Great Kurultáj Explained

The Great Kurultáj or briefly Kurultáj is a traditional event of peoples of Central Asian nomadic origins, which takes place in the first week of August in Bugac, Hungary. The aim of this event is to strengthen the unity of the Eurasian steppe-nomadic horse culture and traditions between Hungarians and their cultural relatives, eastern Turkic peoples and Altaic peoples. The first Kurultáj was held in the Torgay Region of Kazakhstan in 2007. The first Kurultáj in Hungary was held in 2008. These events contributed much to the revival of the Altaic self-awareness.^[1]

Kurultáj is a widely attended event for professional horsemen and fans of horse riding. Each Kurultáj holds the parade of horsemen, horse races, traditional horsemen wrestling, and various tournaments. Hungary is the only European nation to have preserved the traditional kokpar game, a strategic team sport for riders.^[2]

Background

See main article: World War I, Treaty of Trianon and Hungarian Turanism. The original Kurultáj were held by nomadic people of the Steppes, especially for various chieftains to gather to elect the successor to a recently deceased Khan.

South Korea participates in the Kurultáj.^[3]

Editions

^{[4] [5]}

• 2007 in Kazakhstan

By Hungarian Turan Foundation:

1. 2008
2. 2013
3. 2014
4. 2015
5. 2016
6. 2018
7. 2020 - cancelled.
8. 2022 - 12-14 August - 27 nations. participating nations and tribes: Azerbaijani, Avar, Bashkir, Bulgarian, Balkar, Buryat, Chuvash, Gagauz, Kabardino, Karachay, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Madjar tribe of Kazakhstan, Kirghiz, Kumi, Mongolian, Nogai, Uzbek, Madzsar tribe of Uzbekistan, Tatar, Turkish, Tuva, Turkoman, Uyghur, Yakut, Hungarian.

Participating nations and states (47)

13 nations and 33 states from:

1. Turkic people
2. Uralic people
3. Mongolic people
4. Tungusic people
5. Caucasian people

Nations:

1. Asia (6):,,,,,
2. Europe (7):,,,,,,

Turkic languages (22)

• Azerbaijan
  • • • Crimean Tatars
• Cypriot Turks
  • • • Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
  • Madjars
• Nogai
  • • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
• Uyghurs
• Turkomans
• Uzbekistan

Uralic languages (11)

• Csangos
  • • Estonia Finland Hungary (Host)
• Karelians
• Khanty-Mansi
  • Nenets
• Sápmi
• Szekely

Mongolic languages (3)

• • • Mongolia

Northeast Caucasian languages (3)

• Avar

Indo-European languages (3)

• Bulgaria
• Greece
• Hazara

Northwest Caucasian languages (2)

• • Kabardin

Tungusic languages (2)

• Evenki
• Manchus

2022

Participating nations and tribes is 27:

Azerbaijani, Avar, Bashkir, Bulgarian, Balkar, Buryat, Chuvash, Gagauz, Kabardino, Karachay, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Madjar tribe of Kazakhstan, Kirghiz, Kumi, Mongolian, Nogai, Uzbek, Madzsar tribe of Uzebekistan, Tatar, Turkish, Tuva, Turkoman, Uyghur, Yakut, Hungarian.

9 Country + 18 state

Name

The word ”kurultáj” and its variations in the Turkic languages translates as “meeting of the tribes”. It occurs amongst tribal nations and practically in all the nomadic cultures. Hungarian nomadic tribes also held these meetings, a fact that is mentioned in Byzantine and Arab written sources. At such meetings, important decisions were made, in particular, the leaders of the tribes would meet often to discuss military decisions and strategies.^[6]

Events

• 2008: unknown
• 2013: 9 to 11 August.^[7]
• 2014: Took place at Bugac in the Southern Great Plain region in Hungary.^[8]
• 2015: Organized by the Hungarian Turan Foundation with contributions from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and named the year's event Ancestors Day. Representatives from the governments of Hungary and Turkey joined the festivities as well.^[9]
• 2016: Took place from 12 to 14 August at Bugac.^[10]
• 2018: unknown
• 2020: cancelled
• 2022: culture + music + sports (horse + archery + Guresh)^[11]

Medalists:^[12]

See also

• Altaic language
• Huns
• Kurultai
• Hungarian Turanism
• Pan-Turanism
• Pan Turkism
• World Turks Qurultai
• Treaty of Trianon
• Bugac
• Jirga
• List of festivals in Europe

External links

• • Bugac // Puszta . com
• Information

Notes and References

1. Interview with Imre Laslotsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Kazakhstan: "Exploring own Origins", by Daniyar Kassymov. In: International popular scientific historical magazine "Mangilik El: in the stream of History", registered in the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Certificate No.13768-Zh. Page 13. 02.08.2013.
2. Web site: KURULTAJ. www.deviantart.com. 29 June 2014 .
3. Web site: A Kurultaj bemutatkozott az Eurázsiai – Altaj fesztiválon – Dél-Koreában . 24 September 2017 .
4. Web site: Information .
5. Web site: KURULTAJ 2018 Program – English . 9 August 2018 .
6. Web site: Information. kurultaj.hu.
7. https://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/photo/the-kurultaj-festival-takes-place-in-hungary-328266.html Kurultaj Festival delves into Hungarian history
8. http://dailynewshungary.com/kurultaj-nomadic-culture-and-tribal-traditions-photo-gallery/ KURULTAJ – Nomadic Culture and Tribal Traditions
9. Web site: Turkey, Hungary jointly commemorate Atilla the Hun. Anadolu Agency. August 18, 2015. www.dailysabah.com.
10. Web site: A 2016. évi Kurultaj időpontja: augusztus 12-13-14.. kurultaj.hu. 8 January 2016 .
11. Web site: Information .
12. Web site: Kurultaj 2022 – Hagyományőrző sportversenyek eredményei . 5 September 2022 .