into many languages, including Russian, Hungarian and English.
