Art Council of Mongolia, Culture Naadam Project

Art Council of Mongolia, Culture Naadam Project

Art Council of Mongolia, Culture Naadam Project

Art Council of Mongolia, Culture Naadam Project

In the culture of Mongolians, some of the bones of the animals are used and respected in the worship, ritual and traditional games. The anklebone of animals is one of these respected bones. Since Mongols have domesticated the livestock animals, they have created the culture of the anklebone as well. There are about 120 variations of anklebone games, such as “Horse race”, “Milking mare”, “Catching anklebones”, “Anklebone guessing”, “Flick anklebones”, “Throwing a khomboroo”, “Set four difficult”, “Birth of Camel”, “Multicoloured turtle”, “Anklebone shooting”, and so on. Playing games with anklebone is helpful to the nurture of children, and it gives them a chance to check their speed and sight, and let them recognize the appearance, age and sex of animal, and to learn the insight to love and protect animals, and to develop their language and mentality. Additionally, this game has an effective influence to the growth of creative and nurtured person through mother language, folk literature and folklore.

In the culture of Mongolians, some of the bones of the animals are used and respected in the worship, ritual and traditional games. The anklebone of animals is one of these respected bones. Since Mongols have domesticated the livestock animals, they have created the culture of the anklebone as well. There are about 120 variations of anklebone games, such as “Horse race”, “Milking mare”, “Catching anklebones”, “Anklebone guessing”, “Flick anklebones”, “Throwing a khomboroo”, “Set four difficult”, “Birth of Camel”, “Multicoloured turtle”, “Anklebone shooting”, and so on. Playing games with anklebone is helpful to the nurture of children, and it gives them a chance to check their speed and sight, and let them recognize the appearance, age and sex of animal, and to learn the insight to love and protect animals, and to develop their language and mentality. Additionally, this game has an effective influence to the growth of creative and nurtured person through mother language, folk literature and folklore.

Mongolian traditional games in Shagai or anklebone of sheep. There are four positions of anklebone each of which has its own name: horse, sheep, goat and camel. Mongols have about 100 variations of anklebone games. For example, there are “Horse race”, “Catching anklebones”, “Anklebone guessing” “Flicking anklebones”, “Multicolored turtle”, “Anklebone shooting” and etc. Mostly children play these games, but sometimes adults are also involved in them. Among games in Shagai most popular is anklebone shooting.

Depending upon the quantity of anklebones, the number of players can be established. The players place a rug or quilted felt rug and scatter ankle bones over the rug and sit round the rug. The senior or honorary person starts playing. The players' play ankle bones alternate according to clockwise. There is a piece of mail imitating the armour of ancient warriors. This piece is called the "arrow" or piece of mail. The player tosses up the piece of mail toward the air. Before the fall of piece of mail, the player collects anklebones as much as possible and clenches them in the palm and receives the tossed piece of mail at its palm without letting the piece of mail fall on the ground. Each player passes its turn to the next player if touches other scattered ankle bones, ex-cept of its clenched ankle bones, anklebones slip out of the player's hand or the player does not receive the tossed piece of mail on its palm

Depending upon the quantity of anklebones, the number of players can be established. The players place a rug or quilted felt rug and scatter ankle bones over the rug and sit round the rug. The senior or honorary person starts playing. The players' play ankle bones alternate according to clockwise. There is a piece of mail imitating the armour of ancient warriors. This piece is called the "arrow" or piece of mail. The player tosses up the piece of mail toward the air. Before the fall of piece of mail, the player collects anklebones as much as possible and clenches them in the palm and receives the tossed piece of mail at its palm without letting the piece of mail fall on the ground. Each player passes its turn to the next player if touches other scattered ankle bones, ex-cept of its clenched ankle bones, anklebones slip out of the player's hand or the player does not receive the tossed piece of mail on its palm

Depending upon the quantity of anklebones, the number of players can be established. The players place a rug or quilted felt rug and scatter ankle bones over the rug and sit round the rug. The senior or honorary person starts playing. The players' play ankle bones alternate according to clockwise. There is a piece of mail imitating the armour of ancient warriors. This piece is called the "arrow" or piece of mail. The player tosses up the piece of mail toward the air. Before the fall of piece of mail, the player collects anklebones as much as possible and clenches them in the palm and receives the tossed piece of mail at its palm without letting the piece of mail fall on the ground. Each player passes its turn to the next player if touches other scattered ankle bones, ex-cept of its clenched ankle bones, anklebones slip out of the player's hand or the player does not receive the tossed piece of mail on its palm

On the eve of the lunar new year / Tsagaan Sar/, Mongolian children play constructing Multicolored Turtle under the guidance of adults. The multicolored turtle consists of 92 ankle-bones. 36 anklebones are laid as a back of the turtle with 6 layers in each direction. In the four ends of shanks there are located 16 anklebones, and 4 clubfoot are presented by 5 and total 20 anklebones. The organs of the turtle are represented by the following number of anklebones: neck is 6, mouth is 3, eyes are two, ears are two, tail is three, kidney is two, heart is two, and bladder is two, and anklebones respectively. Kidney, heart and bladder are represented by vivid colored anklebones. They are lain on the back of the turtle. The person who had a same year with the coming new year has a priority to start the game.

On the eve of the lunar new year / Tsagaan Sar/, Mongolian children play constructing Multicolored Turtle under the guidance of adults. The multicolored turtle consists of 92 ankle-bones. 36 anklebones are laid as a back of the turtle with 6 layers in each direction. In the four ends of shanks there are located 16 anklebones, and 4 clubfoot are presented by 5 and total 20 anklebones. The organs of the turtle are represented by the following number of anklebones: neck is 6, mouth is 3, eyes are two, ears are two, tail is three, kidney is two, heart is two, and bladder is two, and anklebones respectively. Kidney, heart and bladder are represented by vivid colored anklebones. They are lain on the back of the turtle. The person who had a same year with the coming new year has a priority to start the game.