30 images Created 13 Jul 2021
The Three Manly Sports Of Genghis Khan
Chinggis Khan has generally had a bad press in the West. Not only did we change his name to Genghis: almost 800 years after his death the founder of the largest empire the world had ever seen - from Bohemia to Beijing - is still remembered mainly as a bloodthirsty warrior who ruthlessly subdued more civilised nations.
Needless to say, the Great Khan’s descendants take a different view of history. The Mongolian war machine of the 13th century was the finest fighting force of its time, and its dominance rested on two factors: horsemanship and archery. So every July Mongolia grinds to a halt as Chinggis Khan’s descendants celebrate their traditions at the National Naadam Festival of the “three manly sports”: horse-racing, archery and wrestling. And the lesser known, less manly sport of ankle bone shooting.
Part family reunion, part fair and part nomad Olympics, Naadam has its roots in the assemblies and hunting extravaganzas of the Mongol armies, and it attracts some 750,000 people to the capital Ulaanbaatar and surrounding villages. Modern life getting you down? Shake off those PC shackles, get medieval and join the locals at Mongolia’s Naadam festivals.
Needless to say, the Great Khan’s descendants take a different view of history. The Mongolian war machine of the 13th century was the finest fighting force of its time, and its dominance rested on two factors: horsemanship and archery. So every July Mongolia grinds to a halt as Chinggis Khan’s descendants celebrate their traditions at the National Naadam Festival of the “three manly sports”: horse-racing, archery and wrestling. And the lesser known, less manly sport of ankle bone shooting.
Part family reunion, part fair and part nomad Olympics, Naadam has its roots in the assemblies and hunting extravaganzas of the Mongol armies, and it attracts some 750,000 people to the capital Ulaanbaatar and surrounding villages. Modern life getting you down? Shake off those PC shackles, get medieval and join the locals at Mongolia’s Naadam festivals.
