The courageous nomadic people who roamed Mongolia’s vast grasslands and meadows for thousands of years are actually the valiant Mongols. When we say thousands of years, we mean it simply because archaeological findings suggest that this brave race has been present in Mongolia for at least 70,000 years, supporting both their existence and their nomadic lifestyle.
The Mongols have a rich prehistoric and historical past, and their unique way of life and stoic outlook on life have spawned amazing customs and traditions. In this little essay, we’ll try to discuss Naadam, the most important traditional festival in Mongolia, which is observed across the country during the summer break.
The traditional festival of Mongolia is known locally as “eriin gurvan naadam,” which translates to “The 3 Games of Guys.” These three disputed Naadam contests—Mongolian wrestling, horse racing, and archery—involve a lot of labor and sweat, as is evident from the character of the activities. The largest event is held in Ulaanbaatar from July 11–13 during the national holiday at the renowned National Sports Stadium of the Mongolian capital.
Wrestling in Mongolia is strictly a male endeavor. These events feature more than 500 wrestlers from all around Mongolia. There are nine to ten rounds in this wrestling match, which is conducted in the customary and traditional Mongolian manner. The wrestlers compete in the district-level qualifying rounds, and the champions ultimately go to the finals. The shoulder vest (zodog) and shorts (shuudag) make up the typical wrestling outfit. The finals are in a knockout format, which is unquestionably very challenging and demands a lot of skill and perfection. Titles like Falcons, Elephants, Lions, and Giants are awarded to the victorious wrestlers.
Horse racing, which is divided into six categories with horses being two, three, four, and six years old, is the second exciting game of the Naadam festival. The opposing horses’ ages are taken into consideration when determining the lengths. During the marathon, traditional and folk songs are played.
In this traditional Mongolian derby, the horses’ abilities are fundamentally closely examined, and they are humorously ornamented. Additionally, koumyss, which is a type of fermented mare’s milk, is sprinkled on these animals. These horses receive an extremely specialized diet and go through rigorous training sessions. The top five horses in each category are named airgiyn tav, and the first three receive gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The final sporting event of the Naadam festival is archery, which is relatively less popular because it is mostly attended by state employees from Mongolia. Participants in the competition employ traditional bows and arrows that have been prepared according to a centuries-old conventional procedure. The Archery competitions are open to both men and women, and the champions get the titles of “national marksman” and “national markswoman.”
The national celebration of Mongolia, Naadam, best captures the spirit of the bold Mongol people. The Mongols take part in this celebration with great excitement because they view it as a representation of their pride and morality as a country. They attended the event dressed in traditional Mongolian attire, which made it fantastic and unforgettable.