Events
Mongolia is a vast country the size of Western Europe inhabited by only two million people. The horse is the vessel with which people traditionally navigate this great ocean of grassland. But the Mongols do not simply ride the horse. They consider it as a spirit-animal that permeates every aspect of their culture, religion and music.
To be without a horse is like being a bird with broken wings
The most powerful expression of this deep spiritual connection between Mongol nomads and the horse are the summer naadam races. At Wind Horse Valley, we organize our own special naadams all through the summer season.
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Naadams are an occasion to observe and mingle with Mongol nomads in all their traditional finery and pomp. It is a time when prospective lovers exchange furtive glances, men boast on their silver studded saddles and children sing loud ‘gingoo' melodies to boost the morale of their horses before a race. It is a time when fermented mare's milk, the ‘arak' flows and clan elders exchange snuff bottles and play a drinking game called ‘dembeh': a tongue-twister of meter and rhyme. It is a time when every child's mouth is stained crimson from the blue berries.
