We drove to Tsetserleg in Alhangai province for the Nadaam weekend. Above is the entry parade of the wrestlers at the local stadium we visited. Note the guys running late in the far left of the photo! I will write about our weekend in a separate post, but first some information about Nadaam.
Wikipedia Info about Nadaam
Naadam (Mongolian: Наадам, games) is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" (эрийн гурван наадам) "three manly games." (roughly translated). The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the holidays. Women have started participating in the archery and girls in the horse-racing games, but not in Mongolian wrestling.
The biggest festival is held in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar during the National Holiday from July 11th - 13th, although other cities and towns across Mongolia have their own, smaller scale Naadam celebrations. It begins with an elaborate introduction ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horseriders, and musicians. After the ceremony, the competitions begin.
Naadam is the most widely watched festival in the country, and is believed to have existed for centuries in one fashion or another. Naadam has its origin in the activities, such as military parades and sporting competitions such as archery, horse riding and wrestling, that followed the celebration of various occasions. Now it formally commemorates the 1921 revolution when Mongolia declared itself a free country.
Hospitals in
Even after a number of tour groups had canceled their visit following the events of July 1, there were more than 2,500 foreign visitors at the opening and closing ceremonies in the Central stadium. More than 100 foreign journalists covered the celebrations.
Police received about 100 calls from victims of pickpockets or bag snatchers. Twenty foreigners lost cameras, or wallets or bags. Children got lost and 20 of them were taken home by the police.
Over the years it has become a kind of ritual for all Mongolians who go to the Central Stadium during the days of Naadam to eat khuushuur made at the stalls outside. This year the ritual became an ordeal, in terms of both time and money.
Following the Enterovirus-71 outbreak, the city administration reduced the number of licensed khushuur stalls so that stricter control could be kept of the hygienic aspects. This meant that people had to wait for between two and three hours before their turn came to be served.
The price also shot up. On July 11 morning one khuushuur cost Tg 400, rising to Tg 700 in the afternoon, and to Tg 1,000 the next day. Inadequate supply of airag meant one paid Tg 2,000 for a liter and Tg 1,000 for one serving.
Two new practices were introduced this year. People could get the Mongolian flag or the country’s map painted on their face or body. Mongolian flags in different sizes were sold, mainly to be flown in cars.
There were many tourists sharing in the national enthusiasm during the festival. Some were less happy than others after losing money or things. As in other years foreigners found their pockets or purses picked, bags ripped, and cameras and cash stolen. Around 20 of them lodged formal complaints about losing camera or money, but it is safe to assume that many others did not go public with their loss.
About the wrestling costume - borrowed from another website
Legend has it that the top half of the wrestler's costume, called Zodog in Mongolian, used to be closed in the front, sort of like a mini-sweater. Before one particular Naadam, one of the champion wrestlers fell ill and his identical twin sister, a burly strong woman, decided to take his place. She wrapped herself in breast binding and wore the wrestler's costume, and entered Naadam wrestling. So as the legend says, she won that Naadam. And one official, who had been watching her do the wrestler's pre-match "eagle dance" in a somewhat feminine way, grew suspicious. Some versions say the officials confronted her, upon which she revealed herself to be a woman. Other versions say that her Zodog was ripped during the final match, revealing her to be a woman. After this, they decided to make the Zodog open at the front, ensuring that no man will ever feel the shame of losing to a woman at one of the "three manly games".
