Nomads day festival in Mongolia

 (September 17-18, 2009)

The Nomads' Day Festival annually held on the 17 and 18th of September - the most blessed days of the Mongolian nomads, in Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve of Mongolia. This real nomadic event is one of the most exciting cultural festivals of Mongolia and is the only event that revives traditional Mongolian nomadic culture and contributes to this unique cultural heritage.

The first day is filled with various competitions between the local teams. The tasks encompass a range of activities that surround nomad life: speed –assembling a ger – the traditional felt lodge, loading gers onto the yak carts or camels in the shortest possible time, and making the perfect brew of Mongolian milky tea. The men show you how to catch and break in an untamed horse, as well as how to grab a lasso off the ground while galloping at full speed on horseback.

Nomads group will be compete to present the wonders of Mongolian traditional folklore in the evining. The concert includes: the inspiring throat singing, beautiful traditional dances, traditional Mongolian long and short songs, the incredible contortionism, beautiful Mongolian and world classic music by traditional musical instruments like the Horse Head Fiddle, Harp, Flute.

On the second day, the focus is more into the Naadam festival, which is the mini version of the Mongolia’s biggest festival that is held in July. Locally known as the “three manly games” –wrestling, horse racing and archery –the spectacle also has the local women competing in the latter. Added to that you will witness an interesting talent competition for Mongol couples which among other things allows each pair to show off their beauty, historical and cultural knowledge and costumes–not to mention strength (for the gents) and embroidery skill (for the ladies).

In two days you get a great insight into the traditions and see an albeit smaller version of the main Naadam festival. The festival aims to keep alive the traditions of the nomadic life and it’s a worthy goal in this time of great change for the country.