Holidays in Olgii

Eagle Festival

Bayan-Olgii is arguably the birthplace of eagle hunting. Every year in October, they have several festivals to celebrate this culture and heritage. Kazakhs will train bald eagles from a young age to hunt and kill foxes and wolves. This incredibly unique culture is not only fascinating but one of the most unique in the world.

New Year (жаңа жыл) 

New Year is the first, and one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Ironically, no one really knows what Christmas is,..... and therefore most people in Olgii think the holidays are one in the same (which is funny to show up to New Year Parties with Santa Claus pictures hanging all over the wall). Interesting enough, at our school, every New Year is accompanied by a drag show.

Teacher's Day

Teacher's Day lands in late January. It turns into a week long celebration that commemorates the profession and ideals incorporated with being a teacher. Before the party at the end of the week, highlights include songs and poems performed by the students, as well as, students taking turns to actually 'be the teachers' that week - organizing and teaching lessons to the other students and teachers.

Women's Day and Soldier's Day 

The 'Big 4' - The training managers, Director , and school Social Worker

While technically two holidays, this we we celebrated them together in one large party. Obviously, Women's Day is the celebrate all of the women on the community (similar to a Mother's Day - which falls here on the International Day for Women). Soldier's Day parallels this, but for the men instead (while few people are actual 'soldiers' - the joke often becomes that on this day all men are indeed one). It was a normal celebration (eating, dancing and singing) with a special performance by all of the male teachers singing together to the women.

Noirs (Muslim holiday)

My teachers are the parade to kick of the festivities 

Noirs is a Muslim holiday that serves as a celebration of spring (in March). According to Muslim traditions, you must visit 40 families during the holiday to eat and drink tea together. The two main dishes consist of 'beshbarmak' (which translates to 'five fingers' and refers to a giant meat plate that you eat with your hands) and 'koje' (which as either a wheat or rice based soup that must be eaten - 2 bowls in you stick with tradition - at every house you visit). This is arguably the biggest holiday in Olgii - which lasts for 2-4 days depending on the family (I visited around 15 homes in 3 days).

A typical table spread for Noirs

Celebrating with a my local shop owners

Nadaam 

Nadaam Wrestling

Nadaam is the biggest holiday in Mongolia that celebrates the national sports. It is celebrated in every city and village throughout Mongolia at some point during the summer (ranging from one day to one week depending on the size). There are tournaments in wrestling, archery and horse racing - all which have unique formats (learn more). Nadaam is also responsible for some of the largest tourism in the country. Local television covers all of the major city competitions (this is also where I had the pleasure to try 'koumiss' for the first time - or fermented mare's milk that becomes alcoholic).   

Nadaam Horse Racing

My host family and I with the Nadaam trophy.