First gold at Delphic Games goes to Mongolian musician

(ATTN: photos available)
By Shin Hae-in
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The first gold medal of a world
cultural competition being held on this South Korean resort island went to
Purevkhuu Temuujin, a Mongolian musician who played his country's traditional
two-stringed morin khuur, organizers said Friday.
The third International Delphic Games have drawn 395 people from 35 countries,
all hoping to showcase their talents and cultural heritage. They will perform in
18 competitions belonging to six large categories: music and acoustic arts;
performing arts; crafts, design and visual arts; linguistic arts; communication
and social arts; and architecture and ecological arts.
The games for one or two-stringed instruments were some of the earliest to be
held on Thursday, and brought together 16 musicians from six countries. The
silver medal went to South Korea's Lee Seung-hee for playing the haegeum, while
Japan's Minegishi Sachi received the bronze medal after playing a one-stringed
instrument from her country.
The Delphic Laurel Award, given to competitors who blend characteristics of their
local culture with innovative techniques, went to India's Prashanna Gogoi, who
played the bin from her country.
Mongolia was also given another gold when the Mongolian Academic Assemble won at
the mask dance games, a group competition. South Korea's Bongsan Mask Dance-drama
Preservation Society took silver and Indian team Kolkata took the bronze.
The Delphic Lyre Award, given to teams that show good collaboration with members
from different cultures, went to the team formed between Japan's Takanori
Kawaharada and Israel's Zohar Cohen.
Games featuring poetry recitation, a cappella, sculpture, graphic storytelling,
documentary production and outdoor space design were to be held Friday, with
winners to be announced later in the night.
Under the theme "Tuning into Nature," this year's Delphic Games opened on Jeju
Island on Wednesday with performers from 54 countries gathering for the
competitions as well as special performances and lectures.
The Delphic Games originated in the ancient Greek culture festivals that were
held every four years at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. With representatives
from 18 nations founding the International Delphic Council in 1994, the first
round of the culture Olympics was held in Russia and the second in Malaysia in
2005. The event in South Korea is the largest so far.
Winners will receive the gold, silver or bronze Delphic Medal Award as well as
the Delphic Laurel Award, the Delphic Peace Award and the Delphic Lyre Award,
which can be also awarded to the medal winners.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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