ARCHERY AT THE WORLD NOMAD GAMES

Another shield-shaped target, called a kalkan, is used for the men’s shooting event from a distance of 60 meters. Here too, the archer also has seven attempts but only uses seven arrows for each attempt.

There are also competitions for shooting at the traditional Kazakh target called the jamby. In the past, the jamby was a bag containing a prize—gold, silver, jewelry, other valuables—which was hung on a horsehair rope, and a rider, while galloping, had to sever the rope with an arrow without damaging the prize. Today, archers take aim at the jamby without a horse, and the target itself looks like a ball wrapped in gold. The archer must hit the target directly, and in this competition, they have only five attempts with five arrows each. With each shot, the target moves, creating additional challenges for the archer.

The jamby target is also used in team events, where teams of five—three men and two women—compete. In the women’s competitions, the same three targets are used, but the shooting distance is slightly shorter.

Some competitions also use a special shooting format called 3D. In this case, the shooting range is located on uneven, often wooded terrain, with targets representing different animals placed randomly through the area. For example, the ‘Squirrel’ will be at the top of a tree, the ‘Fox’ at its foot, the ‘Hare’ on the hill, and so on. Thus, the archer has to demonstrate their shooting skills in different directions and from different angles.

In general, traditional European-style shooting differs from Asian shooting in that Europeans shoot with three fingers. In Europe, archers usually moved on foot, and their grip on the bow was convenient for this style of shooting. In Central Asia, archers usually shot from horseback, and so they held the bow differently. They had a ring-like grip; the bowstring is pulled with the thumb, and the arrow is placed not on the left but on the right side. There is even a legend that the ‘like’ sign, more popularly known as the ‘thumbs up’ sign, originated in Asia. It is said that when archers were captured, their thumbs were cut off to make them unfit for battle. And so, it became customary for them to show their thumbs from afar when they returned from battle, as if to say ‘We won, our thumbs are still with us!’ European archers are said to have used their main archery fingers in the same way, making the ‘V’ sign for victory. This legend may be extremely dubious from a historical point of view, but it is very popular among archers today.

In general, almost every nation has developed its own distinct type and size of bow. Korean bows, for example, are small, short, and very heavy. Japanese bows, on the other hand, are very long and can measure up to 2 meters in length. Long bows were also famous among the English and Welsh, who only used archers on foot in battle. Such bows were easy to use when braced against a fortress wall or on the ground, but it was almost impossible to use them in the saddle. The shape of the traditional Kazakh bow is called the Crimean Tatar, and it is a rather small, light, strongly curved bow.

Traditional shooting is an incredibly intuitive sport. It does not use modern high technology; for example, there are no complicated sights, stabilizers, clickers, etc. Just a bowstring, a target, and a shooter. That’s likely why Olympic archers, who specialize in sport shooting, do not have the same level of excellence in traditional shooting. The advantage here lies with those used to shooting with a wooden bow since they were children. Kazakh archers are especially good at adaptive, quick reactions. For example, these archers can easily cope with the movements of the jamby target.

In general, archery is a great way to practice trust and self-awareness. It allows you to listen to yourself. Of course, it also helps you train many other skills, including your posture, arm strength, coordination, and ability to focus. It even greatly improves your eyesight. But most importantly, archery gives a person an inner foundation. If you stand on the golf course and beat yourself up every time you miss a hole, you will not be able to get it the next time either. Missing is perhaps the best way to understand what we are doing wrong—it’s a learning experience that will help you hit the target next time. Without trusting yourself, without being able to hear your inner voice, you can’t become a good shooter. On the other hand, we should remember that if we are completely focused on our desire to hit the target, we will almost certainly miss. Archery is a truly unique sport. Unlike other sports, like soccer, volleyball, or martial arts, which are designed to fight against an opponent, archery is about mastering yourself. Emotions are incredibly important here, which is why self-control is so essential—whether you are happy or sad, both emotions can get in your way, and inner peace is an important part of success.

That is why archery is recognized in Kazakhstan as an important part of the education of young people. It helps a child, or a young man or a girl, maintain not only their physical but also mental health, cultivate endurance, discipline, and the ability to keep calm even in the most difficult situations.

The Kazakhstan Archery Federation has opened archery schools and clubs in almost all the cities in Kazakhstan, and there are competitions and championships for children and adults every. A person’s age does not limit them in learning and practicing archery. Children can learn archery from the ages of five to seven. And as for the upper age limit, there is none—seventy-year-old people (and some even older!) compete—and win—in serious competitions.