Shape changing epics of Tuva Turk

Epics are the cultural heritages that societies create, broad cast and pass on to future generations in oral traditions. Heroisms, victories, successes, migrations, defeats, treacheries, friendships, antagosisms, pains and happinesses take part in epics in every aspect. Turkish epics which are rich in culture and art treasures enlighten Turkish cultures in versatility. Heroes are essential for (the indispensablenesses of) Turkish epics and the epics are formed around their heroes. What makes one a hero is the struggles he reveals for high values. These struggles which sometimes include the phenomenons have important information (data) about the cultural codes of nations. One of the most important facts that makes hero's job easier and lets him be successful during his struggles is transformation (shape changing). Transformation is a commonly seen motive in epics which rise and develop in Turkish culture. In order to analyze the fact of transformation, various studies have been done on the epics of Turks living in a large geography. This thesis is also one of these studies done on the epics of Tuva Turks. The Republic of Tuva is one of the Turkish societies among those which became a state and an autonomous Republic after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. At the present time, the Repulic of Tuva continues its existence as an autonomous republic dependent to Russian Federation. One of the most important sources to be applied to get information about the history, geography and living styles of Tuvas having a rich culture is their epic named "maadırlıg tool".Tuva epics have been begun to be examined and put down on paper from the second half of the 19th century. Some important parts of these epics have been published by transfered(translated into) to Turkey Turkish. By means of this study, totally seventeen sagas (Alday-Buuçu, Boktu-Kiriş, Bora-Şeeley, Kangıvay-Mergen (2), Aldın-Çaagay (2), Aldın-Kurgulday, Erelzey-Mergen, Haragalzay-Mergen Alkışlar, Han-Şilgi Attıg Han-Hülük, Arı-Haan, Arzılan Kara Attıg Çeçen Kara Möge, Şöögün Bora Attıg Şöögün-Köögün, Mögaa Şagaan-Toolay, Tanaa-Herel, Ton-Aralçın Haan, Bayan-Toolay, Haan Tögüldür) published in Tuvan and Turkish languages by Metin Ergun-Mehmet Aça, Ekrem Arıkoğlu-Buyan Borbaanay and Salih Mehmet Arçın have been examined in terms of the motive of transformation and by detecting who changed the shape, when, where, under which conditions, and how they changed the shape have been tried to be determined how it changed the process of the epic. Key Words: Epic, Transformation, Pattern (ornament), Shape Change, Tuva.