There are many countries in the world that craft bow and arrow. But the tradition of technique of making a bow with bamboo or birch medial part, outer back part made of sinew of camel, bovince and equine animals, with inner part made of horn of wild buffalo or ibex is being kept only in Mongolia. Currently in Mongolia, there are 5-6 different forms of archeries practiced including Khalkh, Buriad, Uriankhai, Morin and Sarampai archery. As a consequence, the need to revitalize and develop the adequate craftsmanship of bow and arrow has risen for each of the above archeries.

The Mongolian Naadam is inseparably connected to the nomadic civilization of the Mongols who have practiced pastoralism on Central Asia’s vast steppe for centuries. Mongols’ traditional Naadam festival consisting of three manly games is considered as one of major cultural heritage elements which Mongols contributed to the nomadic civilizations. The three types of sports games – archery, horserace and wrestling – are directly linked with lifestyles and living conditions of Mongols and thus become the authentic cultural traditions among nomads. National Naadam is celebrated from July 11 to 13 throughout the country, in soums (counties), aimags (provinces), and the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Naadam represents distinct features of Mongolians’ nomadic culture and traditions, with expression of their unique cultural characteristics and images to become an identity of Mongolian people to the outside world. Thus, Mongolian Naadam has served a key factor to unite the Mongolian people and an important symbol of national solidarity. Mongolian people develop their physical strength, strong will power, patience, space and time related sensitivity and friendly hospitality from the three manly games which provides the cognitive and moral education basis. Main bearers of this cultural heritage are practitioners of the three games. i.e. those who significant part of the Mongolia population. Currently, over 100,000 people practice the traditional wrestling in various clubs and training courses, in addition to 3,000 students studying in several wrestling universities and colleges. Besides, the home schooling is considered one of most effecient forms, as it is the main traditional method to teach and learn the wrestling. Youths who practice wrestling would develop postive personalities such as being friendly, caring to the elderly and modest, besides strong will power, physical strength and courage. The main bearers of horserace appear racehorse trainers and jokey-children. Nowadays, about 400-500 horserace tournaments take place annually and altogether 200,000 horses (some recounted across tournaments) participate in them. About 100,000 racehorse trainers normally train these horses, while over 70,000 children ride and race. Besides, the audience of those tournaments would reach over 300,000 people. The Mongolian traditional home schooling provides extensive knowledge and skills, traditions and customs, culture and art elements of horserace. Compared to other two forms, relatively fewer people (about 10,000) practice and are interested in archery. Similarly, home schooling methods tend to dominate in learning and transmitting archery that family members and relatives become archers a lot. There are hundreds of thousand artisans and craftmen who make various tools and items used in the three manly games through employing meticulous skills and design to make them as collections of various art pieces. For instance, wrestling outfits – hat, boots and shorts, racehorse saddles and jokey’s outfits, and bows and arrows used in archery competitions have specific traditional technology and techniques each. These three sports games make a core blend of traditional arts and sports. Title-singing of horses and wrestlers indicate musical elements embracing songs and melodies. • Wrestling. After the wrestling site has been chosen based on the quality of the grass and the flatness of the site, the wrestling matches begin. Judges in groups of 8, 16, or 32 are divided into two groups which line up at the right and left side of the wrestling site and the wrestlers are divided into two groups at the left and right wings. To present the wrestler to the audience, judges will hold the participant's hat and sing praise songs while the wrestler performs an eagle dance before assuming the position to begin. Wrestling is not only a display of strength and bravery; it is also a competition of skill and technique. The object of the match is to make one’s competitor to fall on the ground with his elbows, knees or any other part of the body touching the ground, at which point he loses. Wrestlers who lose in each round will get eliminated from the tournament. The number of rounds differs from tournament to tournament. There are often 9 rounds at the national festival which takes place on July 11-12 annually and altogether 512 wrestlers wrestle. A half leaves after each round. From the fifth round, winning wrestlers can earn titles starting from hawk, falcon, elephant, garuda /mythical bird/, and lion, to the coveted champion. Wrestlers are divided into two groups or so-called ‘wings’ that the highest ranking wrestlers are listed at the top depending on their titles, such as first grand champions, then champions, lions, garudas, elephants, hawks, falcons etc. • Horserace. Horse-trainers choose potential race horses among horse flocks and train them meticulously, carefully adjusting their daily training and diet. Horse races are grouped in age-specific categories such as stallions, adults, 4-years old, 3-years old, 2-years old and 1-year old which race in different distance categories from 10 km to 30 km. Race horses have their mane and tails trimmed to improve their appearance while their trainers use specially crafted wooden sticks or a brush to remove the sweat from the horse after the race. These sweat-removing tools are often carved and decorated with traditional patterns and images of horses to symbolize their strength. Young riders wear special clothing including the deel and hat. Typically, children aged 6-10 years old jockey racehorses. When registration of the applicant horses is completed, the race administrator rides around the Naadam site three times, while children riding race horses sing ‘Giingoo’ to raise spirits of horses before racing. The winning horse is given the title of ‘Tumnii ekh’ (the mightiest of all), whereas the last horse in the race is given a nickname ‘Buren jargal’ “complete happiness”. The praise song is performed to congratulate winning horses and is called ‘singing titles’. • Archery. This competition is divided into two categories; Khana sur (big bow) and Khasaa sur (small bow). Men shoot from a distance of 75 meters to the target, and women from 65 meters. The target is called ‘zurkhai’, and is made of leather balls neatly lined along the flat ground in two rows. Each archer shoots 40 arrows and the one who shoots the most targets wins.

Mongolia 2010

For thousands of years, nomadic herders of Mongolia roamed across the country-side from season to season. Dry, windy areas close to rivers are best for summers while areas away from river-bank wind and close to mountains or hills are best for winter stays. In the country where pasture always was and still is a public domain, the herders moved freely to the best locations for the season. With this lifestyle of freedom of movement and pastoral animal husbandry was invented the national dwelling called the ‘Mongol ger’. It is a round structure of easily dismantle-able walls, polls and a round ceiling covered with canvas and felt, tightened with ropes. The ger was designed to be light enough for Mongolian nomads to carry, flexible enough to fold-up, pack and assemble, sturdy enough for multiple dismantling and assembling as well as easy for regulating temperatures within. Over many centuries the mongol ger was modified into a perfectly aerodynamic structure which can withstand Mongolia's fierce spring winds ranging up to 18-20 meter/sec. It can be dismantled in half an hour and assembled in an hour by a small family with 2-3 adults. The Mongol ger has many varieties. The most common “5-wall ger” consists of five lattice segments forming a circular wall, a door, a toono (round window ceiling), two bagana (columns that hold the toono), and 88 uni(long poles that connect wall lattices and toono which forms the roof of the ger). There are also several accessories attached to the ger.

Mongolia 2013

Worshipping practices of sacred sites in Mongolia have been developed in specific cultural space of nomadic lifestyle in the vast grassland steppe of Central Asia. One of the main characteristics of nomadic culture is its close relationship and harmony with nature and environment. These practices, according to ancient shamanism, are based on belief in the existence of invisible deities of sky, earth, mountains, and all natural surroundings. Furthermore, Mongolians believe that these deities exist on the top of the mountain or any hill between sky and earth and choose these places as sacred sites for the worshipping for and offerings to these deities. They pile up Ovoos (stone mound) in these places and perform worshipping rituals and ceremonies. All participants at the worshipping rituals ask a deity to bring a timely rain, to protect humans and livestock from natural disasters, and to bestow prosperity and blessings on the participants and local people of given areas. In early times, sacred sites were worshipped with shamanic rituals and these wonderful traditions were later enriched with Buddhist teachings and rites. In a sense of respect and symbol and in geographical importance, sacred mountains, hills or the head of rivers in general have become as a cradle (centre) of the natural and cultural areas concerned and create a specific socio-cultural space and a unique cultural heritage landscape. These sacred sites are the symbol of cultural identity and spiritual cohesion of local people concerned and a sacred site for performing worshipping rituals and organizing important social events and ceremonies of given communities. Researchers regard the worshipping practices of sacred sites as multi-functional and multi-content cultural heritage element. The worshipping rituals in Mongolia have originally been conducted by the kin group and later by the local and indigenous people of a specific areas and further by specific representatives of State authorities and interested people at national level. The procedures and ritual order of worship ceremony are usually similar but some differences can be observed in regards to local customs and traditions. In different places, the people who lead worship ceremony are variously called as the owner of Ovoo or head of Ovoo. Those experienced people should be native and respectful people. In rare occasions, if a ritual is conducted in the way of shamanic tradition, a shaman leads this ritual ceremony. If it is a Buddhist ritual, a monk leads a worship ceremony. The key organizer consults with respectful elders, the head of the Buddhist monastery or shaman about the time for conducting ceremony. Timing is determined in accordance with traditional astrology. Once the time is set up, the day of worship is publicly announced. A worship ceremony is often conducted during the summer and/or autumn of the year. In the early morning before sunrise, all participants, in their best dresses, carrying offering food and items, start to head towards the Ovoo together with their young children. Bringing young children to the worship ceremony allows the youngsters to learn the customs and traditions of the community. Before starting the worship ceremony, varied coloured ceremonial scarves are tied to the main wood that is placed in an Ovoo and a hand-made figure of the deity is placed on white cotton in front of the Ovoo. Offering food and items are also placed in front of the Ovoo. Honourable guests, usually elders, sit in the north west direction of the Ovoo. If the State worship ceremony is performed, a state official opens the ceremony by reading an official decree issued for particular worship ceremony. Buddhist monks sit in the north east direction of the Ovoo. There should be more than three monks. Monks should possess knowledge of how to recite (sutra) offering texts with the use of various musical instruments. Sometimes the elders recite offering texts. Offerings including dairy products or cooked meats are placed in the east of the Ovoo. Various aromatic substances such as juniper’s needle, wormwood and wild thyme are burned as a sanctification of the sacred site. The procedure of the ritual ceremony starts with invoking deities and nymphs to come to the offering site then followed by presenting various offerings to them. After making offerings, participants of the ceremony make requests to deities and nymphs to grant richness in livestock and bestow success and prosperity on them. Monks chant sutras dedicated to this mountain and Ovoo. Meanwhile, an arrow called as bringer of auspiciousness is shot towards the sky and mark out any livestock animal as being consecrated to a divinity. Following the ceremony, a festival of horse racing, wrestling and archery competition as well as singing and dancing take place immediately. This tradition is highly considered as one of unique and humane intangible cultural heritage of Mongolia. - Locals participate at sacred site worship ceremony on a voluntarily basis. The local elders personally teach younger people how to attend and behave at the worship ceremony. A sacred site worship ceremony brings all community members together and builds a sense of community and solidarity. - The worshipping natural environment creates more awareness among the people about interdependence between human beings and the environment and creates more respect for the nature. This is one of the best environmental protection methods that has been preserved by the Mongols since ancient time. - The ritual procession is based on Mongolian folk beliefs, literature, poetry, song, dance, rituals, festive events and as well as handicrafts. Thus, the sacred site worship ceremony preserves those ICH elements through time. In sum, it is clear that worshipping practices of sacred sites have immeasurable value both in transmission of ICH and as a source of public education, identity and pride. At the practical level, these practices play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and the preservation and protection of biological and cultural diversity. This heritage significantly contributes to the protection of our natural environment and wildlife as sacred and pristine.

Mongolia 2017

The Mongol boots are made up of vamps, leather bootlegs, hide soles, clips and welts. The Mongol boots are ideal for horse riding, they are spacious, and the upturned tips prevent one from being caught in the stirrups. Mongolian boots are named for the number of the ornaments on it, starting mostly from eight and extending up to thirty-two. The craftsmanship of Mongol boots is a complex art of hand-making workmanship of craftsmen skilled with their ancestral inheritance, through already-set and special technique, style and design.

Traditional craft related to the weaving buryo – a kind of carpet with trunk of the plant nay (kamish).

Yohor, singing round dance of the Buryat ethnic group in Mongolia, the Buryat Republic of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, is a complex phenomenon of poetry, melody, and movement. Eldest woman starts the Yohor dance. Yohor consists of three parts, in the first part, people start appealing other people to do Yohor. They say words “Yohoroo khatariya! khatarysh”. It means let’s do the Yohor dance. These signal words remind to people it’s time to dance Yohor. In the second part, people stand in circle formation holding hands and singing in a low pitch, start moving foot steps forward; or sideward steps; or backward jumps in circle path with arms gestures as moves up, down and sideward. In combination with changes of melody rhythm, the dance movements are changed into stamping, hopping, leaping, and steps are replaced by jumps. In the end of the dance, people say the word “hatariya hatarysh”.

Funeral ritual which will be held in the house of dyed person after a year of burying.

The bow and arrow are the weapons that used from the ancient time to the present. It has been developed within these centuries, and every ethnic group made its own specific bow and arrow and used that for hundreds of years. Same with this, Buryat-Mongols have made their own bow and arrow and used it to the naadam besides with the hunting. Same with other Mongol ethnics, the body of the Buryat bow and arrow is made from birch, and upper and bottom part of bow body or curved ends are made from horn, and the string is made from sinew. As mentioned in the report, it mostly made from the horn of a cow, but later it made from the horn of ibex, deer, and moose. The hide from the cow head was used in the making of glue, besides these glues were made from the fish and hoof of the cow.

Mongolian worship ceremonies are performed at sacred sites to invoke assistance from nature deities: in the summer for timely rain and abundant pastures, and in the autumn for the protection of humans and livestock from a harsh winter. The tradition maintains a variety of forms of intangible cultural heritage, and builds a sense of community and solidarity among the people, while strengthening awareness of the importance of protecting the environment. On a set out day, all the participants gather early in the morning at the site of the worshipping. Everyone comes in their ceremonial clothes along with the offerings to the deities.

Salburyn is a festive event and an important component of Kazakh equestrian hunting with falcons and tazy greyhounds. It is a traditional ritual of transmitting hunting knowledge from skilled hunters to beginners and apprentice participants. Salburyn lasts 5-7 days, it is held in the winter hunting season. It is conducted at a large open space where the participants establish a camp of Kazakh yurts and tents as common areas. During the initial 2-3 days the experienced hunters share their knowledge and hunting methodology with young hunters. The hunting commences in the early morning after the elders give their blessing (bata). First part is compiled of pathfinders (yz kesushi) who read the game traces and establish the hunting ways. Participants split into the groups compiled of both more and less experienced hunters. Golden eagle hunters (berkutchi) detect the target and throw the eagle vectoring their flight trajectory with the hand movement. The tazy greyhounds are used in pairs. Some hunters are employing both eagles and tazy together. The triumphal celebration is organized for the hunters returning back, where elder women shower them with sweets. The hunters then bestow the pray to the elders hunters.

Generally Bhutanese Buddhists have several terms for building wealth such as yang, yang-gug or phya-gug. This is a ritual dedicated to the goddesses of wealth- Tshering ma chey-nga, the five sisters of longevity, and Nam-sey (Skt. Kubera), and it also makes tribute to the symbolic precious cow yang-nor who represents the best of the cattle who served one’s ancestors by feeding and providing for them. The ritual is performed alongside an annual ritual locally called Lha-sey which gives thanks to tutelary deities. The people of the Nurbugang community conduct yang rituals mostly dedicated to the Yang-nor. Practices such as displaying the horns of a prosperous cow or ox; and tools from cattle like Wong-ka a blowing tool made of wild buffalo horn, Thang-nang Nam--bu rung large flute, and Sen-za Nam-bu rung common musical instruments including rope and other associated tools and materials. In practice, after the ritual the villages include several unique mundane activities that are not prescribed in the Buddhist texts. These traditional practices fall within religious practice, and it is said there are only few households who organize such ritual in the community. According to the Buddhist terminology, yang-gug is the ritual of wealth enrichment, also known as phya-gug but, depending on the usage and understanding the meaning of the ritual different local terms are given such as; yang and Yang-nor. However, both yang and Yang-nor is the ritual dedicated to deities Tshering ma and Namsey and giving thanks to the Yang-nor or the most prosperous cattle of the family. When witnessing the ritual performance, the prayers are mostly dedicated for the enrichment and prospering cattle and making tribute to the cattle who had served their forefathers to receive the blessing of enrichment. In accordance to Namkhai Norbu (1984) The Necklace of gZhi: A Cultural History of Tibet. The ritual performance of yang was one of the thirteen rituals performed by Bon-po (Bon tradition practitioner) ever since the enthronement of Tibetan King Nya-tri Tsanpo, well before the arrival of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. The twelve Bon rituals are as follows; 1.\tGon-shey Lha-bon:\tBon-po who can liberate sentient beings. 2.\tYang-shey Cha-bon:\tBon-po who can accumulate wealth through yang ritual performance. 3.\tdro-shey lud-tong:\tBon-po who can clear the obstacles by performing exorcism . 4.\tdur-shey sid-gshen:\tBon-po who can overcome barriers. 5.\tTsang-shey sel-dep:\tBon-po who conducts purification ritual and overcome obscuration. 6.\tdrol-shey ta-bon:\t Bon-po who can treat horse. 7.\tFen-shey men-che:\tBon-po healer. 8.\tKoe-shey tse-khen:\tBon-po astrologer. 9.\tmra-shey to-gu:\t\tBon-po who can perform nine types of rituals by preparing sacrificial cakes. 10.\tdeng-shey sha-wa:\tBon-po who can make a stag effigy fly. 11.\tful-shey ju-thig:\t\tBon-po who has the capability to make effigies fly in the sky. 12.\tdro-shey thrul-bon:\tBon-po who can triumph over the obstacles by miracle. The tradition of Yang-shey Cha-bon was later reformed and incorporated in the Buddhist tradition of Guru Padmasambhava in late 8th century. The deities Namsey (god of wealth) and Tsheringma (god of longevity), widely revered in Bhutan, were appointed to bring prosperity through the performance of Yang rituals. Many Bhutanese practitioners include these two deities among their tutelary deities Lha-sey (lha-soel). The Yang or Yang-nor ritual is conducted at the final part of other rituals as afterwards the house has to be confined at least for three days to keep the accumulated blessings. Every single thing that belongs to the house owner has to be impounded. It is believed that the blessing of the enrichment rest upon the things of the host thus, anything that is sent away from the house after the Yang ritual is a certain sign the blessing will be broken or lost. Yang-nor displaying things Yang-zey: -\tThe sacrificial cakes that represent the gods of the wealth, Namsay and Tshering ma, are prepared along with the Tormas (ritual cakes) of the family tutelary deities in the alter. -\tAt a corner near the shrine, the most beautiful and expensive clothes are displayed. On the spread clothes, three stacked bowls are filled with different cereals and adorned with precious gems are displayed in accordance to the Lama Nor-jam text of the Terton Pema Lingpa tradition. -\tOther related ritual items are grandly presented in front of the stacked Yang-zey. -\tCattle effigies made of dough and decorated with butter and flower are prepared and displayed on the plate. -\tNear the Yang-zey, various yang things; Yang-do, Yang-bum and the horns of prosperous cattle and associated herding tools like; Wong-ka, Thang-nang Nam-bu rung, Sen-za Nam-bu rung and Yai (churning container) Ta-khur (Churner) and other old things handed over by the forefathers are neatly exhibited in a bowl filled with grains.