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

There are over 120 different types of knucklebone games are played in Mongolia, and the “knucklebone shooting” is the most common spread one among the general public. The Knucklebone shooting is a traditional game that contains the traditional custom and culture in complex way. Shooting tablets are flicked towards 30 pieces of ''Khasaa'', a target laid on a zurkhai (wooden surface) in a given order depending on the current game, at a distance of 9 elbows (4.72meters). It is a team game that each team competes by shooting to knock down more of the khasaa than the other. During tournaments, shooters communicate not in words, but by singing ''Knucklebone Shooting'' melodies and tunes such as ''Hail you, friend',' ''Hit the target,'' ''Hail the board'' that sound more or less like ''Long Songs''.

In autumn, when the surface of the water freezes for the first time, the opening games start. In most cases, the games start when the river surface freezes completely and turns into ice. And the last anklebone shooting on the ice game of the year is played when in the spring when the ice starts to melt. This last game is considered of great importance, therefore food is prepared and locals gather to celebrate the festive shooting. The shooters sit in a circle on the ice and draw lots to decide with whom they will become a team. This practice called “shugshikh” and it’s done by gathering and mixing the bullets of each player in a “deel” (Mongolian traditional cloth) and picking them one by one to decide who will be teammates. Two people team up, and each player shoots 36 bullets.

There are over 120 different types of knucklebone games are played in Mongolia, and the “knucklebone shooting” is the most common spread one among the general public. The Knucklebone shooting is a traditional game that contains the traditional custom and culture in complex way. Shooting tablets are flicked towards 30 pieces of ''Khasaa'', a target laid on a zurkhai (wooden surface) in a given order depending on the current game, at a distance of 9 elbows (4.72meters). It is a team game that each team competes by shooting to knock down more of the khasaa than the other. During tournaments, shooters communicate not in words, but by singing ''Knucklebone Shooting'' melodies and tunes such as ''Hail you, friend',' ''Hit the target,'' ''Hail the board'' that sound more or less like ''Long Songs''.

There are over 120 different types of knucklebone games are played in Mongolia, and the “knucklebone shooting” is the most common spread one among the general public. The Knucklebone shooting is a traditional game that contains the traditional custom and culture in complex way. Shooting tablets are flicked towards 30 pieces of ''Khasaa'', a target laid on a zurkhai (wooden surface) in a given order depending on the current game, at a distance of 9 elbows (4.72meters). It is a team game that each team competes by shooting to knock down more of the khasaa than the other. During tournaments, shooters communicate not in words, but by singing ''Knucklebone Shooting'' melodies and tunes such as ''Hail you, friend',' ''Hit the target,'' ''Hail the board'' that sound more or less like ''Long Songs''.

In autumn, when the surface of the water freezes for the first time, the opening games start. In most cases, the games start when the river surface freezes completely and turns into ice. And the last anklebone shooting on the ice game of the year is played when in the spring when the ice starts to melt. This last game is considered of great importance, therefore food is prepared and locals gather to celebrate the festive shooting. The shooters sit in a circle on the ice and draw lots to decide with whom they will become a team. This practice called “shugshikh” and it’s done by gathering and mixing the bullets of each player in a “deel” (Mongolian traditional cloth) and picking them one by one to decide who will be teammates. Two people team up, and each player shoots 36 bullets.