Of the four hundred Kazakhs it is calculated continue to practice hunting in this region,
seventy two of them have decided to enter the competition,
some of them coming from over three hundred kilometres away.
A long journey, but then, this is a very special occasion.
They all come dressed in their coats, called chapan,
and the characteristic caps of silk and wolf fur, which are called kepesh.
The fact is very little has changed in the life
of these Muslim herdsmen since the end of the seventeenth century
when they settled in this corner of Mongolia, fleeing from tribal wars.
A century later, after a number of devastating incursions,
lead by a Manchu emperor, and which annihilated the Mongols of the region,
the Kazakhs gained control of this harsh, extreme land.
Today, and because they are isolated by the Altai mountains and the river Hovd,
these hunters have been able to preserve their language,
their cultural traditions, and their identity as Kazakhs.
A common characteristic among them are the owl feathers
that decorate their kepesh, the thin black stripes of which represent the verses of the Koran,
a kind of lucky charm that protects them and brings them good luck during the hunt.
The tomaga, the hood that covers the head of the eagle,
is also decorated with silver incrustations,
a sign that the owner is not doing too badly in life.
In a region as large as Belgium,
and with just 90,000 inhabitants, social occasions are rare,
and so today is a magnificent opportunity to get together,
meet old friends and bring yourself up to date on other people’s lives.
The atmosphere inside the gers is extremely animated.
Gathered around in many different groups,
the hunters recount a thousand and one battles of their days out hunting.
After all, though we are in a remote corner of the planet,
they are hunters, and we all know what hunters are like…
With so many people, it’s also a good chance to practice Kuk Ber,
a very popular game in Central Asia,
which the Kazakhs have been playing since time immemorial.
Prohibited during the Soviet era, Kuk Ber has virtually no rules,
though in each country it is played in a different way.
The Kazakhs compete in pairs, and the entire game consists
of getting hold of a sheep or goat skin.
At the end, the winner leaves the skin on the ground for the other competitors to fight over.
Kuk Ber is normally played at weddings.
At the end of the celebration, when everyone has had plenty of vodka to drink,
the bride’s father throws a skin onto the ground,
and the person that manages to carry it to the ger of the bride’s parents will receive a prize – a yak.
The difficulty is not just fighting against the other guests –
often, the bride’s house is so far away that the game can go on for several hours…
but a yak is a prize well worth fighting for.