PAHLEVANSHIP IN UIGHURS AND A PAHLEVANSHIP BOOKLET WRITTEN IN CHAGATAI TURKISH

The word ‘‘pahlevan’’, loaned from Persian to Turkish language, corresponds to alp (brave) typology as a title which is given to persons shooting arrows, using sword, being brave, warrior and wrestler in Turkish culture, as well as meanings ‘‘bahadur (hero; brave man), wrestler’’. Wrestling, ancestor sport of Turks has been sustained among Uighur Turksfrom past to present day in the nature of (as) a traditional sport&game, and the most talented ones among wrestlers who are performers of this sport are named as pahlevan. The term/concept ‘‘pahlevanship’’ has been sustained in the folk (peoples)’s memory, by oral culture products which are formed around epic heroes such as Sadir Palvan and Seyid Nochi etc. in Uighur Turks’ oral cultural products. In addition, we confront with the wrestling as a socio-cultural and recreative activity in a lot of social ceremonies, seasonal celebrations and religious holidays. With their cultural and ceremonial background, pahlevanship and pahlevans have taken their place in occupational booklets written in Chagatai Turkish as well as oral tradition. The study was based on the treatise registered at A.406 in The Library of St. Petersburg Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. On the basis of the aforementioned manuscript, the place and importance of pahlevanship in the socio-cultural life of the Uighur Turks was evaluated with the functional folklore method. As a result, the concept of pahlevanship, the characteristics of pahlevans, the training process of pahlevans and the rules and verses to be followed in pahlevanship have been tried to be revealed by considering both the written context and oral tradition.
Key Words: Uighurs, Pahlevanship, Wrestling, Bravery/Alpship, Chagatai Turkish, Occupational Booklet, Pahlevanship Booklet.