Bu çalışma, Uygur destan metinlerinde "anne" kavramının temel anlamda arketipsel, geniş anlamda ise sembolik yorumlanmasını kapsamaktadır. Arketipler toplumun ortak bilinçdışının yansımasıdır. Kültürel belleğin oluşumunda yer alan sembol ve motif çözümlemesi toplumu açıklayan kodların ortaya çıkarılması açısından faydalıdır. En bilinen arketipler; anima, animus, anne, gölge, ihtiyar bilge adam ve kahraman arketipleridir. "Anne" imgesi toplumsal belleğin canlı ürünleri olan halk anlatılarında sıkça geçmektedir. Öz anne, hain üvey anne, iyi-kötü kayınvalide, eş-sevgili olan anne, tanrıça-ana, baba ile çocuk arasında köprü olan anne, biyolojik anne olmayıp yine de annelik duygusu hisseden ve hissettiren kadın gibi birçok yansımasıyla karşılaşmaktayız. Annenin karşımıza çıkan tüm bu göndergelerinin özü; çocuğuyla kaynaklanmaktadır. Mitolojik eksende ise; ay (hareketlerinden dolayı), bağ, bahçe, deniz, güneş, ırmak, mağara (ana rahmi) ve su gibi imgeler "anne" kavramını çağrıştırmaktadır. Çalışmanın giriş kısmında konu ile bağlantılı kavramlara ve anne arketipine değinilmiş olup; mitoloji ve destan türleri arasında ilgi kurularak genel bilgi verilmiştir. Sembollerle yüklü olan edebî eserlerdeki işlevsellik de vurgulanmıştır. Ardından birinci bölümde "arketip" kavramı detaylıca irdelenmiş olup; bu ilksel yapıların toplumu oluşturan ve koruyan özüne dikkat çekilmiştir. İkinci bölümde ise, makalede konu alınan özet metinlere yer verilmiştir. Daha sonra üçüncü bölümde çalışmanın asıl konusunu oluşturan anne arketipi ekseninde Uygur destanları ele alınmış olup; "Türeyiş ve Göç Destanları"nda yer alan sembollerin üstlendikleri manalar ele alınmıştır

The study aims on observing the Uyghur epics; according to archetypes as a basis and symbols as a much wider approach. Archetypes reflect the collective unconscious of society. Analyzing symbols and motifs which take part in the formation of cultural memory is beneficial for uncovering the codes of society. Anima, animus, hero, mother, shadow and wise old man are the best known archetypes. “Mother” archetype often appears in folktales those are the living–outputs of social memory. Some of many reflections of mother are; birth–mother, evil stepmother, good–evil mother–in-law, mother like partner–lover, mother–goddess, mother as a bridge between son–father and a woman feeling–acting as a mother. These basic images of mother are formed from the biological, socio–cultural and legal relevancy between mother and son. Furthermore moon (its phases), vineyard, orchard, sea, sun, river, cave (uterus), water evokes the concept of mother. In the introduction, section of the study, certain relevant concepts and mother archetype is briefly covered by mentioning its relation between mythology and epics; its functionality within society is explained. The first section involves the archetype topic and its features those aiding the construction and preserving of the sentimental values of people. In the second section, the texts are given which are analyzed in this study. The third section concerns about the short texts about Uyghur epics from the perspective of mother archetype. Symbols within epics about existence and migration also examined The aim of this study is to analyze the certain epics belong to Uyghur Turks. The analysis is made from the point of archetypes, mythology and social reflections. Firstly, several key concepts are explained. Later, the some epics are evaluated. Finally the relevant epic texts are given. While making the examination, academic knowledge about mind, archetypes and social sciences are used. According to Carl Gustav Jung, human unconscious stores the collective knowledge of experiences belongs to both self and ancestors. Archetypes are the basic forms of concept patterns; located in unconscious part of mind. These patterns are quite similar even in different regions of Earth. Mother, hero, monster, wise old man/woman are most common examples. Mother archetype is a significant concept in mind, literature and society. Mother is the birth giver, feeder and early protector of individuals thus they are in certain level connected to mother. Mind distinguishes benefit from harm. Mother is the first and maybe most beneficial source for the individual mostly in the early stages of life. So it is sensible for individuals to feel a deep connection, love and need for their mothers. This need originates the mother archetype. This archetype is so strong that its meaning is reflected on similar concepts that involves birth, feed and protection; such as country, home and nature. On the other hand, mythology is the modern definition of old age stories and beliefs. Through the history of humans, they struggled to give shape to the “unknown” in terms of explanations and answers; such as birth, death, creation of the planet and the universe. It is possible to come across to many myths involving mother archetype. As mother is a very significant and strong concept in mind and society there are many female deities (goddesses) in mythical stories, remnants. The nature is the creator of world; this trait let people to identify it as a mother thus many life/world creator deities called as female. Uyghur people are a Turkish tribe in central Asia. The epic texts involved in this study cover the existence and migration of Uyghurs. In the relevant Uyghur epics mother is represented as river, mountain, soil, tent, stone, milk-mother, nanny and female-mentor. The location accepted as the place where Uyghurs are first populated is Orkhon River and its source is the Mount Karakoram. This mountain is the source of many other rivers thus gaining the characteristics of a mother and goddess. Besides, soil gives birth to crops as a mother brings baby to life. There are two more mountains near two different creeks (Tuul and Selenga) both connected to a river, which comes from Karakoram. A composition of grandmother and two next generation mothers are represented in this theme. The mountains are stationary and the river and creeks represent reproduction and life. Life is slow but in motion like this river and creeks. There are two trees rising between these two creeks. Tree represents life as mountain represents divinity. In addition, tree is a bond between sky and underworld (life and death). The “light” mentioned in the epic text is represented as male. A light shines a tree and it gives birth to five children (where five represents life). The names of the children (according to birth time / age) are Sonkur Tegin, Kotur Tegin, Tüker Tegin, Or Tegin and Bökü Tegin. It is night and dark when this scene happens. The darkness represents the inside of mother's womb. In the story, the tree represented as mother where light represented as the father to the children. Mother is important for children’s fulfillment of divinity where father fulfills the law. It is told in the text that; “[…] as the children are brought near the tree, they show the appreciation and acceptance given to a father. There, the tree incarnates and talks; –‘Good children shows respects to their mother and father, may you live a long life, have a good and everlasting fame’ […]”. A mentioned above, father represent thus fulfill the law and this is a fundamental need for and child. In Turkish culture while mother represents life, the term “father” is very strong too and represents power. In contrary, there is also anima and animus archetype in the speech as the tree gave birth to these children. Anima is the female side of male where animus has the opposite meaning. The pregnancy of the tree takes place nine months and ten days, just like a human being. This is an exact representation of a baby coming to life. As the pregnancy is ended, a crack gets open the children come out from here. Furthermore, it is told that, Uyghurs have a name of Nine Oghuz 10 Uyghur. Before Uyghurs, there were nine Turkish tribes, with the addition of Uyghurs the number becomes ten. There are other symbols representing mother's womb such as the word “tent”. In the text; a man takes the children to a tent; makes them sit inside and puts a candle between each children. Tent is rising on the soil. Man and candle light is male, where soil and tent is female where the children are the offspring. Soil is the mother and tent is the womb. In another text, one night a girl-shade visits Bögü Han, a Uyghur Khan. Bögü Han wakes up, but he gets frightened so much that acts like sleeping in the hope of avoiding the confrontation. Next night the shade visits him again. He acts the same and evades her again. In the morning, he consults to his vizier. According to the advice of the vizier, he meets with the girl-shade next night and they go to Mount of Ak-Dağ. They talk to each other until sunrise. They meet there every night for the next seven years, six months, twenty-two days. The girl tells him; “–You will rule lands from East to West. Be careful and work hard. Also always appreciate your people”. The girl represents the wise woman represented in Uyghur epics. Several female and male symbols within the relevant epics can be distinguished. The female symbols are; Mount Karakoram, the two other mounts, Tuul and Selenga creeks, water, anima archetype, tree and tent. The male symbols are; light, tree, animus archetype and candle. Finally it can be said that humankind always tries to shape the unknown with knowledge. In old times, observing, examining and storing information was very limited. So ancient knowledge looks like supernatural but actually, they are the cornerstones of modern science. Human civilization is a growing being along with history, science and culture, which are evolving from interpretations to better-analyzed outputs. In addition, collective unconscious of people became the source of many archetypes and mother is a significant one among them. Several themes involving motherhood and birth have been discovered in the Uyghur epics those are involved in this study. These interpretations of Uyghurs are as literary and meaningful as they are mythical if the logic behind the symbols is taken into consideration.