In March 2012, Aigine Cultural Research Center with financial support of The Christensen Fund and in the framework of its two-year project on Placing the Manas epic into the Contemporary World completed and published video version of the first part of the Manas trilogy. The goal of the project is to compile full video recordings and form complete traditional version of the Manas epic narrated by contemporary manaschy(reciters).
The video version consists of 50 main episodes, which make up the core of the Manas epic. The list of the episodes was composed by manaschys and approved by the Manaschy Steering Committee. 12 currently active and recognized manaschys participated in the video recording and each manaschy recited several episodes of their choosing with the duration of from 20 minutes – 1 hour.
All video recording sessions took place in different places throughout the country including places of historical significance mentioned in the epic and places of communion where manaschys receive inspiration and spiritual elevation. All these places were in the lap of nature with snow-capped mountains, turbulent rivers, crystal clear lake and diversity of beautiful wild flowers, which in turn perfectly reflect the essence, power and the free spirit of the Manas epic.
The recording is aimed to preserve and capture the current epical knowledge, which later could be used for scientific research, spiritual awareness raising and other educational purposes for further development and preservation of the epic.
The video version of the epic is being distributed to all the educational institutions throughout the country free of charge.
Aigine CRC is planning to record and publish video version of the second and third part of the trilogy, Semeteiand Seitek.