Global Athletes Unite As 5th World Nomad Games Begin In Kazakhstan, Celebrating Tradition And Sport

By R.Ravichandran

ASTANA, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The fifth World Nomad Games (WNG) started in the capital city of Kazakhstan on Sunday, with the participation of about 2,500 athletes from 89 countries including Malaysia.

Organised by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the World Nomad Games (WNG), featuring 21 traditional games, will run until September 13.

The WNG was officiated by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Sunday night at Astana Arena in a colourful ceremony.

According to the website of WNG, the month of September is the traditional time of holiday, marking the completion of the migration from summer to winter camping. As such, the path of the caravan of people and animals with yurts and possessions traditionally ended at the new camping area with rituals, games and competitions.

The international sporting event, first organised in the Kyrgyzstan Republic, has gained a global status, covering more and more countries every year, attracting the interest of people  in many countries – including outside Central Asia.

 The WNG, which is included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List,  is an international sport competition in ethnic sports, and is based on folk games of historically nomadic peoples of the Central Asia.

The website stated that the objective of the WNG is for the development of ethno-sports and ethno-cultural movement as a heritage of human civilistion.

Going back to its history, the first WNG was held in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, with the participation of 583 athletes from 19 countries , involving 10 sports.

Besides participation of countries where the peoples (the heirs) of the nomadic civilisation live, teams from all over the world – including countries that were not nomadic – are also invited to participate in the World Nomad Games.

Horse racing competitions, traditional archery and national types of hunting with birds, as well as  national types of wrestling, martial arts and folk games, and traditional intellectual games are part of this year’s WNG.

A total of 97 sets of medals will be awarded at the 5th WNG.

 The 5th WNG is being held under the motto "The Gathering of the Great Steppe," where the official logo includes an important element of identity – a solar horseman. The logo uses elements of dark red colour.

-- BERNAMA