Mongolian College-Graduate Village Official Stages a Winter Hunting Spectacle

Original title: A College-Graduate Village Official's "Winter Games Dream"

On January 13, Yierbayier Nikaman was practicing archery.

Less than 10 days before the opening of the 13th National Winter Games, Yierbayier Nikaman, a Mongolian college-graduate village official from Handgait Mongolian Township in Altay City, was busy rehearsing at the Urumqi Ice Sports Center. At the opening ceremony, he and villager representative Entai Bajia will perform for the audience the "hunting" activity most characteristic of their local area.

Yierbayier Nikaman is 27 years old this year and graduated from Northwest Minzu University in 2012. After graduating, he became a village official in Handgait Village, Handgait Mongolian Township. "Our village has 236 households. There are many people and little land, and it is relatively poor, relying mainly on animal husbandry for development."

As the place of origin of human skiing, the Altay region is rich in ice and snow resources. In particular, an ancient type of ski equipment preserved locally - fur skis - has brought this remote place a lot of attention. "Now many journalists and scholars have come to our township to learn about fur skis and study the ice and snow resources."

On January 20, the 13th National Winter Games will open. By then, Yierbayier Nikaman and Entai Bajia will put on ethnic costumes and perform an authentic "hunting" activity for the audience. Among them, fur skis will play the leading role. "Through the big stage of the Winter Games, showing fur skis and other features of our ethnic group is a particularly good thing," said Yierbayier Nikaman.

As for his expectations for the Winter Games, Yierbayier Nikaman expressed his dream: "Now our township is vigorously developing tourism. With this performance, surely more people will pay attention to us. We also welcome friends from all walks of life to visit our hometown and experience the wonder of humanity's oldest skiing!"

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Ge