Universe of nomads: symbols and imagery of the WNG opening ceremony
The grand opening of the V World Nomad Games (WNG) in Astana impressed both participants and attendees of the ceremony. Viewers from various parts of the country and abroad, who followed the broadcast, gave it high praise, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
Particularly striking were the scenes depicting the history of nomadic peoples. Viewers claimed they were mentally transported to past centuries—to the times of Attila, Queen Tomyris (Tumyr), and Jochi Khan. One of the most beautiful and important parts of the ceremony was the “Procession of the Golden Warriors.”
“The greatest discovery of the nomads is the invention of the wheel. This allowed them to increase their mobility, reducing distances between countries and lands. The untamed Huns, led by Attila, and the powerful Saka people, under Queen Tomyris, forever etched their images into history and became role models for future generations. The production of iron, bronze, gold, and silver changed the weaponry, art, and even the daily lives of the nomads. The surviving Scythian artifacts in the animal style are evidence of this. Of course, it’s impossible to show all of history in a short time. Nevertheless, we saw how the production captivated the audience," — stated the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan in a press release.
The fifth part of the opening ceremony was titled “The Ulus of Jochi Khan (Golden Horde).”
“The Ulus of Jochi is a unique nomadic state that stretched from the Altai to the center of modern Europe. It is the history of all humanity, which brought about many political changes, united civilizations, and gave a push to the development of world culture and economy. Therefore, the special presentation about the Ulus of Jochi at the Games’ opening ceremony held particular significance. It is a unique era in the history of nomads,” reads the response from the Ministry to the Kazinform correspondent.
The opening ceremony was broadcast by Jibek Joly TV channel, which ensured its transmission to 19 global TV channels, including the Turkish media holding TRT and the Chinese channel CGNT.
It is worth noting that in the history of the Nomad Games, such a large-scale international television broadcast is being conducted for the first time.
The opening ceremony, which began with a traditional parade of sports delegations, evolved into a stunning show. The audience was treated to a large-scale two-hour musical and theatrical performance using modern stage technologies and multimedia design. Around 3,000 artists participated in the grand event.
