Banner of Janibek-Batyr

(text provided by East Kazakhstan Regional Museum of Local History)

In the Kazakh ethnogenetic legend – Shejer postponed information about the banner of Zhanibek-batyr Shakshakkula – a historical person from the genus Molky of the tribe Abak-Kirey. The Janibek banner was considered a sacred symbol of the Abaq-Kirei tribe. In peacetime it was kept in a special reliquary chest, before which it was forbidden to sit. In the days of the war, two twin wolves marched in front of the unfolded banner during the ceremony of carrying out and launching. The latter were under the banner of the leader during the campaign. The legend attributes Zhanibek’s banners a magical ability to broadcast the approach of enemy troops, moving and making special sounds. This legend is interesting in that it allows to conduct the «bridge» to the oldest, perhaps Indo-European, sources of connections of the cult of the wolf with the banner.