UNKNOWN ASPECTS OF THE LIFE OF MURYN ZHYRAU

Abstract

The article introduces into scholarly circulation and subjects to comparative analysis previously incompletely clarified biographical data concerning Muryn Zhyrau Sengirbekuly (often appearing in literature as "Sengirbaev"), the renowned zhyrau of the Mangystau region. Based on archival documents discovered in recent years, the author demonstrates the necessity of revising previous conclusions regarding the zhyrau's birth and death dates, his father's name, and the reasons for the distortion of his surname in official documents. The study compares such sources as the tombstone inscription proposed by K.Sydykov, memoirs of the zhyrau's descendants, as well as the 1918 and 1928 resident lists of Alexandrovsky Fort, revealing chronological discrepancies among the data. Calculations based on the age indicated in the 1928 list allow for proposing an alternative birth date for the zhyrau and indicate the need for clarification of biographical information.

A significant aspect of the article is the analysis of the signature "Sekrbekv Murn," placed 29th in a petition document from 1924. This signature is examined as evidence indirectly proving, on the one hand, that his father's name was Sengirбек, and on the other, that Muryn Zhyrau possessed Russian literacy. Moreover, the occurrence of the zhyrau's name in the form "Sengirbaev" in earlier documents demonstrates that the surname error is not limited solely to the 1942 passport registration.

The author also systematizes valuable discoveries: the finding of the zhyrau's photograph (2023), as well as the recording of two makams related to the performance of the epic "Forty Batyrs of Crimea," made during a 1961 folklore expedition from his son-in-law D. Aldongarov, and their revival in contemporary performance practice. In conclusion, the article substantiates the relevance of reconceptualizing Muryn Zhyrau's persona from a source-critical perspective and proposes directions for future comprehensive research.