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NAADAM FESTIVAL

The biggest event of the year is the Naadam Festival, known as the “Three manly sports”- of wrestling, archery and horse racing. The festival is held all over the country, normally between 11 and 13 July, the anniversary of the 1921 Mongolian National Revolution.

The Naadam Festival celebrated each summer, originated many centuries ago as a test of courage, strength, daring, horsemanship and marksmanship, all necessary for a nomadic people and warriors. The largest celebration is held in Ulaanbaatar beginning on July 11. Herdsmen, many from distant places, converge on the city to view and take part in horserace and wrestling and archery competitions, the three manly sports and winners are richly rewarded with fame. The competitions are also screened on national television and the final of the wrestling usually stops the nation, sometimes for many hours. Local Naadams are held in all regional locations and are much more intimate affairs than the official celebration in Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolian Wrestling contests at Naadam, sometimes involving over 1.000 contestants, are an exciting spectacle. As there are no weight classes and 16 contests are held simultaneously, the competition progresses quickly. Before the contest wrestlers perform an eagle dance to limber ups and displays their fine physiques. Each wrestler has a second who acts as a coach and herald to announce his charge’s heroic deeds. The techniques used in Mongolian wrestling are not limited and include a variety of holds, throws, tricks and other moves. The contest ends when a contestant’s knee or elbow touches the ground.

The pride of Mongolia is the wrestler. The men participating in this event are revered by all Mongolians and the winner is given the most prestigious title of “Lion”. Much skill and training goes into the sport of wrestling and it takes years not only master the sport but to understand what is going on. The wrestling at Naadam is a knock-out competition and the final may last for several hours, depending on the skill of the competitors. The costume of the wrestler consists of great heavy, decorated boots, a small long sleeved top with bare chest and even smaller pair of briefs. It is told that in times past the top also covered the chest. It was when a woman, disguised as a man, won the competition that the open-chested design was decided upon, thereby eliminating women once and for all from the competition.

Archery contests continue a tradition dating from the time of Chinggis Khaan when they were intended to sharpen military skills. Contestants use compound bows fashioned from sinew, wood, horn and bamboo, and strung with bull tendon. Men fire 40 arrows made from willow branches and griffin vulture feathers from a distance of 75 meters and women deliver 20 arrows from 60 meters at a target consisting of 360 small leather rings to a wall. In accordance with ancient custom, several men stand on either side of the target singing a folk song to cheer the contestants and then use hand signals to indicate the results. Sadly, archers are becoming rarer and rarer in Mongolia, although women are allowed to compete in this event.

Horseracing is the favorite sport of the herders who bring their best horses from great distances. The races, which take place on the steppe over distances from 15 to 30 kilometers, are a test of endurance for the horses and riders, boys and girls, some as young as six years old. The jockeys are children as the lighter the load the faster the horse. Sometimes they even forsake saddle and boots to save even more weight. Not surprisingly, it is not uncommon for a horse to gallop into the finish line without a rider. Both child and horse are decorated in bright silks and ribbons for race day.

The races are organized according to the age of the horses. Buddhist mantras are chanted before the race to help give the horse speed. The riders set off from the finish line and ride out, at a slow canter to the start line. When they reach their destination a cry is let out and they all turn around and head off, at full speed, back to the finish line. Mare’s milk is poured over the heads of the winning horses and usually rewarded with expensive gifts and songs are sung in praise of the fastest horses. As much activity goes on behind the scenes at Naadam as in the actual competitions. In the background is the Asar, or festival tent, under which sits the guests of honor. Other tents are erected all over the grasslands and singing and drinking go on long into the night.

TSAGAAN TSAR

For more than 2.000 years Mongols have been celebrating Tsagaan Sar, literally the White month, to mark the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. This three-day holiday usually occurs in late January or February. After months of enduring a bitter winter, Mongolians celebrate it with a lot of food, liquor and singing. Tsagaan Tsar is celebrated according to the lunar calendar and is the official New Year for Mongolians. It also marks the end of winter and the beginning of the spring. Tsagaan Tsar is a lengthy celebration and a time for visiting family and friends. Traditionally the first day of the New Year begins by visiting a nearby, ovoo, or site of worship to offer thanks and gifts to the gods of the nature.

Then families first visit the oldest members. Blue silk is used as a formal greeting and gifts are offered, usually money. Each member of the family is visited, from oldest to youngest, followed by other relatives and friends. The whole process can last up to several weeks in the countryside where long distances are traveled to make the visit.

The celebration becomes an endless round of eating and drinking. Buuz, or steamed dumplings are constantly on the stove and served to each new guest that arrives. The fattest sheep is killed and great hunks of mutton fat dished out. A fat sheep's tail will adorn the centre of every family's dinner table. In addition there are a great variety of milk products, vodka is also drunk, toasts made and many songs chanted and sung. Mongolians are very hospitable people. Visitors are expected to try every dish tip a few glasses with the host. Toasts are usually made with “Airag”- mare’s milk wine or “Shimiin arkhi”- distilled from fermented cow’s milk.

Sports competitions, traditional song festivals and other events follow the celebration. At this time monasteries are full of people, usually wearing new dels (traditional gowns), praying and blessing Lord Buddha.

Mongolian Public Holidays

New Year's Day – December 31 and January 1.
Tsagaan Sar – Usually in January or February, changes year by year according to Lunar Calendar.
Mothers' and Children's Day - June 1.
Naadam - July 11- 13.
Independence Day - November 26.

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