About songs and good wishes recorded from the storyteller Sanji Manzhikov (from the 1962 manuscript by TS.-D. Nominkhanov)

Abstract

This article examines previously unpublished folklore materials recorded by the renowned Don Kalmyk (Buzava) storyteller Sanji Manzhikov (1881–1965). The study focuses on a manuscript containing 67 texts of Kalmyk drawn-out songs and five good wishes, recorded and transcribed by the renowned linguist Ts.-D. Nominhanov, Doctor of Philology, in 1962 and stored in the scientific archive of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The bulk of the corpus consists of ancient drawn-out songs, variants of which are known from 19th-century manuscripts. Of particular interest are local love and military marching songs, common exclusively among the Buzava, as well as a fragment of praise to the Dzhangar palace. Sanji Manzhikov’s five good wishes (“Good wishes for tea,” “...milk vodka,” “...meat,” “...for a girl getting married,” and “...for a bride”) relate to wedding ceremonies and are distinguished by their archaic content, imagery, and considerable length. The study utilizes descriptive and comparative methods. The results of the study confirm that Sanji Manzhikov’s folklore legacy is multifaceted and represents significant value for the study of the traditional culture of the Don Kalmyks. Despite the storyteller’s passing, his creative legacy, as an integral part of the culture of the Don Kalmyks (Buzavas), survives and continues to be an important source for scholarly research.