The verbal poetry contest between Aktan and Akbala

Abstract

The article deals with the verbal poetry contest between Aktan and Akbala. The verbal poetry contest between Aktan and Akbala took place in 1921 in the place Zhaiyr. Akbala was very talented and
literate bard. Aktan had participated in several verbal poetry contests before and had already become
a bard. They competed at a wedding party. Not only home matters were discussed during the contest,
but big social problems were also considered in this verbal poetry contest. For instance, during the contest between the two bards were mentioned such heroes as Kozhabergen, Demezhan, Zukha, Ospan
etc. who had taken care of their nation, but who had died because of the violence of the Gomindan
government. The contestants of the verbal poetry contest sang about these heroes. In the contest was
also discussed the inner situation of the nation and prosperity and unity of the nation. The most important point of this contest is to sing respectfully about the native land and glorify it. Akbala loses in the
contest. Because she failed in the part of the contest about the tribes who lived in Zhaiyrand she failed
to talk about the genealogy of these tribes. The contest is very interesting, as in this contest had been
used traditional artistic means and the beautiful linguistic elements that the contestants had made up
spontaneously. That is why this contest has a peculiar significance.Moreover, this contest is considered
to be one of the first wide spread verbal poetry contests among the Kazakhs in China and Mongolia. The
importance of the contest increases as the history, the sorrow of the people, the lives of ordinary people
are deeply described in this verbal poetry contest from different angles.
Key words: verbal poetry contest, nation, freedom, native land, tribe, history, life, hero, tens