<h3>Transcript</h3>
Voice 1 &nbsp;

Welcome to Spotlight, I&rsquo;m Liz Waid.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

And I&rsquo;m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

There are several thousand people in a circle. They are gathered around two targets. They targets are for archery, used to test the skill of someone with a bow and arrow. Across from these targets are two women. These are the archers that everyone has come to watch. But they are not normal archers. They walk to where they are going to shoot. But before shooting, they place their hands on two long, thin poles standing up from the ground. At the same time, they lift themselves into the air so they are standing on their hands on the poles. Then they hold their bows in their feet! They use their toes to pull the bow and shoot into the target.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

This kind of archery is called gymnastic archery. It combines archery with complex body movements. And it is one part of a competition called the World Nomad Games. Today&rsquo;s Spotlight is on the World Nomad Games.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

A nomad is a person who moves from place to place. Nomadic people are any people group who move together. They may do this to find food or with the seasons. Nomadic people are found all around the world. But the World Nomad Games are held in Kyrgyzstan. Many of the people who compete in the games come from countries in Central Asia. They come from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Russia. Other countries, such as Mongolia, Turkey, and Afghanistan also send teams. Even the United States has sent a team.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

The first Games were held in 2014. The second Games event was in 2016. And the next will happen in 2018. The World Nomad Games were created to celebrate the history and culture of the people of Central Asia. The games were the idea of the President Almazbek Atambaev of Kyrgystan. He was concerned about global culture. He was afraid nomadic traditions would disappear. And he wanted to keep and celebrate nomadic culture. In the opening ceremonies of the 2016 games he explained. He said:

Voice 3 &nbsp;

&ldquo;In the modern world, people are forgetting their history. Traditional cultures are disappearing. Nomadic culture is an example of sustainable development. This is what all of humanity is looking for today.&rdquo;

Voice 1 &nbsp;

The official website of the games lists several goals of the competition. First, the World Nomad Games aim to show the greatness of nomadic people. Second, they aim to show the world the values of peace, culture, and ethnic nomadic tradition. Third, they show nomadic sports in their original forms. And finally, they aim to show the world the rich culture of the world&rsquo;s nomadic people.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

At the World Nomad Games there are dances and food. There are shows to watch. People wear traditional clothing and show traditional art. But most people come to the World Nomad Games to watch the different sports.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

In the 2016 games, there were 23 different sports represented. Many of the sports are traditional sports. And they began as useful skills. For example, there is an event where people ride horses at high speeds. Then they must shoot an arrow into a target. People taking part in this event must be both a good archer and good at riding a horse. In the past, this would have been a very good skill to have as a hunter or while fighting in battle.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

There are also sports that test how strong a person is. These include martial arts - fighting games between two people. In one battle of strength two people sit on the ground. There is a small wall between them. They press their feet against the wall. They each hold on to a long thin piece of wood. Then they pull! The winner is the one who ends up holding the wood.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

There is another event involving eagles hunting. People have trained these large birds to hunt. Traditionally, eagles hunted in the large and open lands where many nomads lived. They led a hunter to an animal. But eagles are not the only animal that takes part in the games.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

Horses also have a big part in the games. This is because horses are a big part of nomadic culture. Not only is there horse archery, but there is also wrestling on horseback. Men ride horses and fight each other. They try to throw the other men to the ground. There is also stunt riding. In this event, people on the horses do amazing stunts - they change positions or stand up on their horses. It combines dance and horse riding.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

But the big event at the World Nomad Games is called kok-boru or buzkashi. It is an important game in this area. Kok-boru is very violent. And it is very dangerous. To understand kok-boru, start by imagining a football team. Then put all the players on horses. The goals are large round containers. And instead of a ball, players compete for control over an animal - a goat. But this goat&rsquo;s head has been cut off.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

Kok-Boru is wild and exciting to watch. Shaun Walker wrote for The Guardian news organization about watching Kok-Boru at the 2016 World Nomad Games:

Voice 4 &nbsp;

&ldquo;Taking control of the dead goat is a difficult move. The horse runs past the dead goat and the rider leans down to the ground. He catches the goat&rsquo;s leg and pulls it up. There follows an amazing horse and person fight. People punch and whip each other. The goat is pulled back and forth. Finally, one horseman breaks free in a cloud of dust. He rides towards the goal. It is shaped like a small swimming pool. He drops the goat in to get a point.

Voice 1 &nbsp;

The World Nomad Games are much smaller than events like the Olympic Games or the World Cup. But they are important. They celebrate a culture and a people that global culture may often forget.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

Are there traditional cultures in your country? What do you think about global culture? Would you like to try playing Kok-boru? Tell us what you think. You can leave a comment on our website. Or email us at <a href="mailto:radio@radioenglish.net">radio@radioenglish.net</a>. You can also comment on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/spotlightradio">Facebook</a> at Facebook.com/spotlightradio.

Voice 1

The writer of this program was Adam Navis. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at <a href="http://www.radioenglish.net">www.radioenglish.net</a>. This program is called, &lsquo;The World Nomad Games&rsquo;.

Voice 2 &nbsp;

Look for our listening app in the Google Play Store and in iTunes. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.



Question:
What traditional cultures exist in your area? Are there ways these cultures are celebrated?


