ORAL STORYTELLING AND MYTH IN THE EPIC OF ALPAMYSH

This article looks at the Uzbek epic Alpamysh as a perfect example of how oral storytelling and mythology may come together. The epic came from the Turkic steppes in the 9th and 10th centuries and was an important cultural storehouse for Oghuz family patterns and moral norms. The bakhshi (bardic artists) made it possible for the story to be passed down by using formulaic poetry, musical accompaniment, and improvisation to dynamically reproduce it for each audience, making sure it would be remembered and relevant for millennia. The article contends that the epic's significant cultural influence stems from this amalgamation: its mythical archetypes and cosmic conflicts impart religious significance and exemplify heroic virtue, while its oral performance format serves as dynamic civic education. Finally, it looks at how Alpamysh was turned into written literature, which eventually became an important part of contemporary Uzbek national identity and a lasting emblem of cultural strength in the face of forces that want to make everything the same.