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THE KNOWLEDGE OF WRESTLING AND HORSE TRAINING AMONG TORGHUTS


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Authors

Bulag, Uradyn E. 
Fuerwa, Dorjraa 

Abstract

Hantu, from the Zah tenth of Bayan Sum in the Baruun banner, was born into a wrestling family in Bayangol and inherited this tradition, ranking third eight times and being awarded 8 horses in total. He knows the names of his five ancestors: Gladar, Gabtsa, Basang, Shondai, Shorai, and Hantu himself. However, he also has another genealogical lineage connected to his wrestling tradition. This lineage began with the famous wrestler Enkhe and was subsequently inherited by Ulaan Zodov, Medev, Puukai, and finally Hantu. According to Hantu, when a wrestler ages, he often passes his knowledge to the younger generation and designates an heir. The inheritor is not necessarily a direct blood relative but can be anyone with the ability to earn the title of wrestler. In Hantu’s case, although Ulaan Zodov was his uncle, he trained Medev, a local herder with no blood connection, and eventually, Puukai trained Hantu. In addition to his wrestling knowledge, Hantu is also an accomplished horse trainer. Following his elder sibling, Hantu herded horses for several years before becoming a herder. Historically, before the communist regime, Hantu heard that there were seven Hosh (a horse herd unit) horses in Bayangol, categorised into two main colours: Kheer Aduu and Tsoohor Aduu. Each Hosh consisted of 300-500 horses. Two of these Hosh were herded by Tibetans brought by Senchin Gegen in the early 20th century, most of whom returned to Tibet between 1985 and 1990. The remaining horse herds were herded separately by the Torghuts. When collectivisation began and livestock was convened, Bayan Sum alone gathered more than 70,000 horses, symbolising its historical roots on the Bayanbulag grassland. Combining his first-hand experiences of herding with his personal interest in observing horses, Hantu honed his horse training skills through Mongolian books and the critical knowledge of Torghut elders. With these skills, Hantu brought many horses to the racing stage and frequently received awards in Bayangol, Bortal, and even at an international race in Ili prefecture. Throughout his horse training career, Hantu accumulated countless insights into horse training, frequent health issues and treatments, and other relevant knowledge, which he shares in detail in this video. He also discusses historical events and folktales related to horses and the Torghuts, including Altan Gadas, Mazan Baatar, Maral Chihin Bor, Agaashin Shar Kheer, Bulag Har, and Dörböljin Kheer.

Description

Keywords

Bayan Sum, Bayangol, Torghuts, Horse trainer, wrestler, Local Knowledge

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Publisher

Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Documentation Project, University of Cambridge

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Sponsorship
Sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.