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​The Khövsgöl Yak Festival

Jun 7th 2019

<​The Khövsgöl Yak Festival

The Khövsgöl Yak Festival is the epitome of a Mongolian congregation. The festival began in 2015 to promote local tourism and help herders increase the quality of their products and learn about pasture management. Herders and craftspeople from all over the province and country come together in order to celebrate individual achievements and culture within the community.

Lining the grass fields are mats decorated with hand-crafted bone knives, carved wooden bowls, and felted slippers. Tsend-Ayusn, a local craft woman, learned to felt from people in Ulaanbaatar. Felting was partially forgotten during the Soviet era, but has recently resurfaced. Tsend-Ayusn has been embracing her heritage by learning to make traditional deel clothing (traditional Mongolia dress) and carved wooden bowls. Craftsmanship is important to the local culture in order to preserve ancient traditions and ways of life.

In the center of the festival, there is an arena set up for viewing wrestling, traditional shamanistic dances, and throat singing. Traditional Mongolian dances are very fluid, and usually, mimic everyday activities such as riding or cooking. Dancers can move around but often remain in one position. Another Mongolian classic, throat singing, or “the long song” is a type of traditional Mongolian singing that includes very few lyrics. Each syllable is stretched-out making notes and words long and vibrant. Through song and dance, Mongolians sync in tune to their cultural heritage.

The main spectacle of the festival is the yaks. Herders take great pride in their animals, as they are a sign of status and achievement. During the festival, there are lassoing competitions, yak riding, and other festivities. Erdene-Ochir, a local herder, loves the festival and his occupation because it allows him to move around and be in nature. He takes pride in showing his family his achievements. For many herders, one of their fondest memories is winning a horse race or yak competition and making their families proud.

In a society where a majority of the people are nomadic, festivals such as the Khövsgöl Yak Festival are crucial in order to bring communities together. The festival is a time to remember, promote, and gather.

Written by Annika Furman

Annika Furman is currently a student at Colorado College. She travelled with founders Bill and Betina across Mongolia meeting herders and experiencing the culture of the vast steppe meanwhile gathering stories and insight. 

Photo by Summers Moore

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