Naadam Festival

Young Horseman

Mongolia. The word conjured up a vision in my mind remarkably akin to this image, of rugged, stern men and beautiful animals, immune to harsh winters, capable of conquering continents; last remnants of a dying age where man rather than political circumstance reigns the land, but where nature is still king even over the sturdiest of man.

Blood covered faces stumble down the streets of Ulaan Baatar, skin broken in frequent fistfights. In the rural outpost of Bayankhongor, men wear either traditional leather deels with a colorful sash, or an open shirt to expose a muscular chest. Women dress in western fashion, mascara, heels, pearls, and miniskirts. It seemed a heightened environment where the overflow of testosterone may be tamed only by a barrage of tough feminine beauty.

The annual Naadam festival is a celebration of this rugged land and its people. Horse racing, wrestling, and archery, the three "manly" sports are the featured events of fierce competition.

The three-thousand year-old festival historically served a functive purpose of unifying the nomadic peoples in a celebration where alliances and friendships could be forged. The Mogolian countryside still converges, either to sum capitals for the competitions, or to nearby ghers with a satellite dish and TV tuned into the Ulaan Baatar festivities.