The Roar of the Horse's Hooves

No its not the four horsemen...its a music festival. It has been going on for some time now and consists of Mongolian and non-Mongolian performers. It was held at их газрийн чулуу (Great Rocks) this year. The stage was built last year and resembles Colorado's Red Rocks. There was also a long song наадам (celebration). UNESCO has declared the long song and throat song as world heritage events.

'Twas 3 days of hangin' out. A dozen or so foreign musicians/academics were present. Two Swiss women played the bass flute and tiny keyboard-thing, a German with wild hair and no shoes played the tuba, a dude from Taiwan played some percussion and a Lithuanian played some flute-type thing amongst others. Mongols played the horse fiddle, sang the long song and danced. 9 of us from our village came in by 5-seater jeep (9 is a low number). The event was covered by TV & radio. I listened to the long song from 05:00 to 01:00 every day, as people practiced in their tents. I don't think I can listen to the long song again until next year.

At sunrise (04:30), we gathered at the top of a hill where a rock and white space-like thing stands to commemorate a famous singer from around these here parts. The musicians played 2 songs and then we went over to a pile of rocks called an овоо where a shaman performed a ceremony. Mongolia's main religion is Buddhism but some still practice shamanism.

A friend recently made a horse fiddle for me and my goal is to play at the event next year. I met a fiddler (above center) who is in the theater group in my province's capital so I can pick up a few pointers. All in all; good company, good music and good times.