Structure and meaning in Maadai-Kara Epic

To reveal the aesthetic and cultural value of the Maadai-Kara epic, the epic text was analyzed using the "paradigmatic structure" method. The study of Seyfi Karabaş on the Dada Gorgud Clan served as a model for the paradigmatic structure method. In contrast to Seyfi Karabaş's method, the study is divided into two as structure and semantic analysis. The paradigmatic structure of the Maadai-Kara epic has been unveiled under the heading of structure. Under the heading of semantic analysis, on the other hand, the clusters of narrative units identified during the structure analysis were examined under two different titles, mythologically and anthropologically. In the mythological analysis chapter, the Maadai-Kara epic has been observed to incorporate the themes intrinsic to Indian-European and the themes belonging to Turkish epic tradition. In the anthropological analysis chapter, the relationship between the cultural and religious values of the Altai Turks and the epic text was concentrated on. In the examinations, deductions were made about Altai Turks' perception of spirit, change process of their religious beliefs, number, color, star, and animal symbolism through the epic text, and it was observed that these symbols reflect some status in the context of religious beliefs in the epic text. When the data in the review section are aggregated, the epic text of the Maadai-Kara epic, which is about a proxy war between the underworld and sky gods, is determined to base on oppositions such as Burhanism (White Jang) -Shamanism (Black Jang), white-black, new-old, patriarchal-matrilineal, order, sky/ earth -underground, spirit-nature, in the context of life-death opposition. In the context of Burhanism's theology, the bad sides of the aforementioned antagonistic relationships have been declared hostile, while the good sides have been praised. It has been observed that the Maadai-Kara epic serves as a religious propaganda tool in this context. As a result of the examinations conducted in conjunction with these, this study is also provided to the literature as an epic analysis model by us. Keywords: Maadai-Kara epic, Paradicmatic Structure, Altaic Turks, Burhanism, Shamanism, White Jang