TRAVERSE 55
TRAVEL - MONGOLIA
LEIGH WILKINS
THREE GAMES OF MAN
Something odd seemed to be in the near distance . Bright colours , silks , flapped on the breeze , very different to what we had found numerous times while riding the Mongolian steppe . These were not the usual blue of the flags that adorn the ovoo . It wasn ’ t a shrine yet still magnificent in its appearance .
Following a track , one of those placed wherever seemed fit , something you get used to when riding Mongolia , across a seemingly endless sea of green . The pastures played host to horses , cattle , and camels . The closer we got the more the colours intensified , silks of all sorts , flags , gers , tents , and people , all wearing traditional clothing .
We ’ d stumbled upon a representation of nadaam , a festival that is a wealth of Mongolian culture , where games depicting strength , stamina , speed , and skill are all contested , under the watchful eye of the ruling family and its cohort .
Nadaam is Mongolia ’ s national holiday , a time to celebrate everything Mongol , both past and present . The festival itself is a nod to the rich and diverse history of this land and a people who sought to annex yet not defeat as they embraced the new of a world beyond theirs . In 2010 the United Nations inscribed nadaam into the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity since then women have been encouraged to take part in the archery and horse racing contests . We saw none on this day .
In an arena surrounded by tents , where sumptuous feasts were enjoyed , men took part in wrestling , one of the competitions celebrated at nadaam . Wrestling is one aspect of the festival that harks back to the days of military parades and celebrations , the other two , archery and horse racing also have a birthplace in battle .
TRAVERSE 55