Canat Cheriyasdaa, sometimes known as Canat the Soldier, died suddenly in Bayaan Olgii, Mongolia, a couple of months ago.o. He was 67. He was my friend and my guide. Without his guidance I would not have succeeded on my Mongolia trips. He was 67. He was my friend and my guide. Without his guidance I would not have succeeded on my Mongolia trips.
He became a decorated Soviet commando, a dissident, and western Mongolia’s first eco-entrepreneur. I was his first client and he became extremely successful.
Eagle Dreams will give you an idea of his character:
“That night, refreshed by hot water and clean clothes, we went to dinner at the Disco Bar, where we promptly had our first and last Kazakh urban experience. Three huge young men in buzz cuts were at the bar, being young and loud. Siassi, dressed like something out of Saturday Night Fever in bellbottoms, thick-soled shoes, and a shirt opened halfway to his waist, caught their attention, and one began to jeer at him. He yelled back, and suddenly he biggest of all was leaning over the table, threatening him, and, apparently, us. He turned and poked a finger in my face, shouting.
I stood up, pushing my chair back for room, figuring that if we didn’t say something we were going to be squashed like bugs. Canat put his hand across my chest, saying “No, Stev, wait, let me talk to him.”He put an arm around the youth’s shoulders and walked him toward the back of the room, smiling and speaking in a low voice. I looked over my shoulder to see Siassi all but running out the door, then back to Canat, who was returning with four beer mugs. Behind him came the former thug, who shook my hand western-style, and indicated that the beer was from him, for us.
“What happened?”
“They were just kids, from wrestling team. They thought you were Russian. Many here do not like Russians.”
“But what did you say?”
“I told them that I did not know them, but maybe they know my name. I said, ‘I am Canat, the soldier. If you are nice, I will buy you a beer. If you make fight, I will kill you.’ They decided to buy you a beer, to apologize.” They bought us two more rounds before we could leave, and toasted us as well, asa though we were new-found friends.”