# Great Kurultáj

The Great Kurultáj or briefly Kurultáj is a traditional event of people 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.
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.

## Background

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.

## Editions

* 2007 in Kazakhstan
By Hungarian Turan Foundation:
* 2008
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020 - cancelled.
* 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:
* Turkic people
* Uralic people
* Mongolic people
* Tungusic people
* Caucasian people
Nations:
* Asia (6): Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, South Korea, Mongolia
* Europe (7): Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Estonia, Finland, Bulgaria, Greece

### Turkic languages (22)

* Azerbaijan
* Balkar
* Bashkortostan
* Chuvashia
* Crimean Tatars
* Cypriot Turks
* Gagauzia
* Karachay
* Karakalpakstan
* Kazakhstan
* Kyrgyzstan
* Kumykia
* Madjars
* Nogai
* Sakha
* Tatarstan
* Turkey
* Tuva
* Turkmenistan
* Uyghurs
* Turkomans
* Uzbekistan

### Uralic languages (11)

* Csangos
* Estonia
* Finland
* Hungary (Host)
* Karelians
* Khanty-Mansi
* Mari El
* Nenets
* Sápmi
* Szekely
* Komi

### Mongolic languages (3)

* Buryatia
* Kalmykia
* Mongolia

### Northeast Caucasian languages (3)

* Avar
* Chechnya
* Dagestan

### Indo-European languages (3)

* Bulgaria
* Greece
* Hazara

### Northwest Caucasian languages (2)

* Adygea
* Kabardin

### Tungusic languages (2)

* Evenki
* Manchus

### Others (1)

* South Korea

### 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.

## Events

* 2008: unknown
* 2013: 9 to 11 August
* 2014: Took place at Bugac in the Southern Great Plain region in Hungary
* 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
* 2016: Took place from 12 to 14 August at Bugac
* 2018: unknown
* 2020: cancelled
* 2022: culture + music + sports (horse + archery + Guresh)
Medalists:

## Gallery

* Atilla, emperor of the Hun Empire
* Flags of Turan nations
* Flag of Székely Land
* Hungarian horseman at Kurultáj
* Hungarian horsemen at Kurultáj
* Traditional Kazakh game of Kokpar, fighting over a goat carcass at the Kazakh Altai Eagle Festival in Sagsai, Bayan-Ölgii Province, Mongolia
* Hungarian horsemen at Great Kurultáj 2014, the Hun-Turkic tribal assembly, Bugac