Bone crushers

Haer shaalgan, or breaking spine bones, is an old Buryatian pastime that was recognized as a national sport in 2020. Players try to break a cow or camel bone with the sharp movement of their hands. In popular Buryatian competitions, bone crushers can win cars and apartments. Thirty people participated in the first competition in 2013 and by 2020, the number grew. In haer shaalgan, 7 of the 13 largest bones from the same cow, bull or camel are used. Each bone must be at least 30 cm long, 4 cm wide and 6 mm thick. There are more than 20 tactics and the bone crushers often invent their own. They hit from the front, on the sides, while jumping and even from behind. This is a story about bone crushers from the Tunkinsky District of Buryatia. Khoito-Gol is a remote town, surrounded by the Sayany Mountains on three sides. Locals believe that its isolation helped preserve the custom of bone crushing.