Nadaam and Eagle Festivals Mongolia

The Nadaam festival celebrated throughout Mongolia in July each year is an unmissable social occasion and community event. It forms a major part of the calendar for most Mongolians, when they celebrate who they are, how proud they are to be Mongolian and the qualities that produced the warrior nation of Genghis Khan.

People gather in towns and villages to catch up with family, eat together and enjoy horse racing, wrestling and archery competitions, known as ‘the three games of men’. These sports have changed little from the 12th century when Genghis Khan ruled, with many ancient details preserved, from the type of saddle to the riding style, the archery equipment to the targets.

Watching the wrestling competitions is something the whole family enjoys, and the spectacle of hefty men wearing sturdy pants grappling each other on the grass attracts huge crowds. The unusual sleeves the wrestlers wear, which leave their chest exposed, are less traditional than the sport; they were introduced after a particularly powerful woman won the Nadaam disguised as a man.

Unlike in sumo and other forms of wrestling, there’s no specific ring or bout limit to Mongolian wrestling, and fighters often tumble dangerously close to the crowd. Apparently, it’s good luck if one lands on you. The victor performs an eagle dance, arms spread like wings, to celebrate.

The biggest festival, the National Nadaam is held in the capital Ulaan Baatar from 11 to 13 July in the National Sports Stadium. There are impressive opening and closing ceremonies with parades of mounted cavalry, athletes and monks, but some argue that spectacle has overtaken the sports that are at the heart of the Nadaam. If you can, visit a rural Nadaam celebration, which is great fun and gives a fascinating insight into local life. These smaller, grass roots events have a truly festive, country fair atmosphere and, unlike at the National Nadaam, there’s usually no need to queue to watch the games. They aren’t held on fixed dates – each community picks its own auspicious date – but they usually take place in July. There’s a great Nadaam held in Khatgal on the banks of Lake Khovsgol in the far north, and there’s a big festival in Bulgan, to the northwest of Ulaan Baatar, too.

The festivals’ huge success has been credited with raising awareness of eagle hunting in Mongolia and abroad, and of encouraging young Kazakhs to take up the practice. In 2011, eagle hunting was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as an example of ‘living human heritage’.