Kazakh bards break world record with 24-hour epic poetry marathon

For 24 hours straight, storytellers wove 31,000 lines of legend into history. Now, a forgotten art form roars back to life with global recognition.

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2026 March 22 . 7:01 PM

1 min read

The image shows a piece of paper with text written on it, which appears to be a book of chants of... — The image shows a piece of paper with text written on it, which appears to be a book of chants of the liturgical kauthuma samhita of the Samavada, India. The text is written in a traditional Tibetan script and is surrounded by a decorative border. The paper is yellowed with age and the text is faded, suggesting it has been around for a long time.

Kazakh bards break world record with 24-hour epic poetry marathon

A group of 36 Kazakh bards has set a new world record for the longest continuous recitation of epic poetry. The performance lasted 24 hours without interruption in the city of Aktobe. Officials from Guinness World Records (GWR) for Asia and Africa were present to verify the achievement.

The event, titled Path of the Zhyrlau, brought together traditional storytellers known as zhyrshy. They recited the heroic sagas of Ūlymyz Ūly Qybatyry, a cycle of 36 dastans spanning nearly 31,000 lines. The bards used the tūrek method, passing the narrative seamlessly from one performer to the next to maintain its flow.

The project was designed to revive and promote Kazakhstan's oral storytelling tradition, *zhyrlau*, among younger generations. By preserving these epic narratives, organisers hope to safeguard a key part of the country's cultural heritage. The record has now been formally entered into the global GWR registry.

This achievement marks the first time such a marathon recitation of Kazakh epic poetry has been officially recognised. The event highlights ongoing efforts to keep traditional oral literature alive. Future initiatives under Path of the Zhyrlau may build on this success to further engage new audiences.