Page 211 - NewDestinationsKazGR11

A. How do you think the stories and tales of a culture 7
are passed from one generation to the next? Look
at the pictures below. What are the advantages and Culture
disadvantages of each way? Page

© MM Publications

B. Look at the title below. Which of the three ways shown above do you think
the text will be about? Read through the text quickly and check your answer.
3 06

Image from Shutterstock The Spoken Poetry

of Kazakhstan

Sources: https://www.britannica.com, http://www.kepu.net.cn, http://factsanddetails.com, http://kazsocial.com

Early Kazakh literature followed the oral tradition. This was
a way of preserving stories, myths and culture from one
generation to the next by word of mouth rather than through
the written word. It was common throughout the world — but
particularly among nomadic societies. For traditional Kazakhs,
nomadic life meant migrating with the seasons, living for much
of the time in yurts, and carrying their goods with them across
the steppe. The oral tradition preserved stories, myths and
cultural material without the need for heavy books, allowing
the nomads to travel light.
The responsibility for learning and passing on these stories
belonged to professional bards. In Kazakh society, bards were
divided into two types: the zhyrau and the akyn. A zhyrau
performed epic or moral poetry, while akyns were skilled at
improvising stories, which they often performed while playing
a two-stringed wooden instrument called the dombra. Their
poetry often featured at celebrations and other popular events.

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