 In Tuva, the official program and symbol of Naadym-2009, the holiday of Tuvan animal herders, have now been confirmed. The festival will take place on July 30-31 in Sut-Khol district, which won the honor to host the final and most spectacular part of the chief holiday of Tuva, for the successes in the socio-economic development. The Blue Bull became the symbol of the festival, in Tuvan language – Kok-Buga.
The choice of the emblem is based on ancient Tuvan legends about a mythical bull Kok-Buga, who lives, similar to the Loch Ness monster, in the waters of the Sut-Khol lake (Milk Lake), which is situated on the top of a mountain ridge. The district bears the name of this lake.
The district is best known in Tuva for the insurrection of Tuvan arats against the Chinese feudals in the years1883-1885, which entered Tuvan history as the “Insurrection of Sixty Heroes”. The people of this area are truly famous for producing some of the strongest individuals in Tuva. For example, Ayas Mongush, the Champion of the World, Europe and Russia in Japanese wrestling Sumo, was born here.
Sut-Khol, besides that is also the native land of famous story-tellers and writers. In the district center Sug-Aksy is a street from which, in a total count, 32 writers originated, who became members of the Writers’ Union of Russia and Tuva.
In the intentions of the organizing committee, the main celebration of the festival will be limited to the awarding of the government prizes to the best herders of the republic, and monetary prize to the most successful district. The remainder of the two-day program will consist of tourneys, concerts and competitions.
Beside the traditional horse races and national wrestling khuresh, Nadym 2009 will have competitions- exhibitions of yurts, breeding cattle, competitions in various traditional skills of the herders – for example in making of felt and animal hair ropes, and in saddling horses.
Everybody who wishes can participate in the ancient manly entertainment – lifting heavy rocks. The record in this belongs to a native of Sut-Khol – a simple arat Shoidan Ondar, who lifted a rock weighing 420 kg. As the local people say about him, he was able to pick up his unshoed horse and carry it across frozen rivers so that the horse would not slip on the ice and break its legs.
The program of the Naadym also includes a fair of dishes of national cuisine, herders’ equipment, national clothing, handmade Tuvan musical instruments, and exhibition and sale of souvenirs as well as local arts and crafts industries.
As the organizing committee announced, guests were invited to trhe Naadym from Krasnoyarsk, Khakassia, Moscow. Because of the absence of hotels and lodging in the Sut-khol district center, a your town will be set up for them. For all those who were not invited but decided to participate in the Naadym as tourists, the organizxing committee suggests to bring tents and sleeping bags. An area is reserved for a tent camp for the “unexpected” guests, with the minimal necessary “infrastructure”, security chambers, washrooms and toilets.
Notice by the Organization Committee of Naadym-2009
Place of Naadym – Sug-Aksy of Sut-Khol district. Distance from the capital of Tuva to Sug-Aksy – 230 km. Transportation from Kyzyl by buses from hotel “Mongulek” in Kyzyl.
Air transport to Kyzyl:
-Novosibirsk-Abakan-Kyzyl, on Mondays and Fridays, at 9:30 AM (Moscow time),
price 6900 rubles.
From Kyzyl:
-Kyzyl-Abakan-Novosibirsk, Tuesdays and Saturdays, at 8:30 AM, (Moscow time),
price 6900 rubles.
It is also possible to get to Kyzyl by automobile transport from Abakan – buses and taxicabs.
Telephone and fax of the Organization committee: +7 (39422) 21164 until 18:00 hours.
The time difference from Moscow is 4 hours, 1 hour from Novosibirsk.
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