Titans of Kazakh Literature

The spoken and written word is powerful. Literature, poetry, song each can move one’s heart, mind and soul. The Kazakh people come from nomadic roots. In a time without tools for writing or recording, while moving their herds from pasture to pasture as the seasons changed, the Kazakh people kept alive the traditions and folklore of their culture through stories and songs.

Kazakh literature came to bear visceral feeling and clarity, and reflected the social zeitgeist. That remains today. Kazakhstan, rich with so much history, is home to many great writers and poets who have shaped the modern culture of Kazakhstan, but not the core of who the Kazakh people are.

From well-known Kazakh writers like Abai, to lesser known poets and musicians, here are some Kazakh writers, poets and bards whose words are deeply engraved into Kazakh culture and national identity.