KETBUGA ZHYRAU

BUGA ZHYRAU (1150-1225) - Kazakh zhyrau, kuyshi, character of folk and historical legends. He is considered to be a founder of Kazakh nomadic literary art.

According to oral genealogical legends Ketbuga belonged to Baganaly sub-clan of Naiman tribe. Ketbuga was called Uly Zhyrshy (Great Storyteller) and was one of the emirs of Chingiz Khan.

The only kuy by Ketbuga that reached us is "Aksak kulan - Zhoshy Khan" (Lame kulan - Dzhuchi Khan) and some verses. Other literary and musical works by Ketbuga Zhyrau have not been preserved.

Ketbuga strived for poetization of life, problems and feelings of ordinary people. For this he was called Uly Zhyrau  (Great Singer). Ketbuga greatly contributed to the development of oratory and influenced on oeuvre and style of many Kazakh zhyraus. There are legends about Ketbuga Zhyrau in Kyrgyz folklore too.

Source: Kazakhstan National encyclopedia, Volume 3