南疆絕唱

The Great Epic in South Xinjiang
南疆絕唱

The Great Epic in South Xinjiang

中文 80' / 英文 80' , 2013
Chinese 80' / English 80' , 2013
節目介紹 / Introduction
《瑪納斯》— 這一部當今世界第二大史詩,是居於廣袤南疆大地的柯爾克孜族人的精神支柱。《瑪納斯》的內容比古希臘詩人的兩部巨著,《伊利亞特》和《奧德賽》加起來的篇幅還要多。這部富有傳奇色彩的《瑪納斯》於2009年更被聯合國教科文組織列入人類非物質文化遺產名錄。

《瑪納斯》是一部講述柯族傳說中的首領瑪納斯及其子孫抗擊外敵的史詩。柯族的每一個人都為民族能擁有這部偉大的史詩《瑪納斯》而自豪,在街上隨便找一位柯族也總能唱上幾句。甚至有部份的柯族,用盡自己一生的時間去學習、背誦《瑪納斯》,為的就是想成為下一位「大瑪納斯奇」。

七十五歲的阿拉曼是新疆克州其中一位有名的「大瑪納斯奇」,他是「活著的荷馬」居素甫‧瑪瑪依的徒弟,演唱《瑪納斯》已經六十年,雖然已經能演唱五部以上的《瑪納斯》史詩,但他並不滿足。他生前堅持每天練習《瑪納斯》,希望成為繼他的師傅以後,下一個「偉大的瑪納斯奇」,可惜這願望並未能實現…


現在願意學習史詩的年輕人越來越少,但十三歲的艾力卻願意把他學習和玩樂的時間都用在學習《瑪納斯》。雖然他曾因長期外出表演導致他在學校留級一年,但他依然希望在未來能好好學習《瑪納斯》,為傳承《瑪納斯》而努力。

兩代人,不若而同的目標,這或許就是《瑪納斯》能一直傳誦的原因。



“The Epic of Manas”, the world’s second longest epic poem, was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2009. It is many times longer than the Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad combined, and is at the very heart of every Kirghiz living on the vast land of South Xinjiang, China.


It is no easy task to chant the long and beautiful stories about the courage of eight heroes fighting their enemies, and the Kirghiz take pride in performing it in public. It is an epic fresh and alive in the modern world, with some Kirghiz set becoming a specialist in chanting the Manas (Manaschi) as their lifetime goal.


75-year-old Alaman has spent his life practicing Manas for sixty years. As the pupil of the “living Homer” Yusup Mamai, he is not satisfied with memorizing five of the eight episodes of Manas. He desires to be the next Great Manaschi but his goal has never been accomplished.

At the same time, 13-year-old Eli dedicates his revision and play time to learn Manas; a rare interest amongst the urban new generation. In order to attain his goal, he spends time travelling to perform, and as a result, he is retained in the same grade for another year. Yet, he is not deterred from reaching his goal to become a Great Manaschi.


Two generations, similar stories. This is how the epic of Manas passes on and connects generations of Kirghiz.