Another
wonderful "NOMADS DAY" Festival 2008 at Steppe
Nomads
The annual Nomads' Day festival, initiated
and organized by leading Mongolian inbound tour operator
Selena Travel company and its Steppe Nomads eco resort
in order to introduce Mongolian nomadic culture to the
world, took place on 17-18 September for its fourth year
in amazing Gun-Galuut nature reserve.
Listed in the "must see" list
of tourists, the Nomads' Day festival gave the participants
the "golden chance to get introduced to real Mongolian
culture and hospitality" within only 2 days.
Local nomads from Bayandelger and Arkhust
soums of Tuv province and Baganuur district of Ulaanbaatar
showed the visitors from 11 different countries such as
the USA, UK, Australia, Switzerland and Malaysia, their
unique nomadic cultural heritages and true hospitality
of steppe nomads. On the 1st day of the festival the nomads
competed in teams at "The Nomads' Day" competition
showing how well they are practicing their nomadic traditions
and "Gray Horse" team from Bayandelger soum
won for its 2nd time. Judged by professional musicians
and dancers of Tumen Ekh ensemble and Khan Khuur folk
band the "Steppe Melodies" folk music competition
also took place and children's group from Bayandelger
Soum won while Arkhust group took the 2nd place. "Metropolitan
Guys" tourists' competition was very competitive
and honeymooners Amy and Will from Australia won the other
4 teams. On the 2nd day of the festival, a beauty contest
between local rider couples took place and the participants
witnessed the Three Manly Games of Mongolia: archery,
wrestling and horse racing. "It's a shame that the
horse that I bet on came 2nd in the horse race, but I'm
so glad that I chose a very good horse that almost won.
This festival's been fantastic, I'm happy that I'm here",
says Lisa from the USA. The competitions among the locals
are prized between two hundred thousand to a half million
togrogs, which encourages the locals to compete actively.
Selena Travel initiated the Nomads' Day festival in 2005
and have been organizing it jointly with the Governor's
Office of Bayandelger Soum and Gun-Galuut community association.
Private companies Eznis Airways, Mongol Basalt, Los Bandidos
restaurant, Khan Ger and Narantuul hotel sponsored this
year's festival.
This year, 2 local nomadic teams competed
in the Nomads' Day nomadic cultural competition and Gray
Horse team of Bayandelger topped for showing their knowledge
and skills. It's their 2nd victory so far. 5 tasks of
traditional nomadic customs including using traditional
means of transport such as yak cart, camel cart etc, building
their gers in the shortest time and welcoming the guests
for tea, male members catching and breaking in horses,
female members making ropes with camel wool and collecting
dung for fire and little members playing traditional Mongolian
game Shagai to show their mental capacities were performed.
Last year's last one came first! 3 music
groups from 3 different soums took part in the Steppe
Melodies folk art competition and Folk Melodies group
from Bayandelger won with their magnificent children's
dances and songs. The groups were to perform a song, a
dance, a musical performance and another art of free choice
such as contortion, praise song, dance etc within 18 minutes.
Honeymooners Amy and Will from Australia
took the 1st prize among 5 teams competed in Metropolitan
Guys tourists' competition. Joyful newly wed Amy collected
animal dung while her husband Will saddled a Mongolian
horse within 42 sec leaving 4 guys behind. This year "greeting"
task was added into the competition tasks and the 2nd
place winners Suzanna from Switzerland and Carlo from
the UK's greeting was so well received by the audience.
Suzanna yoddled while Carlo danced. Fun fun fun!
Another rider couple from Bayandelger
Mr. Oidovdorj and his wife Gereltuya showed their talents
and won in the Beauty of the Steppes competition. Their
costume attracted lots of attention and they gained more
points on tasks such as questions, sewing and counting
games though their opponents sang much better than they
did.
16 strong wrestlers took part in the
wrestling and Bayarkhuu - the Elephant of Sukhbaatar province
won. Mr. Bayarkhuu attended the Nomads' Day festival wrestling
competition for his 3rd time and it's his 1st victory
to get the 1st place. Last year, 32 wrestlers took part
in the competition.
Archery attracted more people this year as the archers
competed with a new type in the Khalkha archery called
"Esunkhe", one of the most challenging archery
of the Mongols. Master of Archery Mr. Nayanchuluun took
the 1st place and master of archery Mrs. Altanzul took
the 2nd place leaving 8 guys behind. Congratulations!
Horse racing was for adult year old horses (7 years old
or older), considered to be the strongest of all horses.
Horse racer from Khentii province Monkhjargal won in the
race with his marvelous chestnut horse. Tourists enjoyed
betting on race horses and Lisa and Nanette from the USA
almost won! Their bet horse came 2nd! Well done, girls!
In the evening of 18 Sep - the final
day of the joyful festival all guests enjoyed "Delicacies
for Genghis" gala dinner at Steppe Nomads camp. Everyone
admired the mouth watering steppe delicacies and drinks
and took pictures with the competition winners for their
inspiring Mongolian memories.
See you next year at the 5th annual Nomads' Day Festival!
