Draft:Digital Humanities in Kyrgyztan

Digital Humanities in Kyrgyzstan

Digital Humanities (DH) is a new discipline for Kyrgyzstan’s educational institutions. DH initiatives are scarce, leaving digital methods and tools yet to be explored by educators. While DH methods can help universities advance humanities research and teaching, they offer new perspectives on studying local historical and heritage material. AUCA is among the pioneers of exploring and experimenting with DH through several LAS courses focusing on digital methods and various DH initiatives implemented collaboratively by AUCA librarians and faculty

Projects in Digital Humanities

AKYN Project

The “Analyzing Kyrgyz Narratives”(AKYN) is a digital project focused on the Kyrgyz epic Manas, which is a big part of Kyrgyz culture. The project involves recording, transcribing, and digitally analyzing performances by manaschis, who narrate episodes of this epic, particularly focusing on the birth of the hero Manas. The project was set up at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) to help students and researchers learn more about the storytelling style and techniques used in these performances.

The project started in 2019 at AUCA. It was funded by AUCA’s Faculty Research Program with support from the AMICAL Consortium, which helped make it possible. The project was set up to preserve the Manas epic for classroom use and research. Digitally recording these performances makes it easier for students and researchers to study Kyrgyz culture and learn more about the storytelling techniques used in this epic.

James Plumtree, an assistant professor at AUCA, started the project, with Dr. Anguelina Popova coordinating. They worked with a team of AUCA faculty, staff, and students, including Alymkan Jeenbekova and Kamilia Baimuratova, who contributed to recording, transcription, and other tasks.

Goals and Objectives of the AKYN Project

Documentation and Preservation: Capture and preserve the unique performances of the Manas epic by recording and transcribing modern manaschis, ensuring access for future research and cultural appreciation.

Educational Accessibility: Make the Manas epic available online as a learning tool, integrated into AUCA courses like “Manas - Texts, Contexts, and Tradition,” to engage students and researchers.

Comparative and Analytical Studies: Analyze differences between improvisational and memorized performances to address the perception of modern manaschis as “reciting” rather than “improvising.” This includes testing the Parry-Lord oral formulaic theory on Kyrgyz epic poetry.

Support for Further Research: As an open-source initiative, the project encourages broader academic exploration and comparative studies with other Turkic epic traditions.

Methods Employed

Recording Process: Recorded three sessions of performances by Talantaaly Bakchiev and Doolot Sydykov to capture their distinct oral styles.

Transcription and Analysis: Transcribed performances, available through the Vera and Donald Blinken Open Society Archives. Text analysis tools like Voyant and Python are used to identify unique narrative features and distinguish between improvisation and memorization.

Digital Humanities Techniques: Applied corpus linguistics and computer-assisted analysis, enabling detailed exploration of performer styles and patterns.

Support and Resources: Funded by AMICAL Consortium, AUCA grants, and Elsevier’s Digital Scholarship Fellowship, providing resources for digital archiving and analysis.

Key Publications and Related Resources

1.Selected articles by Dr. Plumtree:

1)https://dspace.auca.kg/handle/123456789/2594

2)«Манас» эпосуна тиешелүү изилдөөлөргө жаңыча илимий сереп (1856-2018)

3)«Манастын төрөлүшү» эпизоду түрдүү варианттарда

2. Audivisual Recording

Available in the Blinken Archives at Central European University

3. AKYN project is listed in the following Wikipedia page

The project is featured in the List of Oral Repositories on Wikipedia.

Project results and achievements

1. Digital Tools Used: For the AKYN project the Voyant tool was used for a detailed text analysis of the "Manas" epic, which provided insights into word frequency, patterns, and themes. This tool allowed for a comprehensive examination of the transcribed lines, facilitating a deeper understanding of the text's structure and language.
2. Quantitative Data: The total duration of recorded material is approximately 5 hours, 56 minutes, and 50 seconds, with a combined total of 10,535 lines transcribed. Each section varies in length, with Bakchiev and Sydykov segments spanning from around 35 to 85 minutes, reflecting a substantial volume of oral tradition captured
3. Contribution to Kyrgyz Culture and Epic Study: This project significantly enriches the study of Kyrgyz culture by preserving and analyzing segments of the "Manas" epic, one of the most important oral traditions in Central Asia. By documenting and quantifying these recitations, the project contributes to the ongoing preservation and scholarly examination of the epic's linguistic and cultural heritage.

Daniyarov.kg foundation

The Daniyarov Sanjarbek Foundation, founded by the relatives of Sanjarbek Bakirovich Daniyarov, aims to uphold his memory by supporting education, healthcare, research, and culture projects in Kyrgyzstan. The foundation is inspired by Daniyarov's important work in physiology and radiobiology and focuses on advancing these fields and promoting wider social objectives.

The foundation is dedicated to improving educational opportunities, preserving cultural heritage, and supporting environmental protection in addition to its medical efforts. By providing specific funding and assistance, it highlights the significance of knowledge, ethics, and integrity in its efforts, guaranteeing that projects are consistent with Daniyarov's principles. The foundation's pivotal role in Kyrgyzstan's future development and sustainability is evident in its efforts to address various areas of need.

For example, the institution organizes competitions and awards for teachers, supports preschool and school education, and realizes pedagogical initiatives. In the culture field, the foundation strives to preserve historical heritage and facilitates the organization of cultural events and projects in the nature of culture and art. The foundation has undertaken to protect the environment and safeguard Kyrgyzstan's natural resources in their environmental programs. These projects are for improving people living in the region and sustainable development. For example, the foundation awards and organizes competitions for teachers and supports preschool and school education, as well as pedagogical initiatives in the field of education. The foundation in the field of culture strives to preserve these historical heritage and organize cultural events and cultural projects which push culture and art forward. The foundation works within the framework of the environmental programs aimed at protecting the environment and maintaining Kyrgyzstan’s natural resources.

Biography of Sanjarbek Daniyarov

The digital projects of daniyarov.kg (https://daniyarov.kg/) is divided into two chronological parts:

1.     1916

·        Individual Research

·        Historiography

·        Documents

·        A year in Arts

2.     After 1916

·        Individual Research

·        Historiography

·        Documents

The project’s site includes information about:

People

·        Insights and Educators

·        Jusup

·        Lilya Turusbekova

·        Sanjarbek Daniyarov

·        Bazarkul Daniyarov

·        Individuals and Epoch

Country

·        Territories in KR with Special Protect

·        History of My Region

·        Our City Bishkek

·        My Language – My friend

Cultural Life

·        Theaters

·        Movie

·        Fine Arts

·        Museums

·        Applied Arts

·        Bookshelf

·        Etiquette. Cultural of Communication

Education

·        First Teacher Award

·        First Teacher Competition

·        Participants in Competition

·        School Education

·        Early Сhildhood Education

·        Education in Universities

·        Teachers on Education and Upbringing

Medicine

·        Foundation Award for Doctor

·        Medical Universities and Our Foundation

About Fond

·        Bulletin of the Foundation

·        About projects and us

·        Our Services, Costs and Friend Support

At the same time, it is clear that the Sanjarbek Daniyarov Foundation is an important factor in improving the quality of life of Kyrgyzstan by performing a wide range of educational, cultural and environmental protection initiatives. The foundation aspires at improving communities through promoting teacher development, preserving cultural heritage and promotion of sustainable practices among others. In being committed to growth and supporting underrepresented areas; its values are echoed by its founder and are instrumental in the sustainable development of the region.

Esimde foundation

Esimde foundation is dedicated to preserving the memory of the victims of political repression in Kyrgyzstan and in Central Asia during the Soviet period (XX-XXI centuries). It was created to provide access to information about repressions that have been hidden under public Soviet historical domains.

The foundation represents information in the form of a website and publishes articles, research, archival materials and biographies of victims. Aside from repressions, it is possible to send personal experiences about specific places which have either disappeared or been modified from Soviet or Post-Soviet rule.

List of Repressed Islamic Figures in Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan

Name	Birth	Death	Role	Contributions	Details of Repression	Legacy and Commemoration
Shaken Ishan Abzhanuly	1853	1930	Ishan (Islamic Leader)	Built Shaken Ishan Mosque-Medrese in Marzhanbulak; educated students in religious literacy	Imprisoned in early Soviet period, mosque repurposed as prison and stable	Mosque restored in 2022; memorial events held, descendants actively preserve memory
Kusayin Hazret	Unknown	Unknown	Hazret	Built Kusayin Hazret Mosque-Medrese in Akyrab village; significant religious figure	Mosque partially destroyed; remains a pilgrimage site	Site preserved as a historical and pilgrimage site
Abdolla	19th Century	Unknown	Religious Leader	Built a mosque and burial site in Kobda; contributed to Islamic teachings	Mosque demolished in Soviet times; tombstone (құлпытас) preserved by descendants	Grave site fenced and maintained; memorial part of local heritage efforts

Manas Discovery

Manas Discovery was founded by head of AUCA's LAS department Daniyar Karabaev and went online in March 2022 [40] . The project aims to explore, digitize, and analyze the cultural heritage and oral traditions associated with the Epic of Manas, a foundational narrative in Kyrgyz culture and one of the longest epic poems in the world. Also, it provides comprehensive information and access to digital resources pertaining to the Kyrgyz national epic Manas.

The project includes collaborations with researchers, historians, and local communities to document variations in oral storytelling and to present the epic's significance within Central Asian studies. As of now, the site is in Kyrgyz only. It provides digital copies of books, audio and video recordings, news on new discoveries, an online shop that sells physical editions and suggests tours to real-life locations related to Manas. Contributions can be submitted via email.

Alai Region Heritage Map

The Alai Region Heritage Map is a digital mapping project developed by the Anthropology faculty and students at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), in collaboration with AUCA Library staff. Created in response to a request from Helvetas Kyrgyzstan, the project aimed to preserve the cultural heritage of the Alai region. The map features historical sites like burials, settlements, fortresses, mausoleums, sacred places, along with culturally significant landscapes.

Development Process

The project was developed from February to May 2018, combining field data collection with digital mapping. During this time, the team employed a range of digital tools and methodologies:

Field Tools: Team members used the OSMand Maps mobile app to collect exact site coordinates as GPX files, later transferred to Google Maps for the interactive version.

Methodologies: Archaeological field survey methods were applied.

Data Collection and Verification

To ensure accuracy, the project applied variety of research and data collection methods: literature reviews, archival research, map revisions, analysis of air and satellite images, supplemented by ethnographic and archaeological research. The team attended an archaeological expedition in Alai, collaborating with local archeologists. This was applied to confirm and validate the accuracy of information gathered.

Historical and Cultural Importance

The Alia Region Heritage Map includes a wide range of historical sites, each reflecting the cultural history of the region. It highlights the sites associated with the defense of Alai against Russian forces in the 19th century, when the local leaders resisted Russian invasions. Among these leaders, Kurmanjan Datka, a female leader often referred to as the "Queen of Alai" or "Queen of the South" played a crucial role. The map marks places associated with her life, such as where she met Russian General Mikhail Skobelev.

Manuscript Fund of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic

The Manuscript Fund of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic is a specialized department dedicated to the preservation, research, and publication of Kyrgyz manuscripts and folklore. Established within the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, it serves as a vital repository housing documents crucial to the understanding of Kyrgyz history, language, and culture. The Fund plays a critical role in maintaining and promoting the cultural heritage of the Kyrgyz people.

History

The origins of the Manuscript Fund trace back to early efforts in 1916 when the first folklore records were made. During 1920–1921, folk literature circles were formed in the Talas and Ton districts to systematically collect samples of Kyrgyz folklore. In 1922, a major folklore expedition organized by the Kazakh-Kyrgyz Scientific Commission recorded the epic Manas from the storyteller Sagymbai Orozbakov. In 1956, the Manuscript Fund became an independent scientific division within the Department of Social Sciences of the Kyrgyz SSR Academy of Sciences. It was transferred to the Institute of Language and Literature in 1968, where it remains today.

Objectives and Activities

The Manuscript Fund pursues several key objectives: • Collection and Preservation: Gathering folklore materials across Kyrgyzstan and among Kyrgyz communities abroad. • Cataloging: Systematic preservation and cataloging of manuscripts. • Research and Publication: Supporting scholarly research and public dissemination of Kyrgyz cultural heritage. • Translation and Script Modernization: Translating historical records from Arabic script to modern Kyrgyz script, a project initiated in 1968.

Current Holdings

The Manuscript Fund holds: • Manuscript Materials: Over 4,065 items. • Old Printed Books and Manuscripts: Approximately 840 items. • Tape Recordings: 100,000 meters of recordings. • Total Collection: 5,134 items.

Digitization Efforts

In alignment with the National Programme for the Development of the State Language and Improvement of the Language Policy in the Kyrgyz Republic (2014–2020), the Fund received funding for digitization. In 2016, it established an online catalog, providing public access to its digitized materials.

Epic and Folklore Collections

• Manas: Recorded from various storytellers, including Sagymbai Orozbakov, with 42 folders dedicated to different versions. • Semetey and Zhanyl Myrza: Other epics and genealogies of Kyrgyz clans.

Islamic and Religious Texts

The collection includes manuscripts in Arabic covering Islamic theology, law, and poetry.

Multi-Genre Folklore

The Fund holds various folklore genres, including lyrical works, fables, proverbs, and historical narratives.

Cataloging and Scientific Description

Each manuscript undergoes a detailed scientific description that includes: • Inventory number • Manuscript title • Category • Author and collector details • Recording date • Manuscript condition

EMKONS Project

The Early Modern Kyrgyz Oral-derived Narrative Sources (EMKONS) project, supported by the University of Miami, aims to digitize and make accessible Kyrgyz oral history. The project's first phase focused on the 1916 Kyrgyz uprising.

Challenges

The Manuscript Fund faces several challenges, including: • Funding constraints • Shortage of trained specialists in manuscript restoration • Need for facsimile editions to ensure broader access to its materials