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Culture |
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The Mongolian way of life
is nomadic and intimately connected with the ways of animals. Despite
urbanisation, the traditions of the steppes live on. Even in the
cities, most Mongolians continue to live in a ger, a large, white felt
tent that can be moved easily and has a universal layout: the door
always faces south; towards the back and a little to the west is the
place of honour set aside for guests; the back of the ger, the khoimor,
is the place for elders and most treasured possessions; and on the
back wall is the family altar, with Buddhist images, family photos and
suitcases. Get a local to explain the dozens of traditional, religious
and superstitious rules and customs associated with gers.
Mongolians have always taken wholeheartedly to Tibetan Buddhism and
the links between Mongolia and Tibet are old and deep. Once in a
lifetime, every devout Buddhist Mongolian tries to reach the holy city
of Lhasa; the Tibetans in turn have relied on various Mongolian tribes
to sustain their power. In Mongolia at the time of the communist
takeover in 1921, there were 110,000 lamas (monks) living in about 700
monasteries. Beginning in the 1930s, thousands of monks were arrested,
sent to Siberian labour camps and never heard from again. Monasteries
were closed and ransacked and all religious worship and ceremonies
outlawed. Not until 1990 was freedom of religion restored. Since then,
there's been a phenomenal revival of Buddhism (and other religions).
Monasteries have reopened, and even some ex-Communist Party officials
have become lamas. Monasteries and temples (süm) always have Tibetan
names. There's a significant minority of Sunni Muslims in the far
western regions of Mongolia, most of whom are ethnic Kazaks.
Mongolia's paintings, music and literature are dominated by Tibetan
Buddhism and nomadism. Tsam dances are performed to exorcise evil
spirits and are influenced by nomadism and Shamanism. Outlawed during
communism, they're beginning to be performed again. Traditional music
involves a wide range of instruments and singing styles. In Mongolian
khoomi singing, carefully trained male voices produce harmonic
overtones from deep in the throat, releasing several notes at once.
Traditional music and dance performances aren't complete without a
touch of contortionism, an ancient Mongolian tradition.
Mongolian, the official language, is a member of the Ural-Altaic
family of languages, which includes Finnish, Turkish, Kazak, Uzbek and
Korean. Since 1944, the Russian Cyrillic alphabet has been used to
write Mongolian. The country has produced a huge literature, almost
none of which is known to speakers of European languages. Only
recently have scholars translated the most important text of all -
Mongol-un Nigucha Tobchiyan (The Secret History of the Mongols) -
which celebrates Mongolia's days of greatness.
An old Mongolian saying goes something like: 'Breakfast, keep for
yourself; lunch, share with your friends; dinner, give to your
enemies'. The biggest and most important meals for Mongolians are
breakfast and lunch, which will usually consist of boiled mutton with
lots of fat and flour and maybe some dairy products or rice. The
Kazaks in western Mongolia add variety to their diet with horse meat.
The Mongolians are big tea drinkers and the classic drink is süütei
tsai (salty tea). Men who refuse to drink arkhi (vodka) are considered
wimps, while herders make their own unique home brew airag, which is
fermented horse's milk with an alcoholic content of about 3%. Many
Mongolians distill it further to produce shimiin arkhi, which boosts
the alcohol content to around 12%. |
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People |
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Archaeological finds
suggest that primitive man appeared in what is now Mongolia 300,000 to
350,000 years ago and recent investigations suggest that Mongols take
their origin from the Huns (or Huunu) who lived in Central Asian
Countries many years ago. The term 'Mongol' only gained prominence in
the early 13th Century with the emergence of the Mongolian ethnic unit
and the formation of a single state. The word 'Mongol' has two
suggested meanings. The first is a geographical name 'Mon gol' which
means the river Mon. The second suggestion is that it should be
pronounced 'Mun gol', interpreting 'Mun' as correct, basic or true and
'gol' as pivot, centre or essence. The combination would then be 'true
essence'.
The development of the present ethnic composition has gone through
several historical stages. The formation and disintegration of
numerous military tribal alliances of ancient nomads and their mass
migrations over vast expanses of the Euro-Asian steppes, resulted in
the emergence of the Mongolian Nationality which consists 86% of
Khalkh-Mongol tribes. The population of Mongolia consists of twenty
ethnic groups although their are few differences in language. Only the
Kazakhs speak in their mother tongue. Kazakhs, Derbets, Buryats and
other national minorities are concentrated where they have always
lived.
The 1998 population of Mongolia was estimated to be 2.42 million,
showing an increase of 1.4% compared to 1997. However, even today,
there are more Mongolians living outside Mongolia than in it.49.6% of
the population are male. In 1998, the percentage of the population
aged under 15 years was 35.6 and over 65 years, 3.9%. The population
density is around 1.5 people per square kilometre. Seventy-two percent
of the population are in the labour force. There are approximately
five hundred and twenty thousand families of which one hundred and
seventy thousand are herders. The others live in urban centres.
Approximately 51% of the population is urbanised, 27% in Ulaanbaatar.
The birth rate is 2.06%, the death rate 0.66% and infant mortality
rate 3.5%. |
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Clothing |
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The del is the Mongols'
traditional garment worn on both workdays and special days. It is a
long, loose gown cut in one piece with the sleeves; it has a high
collar and widely overlaps at the front. The del is girdled with a
sash. Each ethnic group living in Mongolia has its own del
distinguished by cut, colour and trimming. The distinctions go
unnoticed by foreigners, yet for the Mongols they are obvious. Before
the revolution, all social strata in Mongolia had their own manner of
dressing. Livestock-breeders, for example, wore plain dels, which
served them both summer and winter. The priests wore yellow dels with
a cape or khimj, thrown over it. Secular feudal lords put on smart
hats and silk waistcoats.
Today, townspeople tend to wear European-style clothes. In the
countryside, however, the modern attire is inconvenient and
impractical. The del has several uses - as a coat, as a blanket, and
as means of concealing yourself when going to the toilet on the open
steppe. In the cities, as people start aging, especially the women,
begin to appreciate the advantages of the del and wear it, trying to
excel each other in the choice of fabric, as well as in the elegance
of the cut and originality of the trimmings. Commonly there are three
varieties of del, each for a particular season. The first, the dan
del, is very much like a dress, a frock cut in one piece from plain
cloth without padding. Rural women wear dan dels all year around. In
cold weather they put on warm clothes over them. Terleg is a slightly
padded del. And finally the winter del is padded with sheepskin or
cotton wool.
Dels for men and women are of the same cut. The difference is that
male dels are wider and of more demure colours. The pattern is simple
enough. The sleeves are cut together with the gown and there are only
a few minor details. Moreover the tailor does not have to worry about
the precise length and width. Measurements are usually made using the
hand rather than a tape measure. The 'too' is the distance between the
thumb and the middle finger, the 'soom' the distance between the thumb
and the forefinger and the 'khuruu' the length of the forefinger.
The del for everyday wear is grey, brown or some other dark colour,
while the holiday del is a bright blue, green or claret silk with a
silk sash of contrasting colour several metres long. The sash is not
simply an adornment. It also serves as a soft corset facilitating long
rides on horseback. In days gone by, men would attach a sheathed
knife, a tobacco pouch, a flint and a pipe-cleaning hook to the belt.
Characteristically, the Mongol always hid his pipe in his boots. The
del collar, breasts and sleeves are trimmed with leather and colour
brocade tape, which can be wide or narrow depending on the wearer's
taste. The del buttons, if they are not commercially produced from
decorative stones or silver, are narrow strips of cloth tied into
intricate knots.
Traditional dels are normally seen now only at concerts or official
occasions. In addition to the del is the jacket known as a khurim. In
cold weather it is put on over the del. The gutal is the high boot
made from unbending leather and lined with fine and thin felt. They
are decorated with different designs. Both the left and right are
traditionally the same shape and were worn with thick socks made from
quilted cloth. Traditional boots are without heels and have turned up
toes. Mongolian hats are still very much the normal attire in the
countryside. The traditional hat is a hat for all seasons trimmed with
fur, fox fur in most cases. The sides of the hat can be tied down to
keep the ears warm or tied on top in the warmer periods. The hats are
worn by both men and by women. In the past, headgear was worn to show
social status. The design is also symbolic. The pointed top of the hat
represents Mount Sumber, the legendary land of the Mongol forefathers.
The knot on the top represents the unity of the nation, red ribbons
are the sun's rays and the broad brim represents the country's
inaccessibility.
Because of the different ethnic groups residing in Mongolia, there are
distinctions in the way they all dress. Therefore it is estimated that
between them all, there are about 400 different types of garments, 20
boots, 10 sashes and 20 types of hats. |
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Traditional Medicine |
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Traditional Mongolian
Medicine has made a revival after the communist era, due to the lack
of western medicines and the incurability of some diseases. Based on
Tibetan, Indian and Chinese medicine, traditional medicine has been
used here since the late 17th century when it was founded by
Luvsandanzanjantsan. It is believed that all manner of physical,
mental and psychological ailments can be cured through the use of
herbs, mineral water, plants and animal parts. The diagnosis and
treatment are based on the five elements of fire, water, earth, wood
and wind. The medicines are administered according to one's
metabolism, the weather and the season. Prayers are said and
acupuncture along with massage are considered important parts of the
treatment. |
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12 Year Calendar |
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The Mongol 12-year
calendar has been in use since ancient times. Each of the 12 years
distinguish themselves from one another through their own names; all
years are named and now symbolised by the following 12 animals -
mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock,
dog and the pig. Traditionally, each year has unique characteristics
that are similar to its name. For example, the year of the monkey will
take on the monkey's personality traits: hyper and rambunctious. The
result: a very long, difficult and harsh year.
At one point in time many Mongols wondered where and how this calendar
was derived. As a result, a tale was created. The following is a short
version of the tale. Once upon a time during the ancient Hunuu times,
God decided to create a "pattern of time". One day he made an
announcement to the people: "I am creating a 12 year calendar ;
however, I need 12 different names to distinguish each year. I've
decided that tomorrow afternoon - the first twelve things that appear
before me will receive one of the names, until I have named all 12."
So, the following day, animals appeared before him. The first 11 were
monkey, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, cock, dog and
pig. However, the 12th animal that appeared before him were 2; the
camel and the mouse. God did not know which to choose. Both would be
good representatives because he created both. The camel is proud, big
and self-confident and the mouse is the opposite: quiet, shy and
modest. God decided to have a contest for the 12th year. The following
day, the mouse and camel were to watch for the sun to rise. The first
to see it rise would go back immediately to God and tell him. The
camel, being proud, propped himself on a hill facing the east where
the sun always rises. He was confident that he would see the sun rise
first because he thought of himself as very intelligent. The little
mouse, sitting on the camel's hump, faced the west, the opposite
direction. Finally, when the sun began to rise, the mouse saw its
reflection on the mountains he was staring at. Thus the mouse had won
the contest.
Although the camel is not one of the 12 years of the calendar, it is
indeed still a part of it. On many written calendars, the camel is
often showing. The camel is considered a very important part of Mongol
society and its relationship with the calendar is that, in some way,
the camel represents all 12 years, or 12 animals. This representation
is as follows:
Camel's Characteristic Other Animal
Ears - Mouse
Stomach - Cow
Hooves - Tiger
Nose - Rabbit
Body - Dragon
Eyes - Snake
Mane - Horse
Hair - Sheep
Humps - Monkey
Head - Cock
Hind - Legs Dog
Tail - Pig
The 12-year calendar is used in many Asian countries. Just as each
country likes to believe they created it, Mongolia is no different.
However, what's most important is the strong belief in the calendar
that the majority of Mongols hold. |
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Music and Singing |
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Music is an important part
of Mongolian culture. This is particularly the case in the countryside
as families and friends will sing and play music together as a past
time. A visitor to a countryside ger will often be coaxed into a song.
Mongolians sing to their animals, sing about the environment, sing
about nomadic lifestyles and sing about their patriotism.
Khoomi singing is a traditional form of song which comes from deep in
the throat. Well trained voices are able to produce a whole range of
sounds at once. The different combinations of sounds are said to
represent the different landscapes within Mongolia. Urtyn Duu or Long
Songs are another form of vocal music, so called because of their
length. Some famous singers have been able to memorise 20,000 verses.
Most of the songs relate to stories about love or the countryside and
are apparently best sung on horseback galloping crossing the steppe.
The most traditional of instruments is the morin huur or horse head
fiddle. With two strings made from horse hair and a carved horses head
it is most often used to accompany singing. Legend suggests the sounds
produced are similar to those of the nomad's animals. The other
instrument most often played is the Yatga (similar to a sitar). Music
is often played at traditional and religious gatherings such as
weddings. |
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Cultural Tips |
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You are almost inevitably
going to encounter the residents of the countryside. Things move
slowly here and the standards of living you are used to are not the
same. Part of Mongolia’s charm is its ancient customs and traditions.
If you can learn and respect them before you step into the
countryside, then you may get a more welcome reception. You may also
become a small part in helping to preserve these traditions for future
visitors.
Don’t
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let a post or fence come between you if you are walking with
Mongolians
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whistle inside a ger or house belonging to a Mongolian
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let your feet point in the direction of the altar (which will be in
the north side) when sitting in a ger,
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let people walk over your outstretched legs
tread on the threshold of the ger when you walk over it
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lean against a support column furniture or wall of the ger stamp out
a fire or put water or any rubbish on it; fire is sacred
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walk in front of an older person
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turn your back to the altar and religious objects at the back of the
ger
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touch other people’s hats
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have long conversations in your own language in front of hosts who
don’t understand it
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point a knife in the direction of anyone
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pass anything to a Mongolian with just two fingers
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take food from a plate with your left hand
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wave you sleeve as it is a mark of protest or extend the little
finger of your right hand, as this is a sign of disrespect
Do
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keep your hat on when entering a ger, if you are wearing one, but
lift it as a sign of greeting
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receive things with the right hand or both hands and ensure that
your sleeves are rolled down
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ensure you remove your gloves when shaking hands, if you are wearing
them
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walk round inside the ger in a clockwise direction
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receive food, a gift or anything similar from a Mongolian with both
hands or with the right hand supported at the wrist or elbow
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take at least a sip or nibble of the delicacies offered pick up
things with an open hand, with your palm facing upwards
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grab the hand of a Mongolian if you have accidentally kicked their
feet sit with your feet underneath you of cross-legged
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leave a small gift, other than money, for your hosts
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Sports |
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Mongolia's most popular
sports, both in terms of participation and spectating are the three
'manly' sports of wrestling, archery and horseracing. In addition, the
younger generation are now enjoying snooker, basketball and winter
sports. For more information on the major sports, see the section
above. |
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The Ger |
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The Mongolian Ger is
ideally suited to the country's extremes of climate and the people's
nomadic way of life. It is a multipurpose dwelling that can be easily
collapsed, transported to another place and put up again fully
preserving its original shape. Being constantly on the move with herds
of animals or being on military campaigns compelled Mongols to build
gers on carts. Old books contain pictures of such gers, temporary
abodes in which families of three or four could spend the night or
find shelter. After some time the use of carts stopped because they
were clumsy and the gers could not be hauled over long distances as
there was the danger of getting stuck in the mud somewhere or tipping
over.
The ger has two key components - the wooden framework and the felt
cover. The wooden parts are the walls, the long poles, the round smoke
escape and its supports. One wall consists of 10-15 wooden poles, each
about 1.5m high, bound together in a way making it possible to fold it
for transportation and then unfold like an accordion. The unfolded
walls are connected to form a circle. The long poles are fastened to
the upper part of the walls, with the other end passed through the
round support at the top of the ger, the only window and smoke escape
in the ger. Two posts prop up the round support. All this forms the
wooden framework of the ger, which resembles an open umbrella. Two
layers of felt are then laid on the roof and on the walls and tied
down with hair rope. The top of the ger has a felt flap that can be
drawn over the roof when the weather is bad.
Inside the ger, felt is laid either on a wooden floor or straight on
the ground. The door of the ger always faces south towards the sun.
The number of walls and poles determines the size of the ger. Most
herders' gers have five walls, which make a living area of 16-18 sq.
m. Larger gers can have up to 12 walls. In the centre of the ger is
the hearth, which has a special meaning for the Mongols. Apart from
its utilitarian purpose, the hearth symbolizes ties with ancestors.
There are several customs associated with hearth. Desecration of the
hearth is a sin and an insult to the master of the house. The hearth
is mounted on three stones, which symbolize the host, the hostess and
the daughter-in-law. The hearth is the centre of the ger and divides
the ger space into three conventional areas - the male and female
quarters and the khoimor.
The male quarters are on the western side. Here the host keeps the
saddle, the horse bridle and the koumiss bag. The female quarters are
on the eastern side where she keeps the kitchenware and appliances.
Accordingly, a man entering the ger goes straight to the western part
and a woman to the eastern part. It is believed that the male quarters
are under the protection of heaven and the sun patronizes the female
quarters. The most honoured place is the khoimor by the northern wall,
opposite the door. Here, they keep objects dear to the master of the
house, his weapons, his Morin Huur (musical instrument) and the host's
horse bridle. Pieces of furniture, usually two wooden chests, painted
bright orange, are also placed in the khoimor. Framed photographs of
the host's family and friends are put on the chests for everyone to
see. If the host has some governmental award, he is sure to hang it in
the khoimor.
When guests visit, the hosts usually sit on the eastern side of the
khoimor and the guests on the western side. The hostess' place is by
the hearth and the children are supposed to sit near her but closer to
the door. The bed of the host and hostess is in the female quarters;
those for guests are on the opposite side. The children are put to
sleep at their parents' feet. There are many philosophical ideas on
the ger, its parts and functions. The smoke escape is the only opening
through which light penetrates the ger. An old legend has it that it
was through such a hole that a fair-haired man got into the ger of
Alangua, the Mongols' ancestral mother, and begot three sons. In olden
days people could tell the time by the sun's rays falling on the
cross-pieces of the smoke escape and on the poles. The Mongols divided
the day into twelve hours and each hour into twelve minutes, which
they called by the names of the lunar calendar animals.
A hair rope, chagtaga, is fastened to the smoke escape from which a
weight stabilising the ger is suspended during strong winds. In new
gers, they fasten a khadag to it, a piece of blue silk in which a
handful of grain is wrapped. The symbolism of this ritual can be
summed up like this - "May happiness multiply in this new ger like
grains of corn and may life be pure and beautiful here." The ger
supports ensure stability and that is probably why tradition forbids
touching, let alone leaning against them. Moreover, they symbolise a
link with Heaven, with the past-present-future axis supposedly passing
through them.
In winter the hearth heats the ger and also serves as a stove for
cooking. In wooded areas, the hearth is stocked with firewood while in
the desert and steppe, dry dung is used. The ger warms up quickly and
holds in the heat. In the summer heat the lower part of the felt cover
is raised to let in fresh air. The ger, round and squat, can withstand
harsh winds while the quick drying felt is good protection against the
rain and snow. In the towns and urban-type settlements, gers are being
ousted by modern well-built housing. Young Mongols prefer to live in
comfortable flats. In summer, however, urban dwellers often spend
their vacations in gers, leaving the urban conveniences for a short
while to enjoy the unmatched comfort of the ger. |
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Information provided by
the
Ministry of Tourism. Government of Mongolia. |
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