RELİGİOUS MOTİFS İN KARAİM TURKİC LİTERATURE (BASED ON THE WORK “BAZŁYK JERDE” (“THE LAND OF PEACE”) BY JOKUBAS MAŁECKAS)

Abstract

Turkic peoples have long believed in a variety of natural forces, and Tengrism was the main religion practiced in steppe Turkic civilization. However, in later periods, Turks living in different geographical regions adopted the religious beliefs of neighboring peoples as well, including Buddhism, Manichaeism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and others. The Karaim Turks are considered the successors of the Khazar Khaganate, and as is well known, the official state religion of the Khazar Empire was Judaism. In this respect, although a large part of the Turkic peoples adopted Islam, Turks living further north and east of the Arabian Peninsula retained their earlier religious beliefs. Beginning from the 14th century, Karaite Turks were relocated from the Crimean Peninsula to Europe, and in the early twentieth century they attempted to preserve their press and literature in three different regions, such as Crimea, Poland, and Lithuania. In the family compilations of the Crimean Karaites called “Collection”, works rich in Islamic motifs influenced by their Muslim Crimean Tatar neighbors were also included. They even copied poems of Ashiq Omar with such themes into their notes. These notes, as well as the writings of Karaim poets and authors, include many motifs derived from Jewish belief. The drama “The Land of Peace” by Jokubas Małeckas was written with reference to the Torah, the Book of the Prophets, and in this work the author created a poetic version of the promised paradise. The drama personifies a number of creatures, including the serpent, lion, cow, wolf, and bear; only the serpent is left out of paradise. The reason for this is also reflected in the Book of the Prophets. The serpent is eternally cursed because it lied to Eve and caused Adam and Eve to be expelled from paradise. In the drama “The Land of Peace,” presenting a new name for the archetypal paradise, Jokubas Małeckas chooses Time as the central figure, depicting it as the observer of all occurrences. Starting with the banishment from paradise and continuing until the arrival of the foretold paradise, the poet elucidates the notions of sin and wickedness via animal symbols, especially through the serpent as a religiously inspired archetype.