Hawk Hunting, Goat Carcass Chasing, and Steven Seagal at World Nomad Games, in Photos

Goat carcasses, hawk hunting, bone throwing, and Steven Seagal: The World Nomad Games in photos.

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 4, 2016: Hollywood actor Steven Seagal (R) and people in traditional dress in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)
CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 4, 2016: Hollywood actor Steven Seagal (R) and people in traditional dress in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)
CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 4, 2016: Hollywood actor Steven Seagal (R) and people in traditional dress in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

Lines of yurts stretch across rolling green hills in rural Kyrgyzstan, full of spectators eager to watch men and women wrestle each other for control over a wooden stick, shoot bows and arrows from horseback, throw bones, and chase each other to try to grab a goat carcass.

Lines of yurts stretch across rolling green hills in rural Kyrgyzstan, full of spectators eager to watch men and women wrestle each other for control over a wooden stick, shoot bows and arrows from horseback, throw bones, and chase each other to try to grab a goat carcass.

Welcome to the second-ever World Nomad Games, a gathering of sportsmen from more than 40 countries who, over the course of this week, will compete in 23 traditional Central Asian sports in Kyrgyzstan. And this year, none other than Steven Seagal, the Russophile martial arts movie star who spends his free time hanging with strongmen dictators across the former Soviet Union, made an appearance at the opening ceremony, riding into the games wearing a traditional Kyrgyz warrior outfit.

“In the modern world, people are forgetting their history, and there is a threat of extinction for traditional cultures,” Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev said in an opening ceremony speech over the weekend. “Nomadic civilization is an example of sustainable development, which is what all of humanity is looking for today.”

Below, Foreign Policy has embedded photos of the colorful week-long event.

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: A feast in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: A feast in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 04: Artists perform during Ethnic Sports Cultural Festival within the 2nd World Nomad Games 2016 on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. 2nd World Nomad Games, dedicated to the traditional sports of Central Asia continues with the participants over 40 countries. (Photo by Nezir Aliyev/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 04: Artists perform during Ethnic Sports Cultural Festival within the 2nd World Nomad Games 2016 on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. 2nd World Nomad Games, dedicated to the traditional sports of Central Asia continues with the participants over 40 countries. (Photo by Nezir Aliyev/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 04: Artists perform during Ethnic Sports Cultural Festival within the 2nd World Nomad Games 2016 on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. 2nd World Nomad Games, dedicated to the traditional sports of Central Asia continues with the participants over 40 countries. (Photo by Nezir Aliyev/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 04: Artists perform during Ethnic Sports Cultural Festival within the 2nd World Nomad Games 2016 on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. 2nd World Nomad Games, dedicated to the traditional sports of Central Asia continues with the participants over 40 countries. (Photo by Nezir Aliyev/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 5, 2016: Contestants in traditional costume compete in horseback archery at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 5, 2016: Contestants in traditional costume compete in horseback archery at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: Contestants compete in mas-wrestling at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: Contestants compete in mas-wrestling at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: A girl in traditional dress performs at a feast in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 3, 2016: A girl in traditional dress performs at a feast in a specially built village setting, Kyrchin, at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE,, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 4: An eagle hunter with his bird at the World Nomad Games on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE,, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 4: An eagle hunter with his bird at the World Nomad Games on September 4, 2016 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6: Women light stoves for breakfast during the World Nomad Games on September 6, 2016 in Kyrchyn Gorge, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6: Women light stoves for breakfast during the World Nomad Games on September 6, 2016 in Kyrchyn Gorge, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6: A man handles an eagle at the World Nomad Games on September 6, 2016 in Kyrchyn Gorge, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

KYRCHYN GORGE, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6: A man handles an eagle at the World Nomad Games on September 6, 2016 in Kyrchyn Gorge, Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the second World Nomad Games dedicated to the sports of Central Asia. Over 40 countries are taking part. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6, 2016: A taigan zharysh dog race at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6, 2016: A taigan zharysh dog race at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6, 2016: A Kyrgyz falconry contest at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN - SEPTEMBER 6, 2016: A Kyrgyz falconry contest at the 2016 World Nomad Games. Viktor Drachev/TASS (Photo by Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images)

Viktor DrachevTASS via Getty Images; Olivia Harris/Getty Images; Nezir Aliyev/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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