|
The Mongols are shy by
nature. They often hide their confusion or embarrassment behind a
smile. Most of the Mongols are taciturn, reticent, tolerant, and some
people say, superstitious. Fussiness and inconsistency are considered
undignified. At the same time, the Mongol may grow very excited when
playing a game, or boil over in anger. The Mongols do not like to talk
about unpleasant things. It is believed that such talk may invoke
trouble. It is even more impermissible to say bad things about friends
and acquaintances. If at times something unpleasant has to be said,
people try to do it as tactfully and inoffensively as possible. On the
other hand, expressions of good will and praise are widespread. Praise
of their mother country, the beauty of the natural scenery, the
hospitality of the host, etc., presents a special form of folklore.
Foreign guests remark on Mongolian friendliness. The hard conditions
of life, far from embittering them, gave rise to the long-standing
traditions of friendliness and hospitality. The host is well aware
that the wayfarer entering his ger is tired and may still have a long
way to go. Of course, he has also found himself in similar situations
more than once. And so he does his best to anticipate and satisfy his
guest's wishes. Such specific features as Mongolia's vast sparsely
populated area, its rigorous climate and nomadic economy could not
fail to make their imprint on the people's behaviour and the manner in
which they express their thoughts and sentiments. Over the centuries
the people of the steppe have developed their own ethics of social
conduct.
There are many types of greeting in the Mongolian language that are
used depending on the situation and the time. The townsfolk usually
say "Sain bainuu?" which is equivalent to "How are you?" The expected
answer is "Sain", which means "Fine". National ethics do not permit a
negative answer. It is only later in conversation that you may mention
your problems if you have any. Countrymen often salute each other with
the question "Are you wintering well?" or "Are you spending this
spring in peace?" Needless to say, the greeting should suit the
season. Shepherds ask each other "Are sheep grazing in peace?" or "Are
your sheep fattening well?"
The word "peace" often figures in greetings and good wishes. In the
Mongolian semantics it is equivalent to happiness. After all, when a
person has no worries, he is at peace and, consequently, happy. In the
village, the guest finding his host or hostess at work expresses
specific good wishes. For instance, if the hostess is milking the cow,
he says, "May your bucket be brim full of milk." If she is beating
wool, he says, "May the wool be as soft as silk." If the family are
playing some game, his wish will be that everyone should win if only
once. The answer to good wishes is always the same: "May it be as you
say."
When you are talking to an elderly person whom you know you are
expected to add the respectful "guay" to his name, for instance,
Dorj-guay. Addressing a stranger who is older than you, say "Akh-aa"
which can be translated as older brother or uncle. Family Relations
also have their ethics. We say for instance, "My Wife" and the "Father
of my children". One always has to use the correct form of address
depending on the person's age or position. If in the cities a
foreigner may safely behave like elsewhere in the world, in the
countryside at every step he stumbles against all kinds of customs and
traditions that he violates without even knowing it. Especially in the
remote regions where traditions and customs are stronger. True, people
are not offended if foreigners do something the wrong way because of
their ignorance. "The ignorant will not be punished", the Mongols say.
In Mongolia it is not accepted to knock at the door of a ger or say,
"Can I come in?" The guest as he approaches the ger is supposed to
shout loudly, "Hold the dog!" ("Nokhoi Khori!" in Mongolian) even if
there is no dog, for what he actually means is to let the host know
that he is coming. The host and hostess emerge from the ger wearing
their hats and buttoned-up dels. As for the hats, if in Europe men
take off their hats when greeting each other, in Mongolia the rules of
good behaviour demand that they wear their hats in such cases. The
host helps the guest dismount from his horse and takes him into the
ger.
To begin with, the men exchange snuff bottles. Never mind if you do
not have one. You should accept the host's snuff bottle, take some
snuff and return it. The bottle should never be returned with the lid
tightly on. Then the hostess begins to serve tea, often made in the
guest's presence. It is not acceptable to ask the guest outright where
he comes from and for what purpose. He should say this himself at some
point during the conversation or after asking the traditional
questions about the weather, the cattle, etc. The hostess serves tea
in a small bowl, holding it with both hands stretched out towards the
guest, or with the right hand supporting the elbow with the left arm.
The guest is supposed to accept the cup in the same fashion. It would
be very proper to let down the sleeves for it is considered extremely
impolite to expose your wrists.
The Mongols have their own ideas about the hearth, the ger and what is
inside it, and the guest should take care to respect the old taboos.
It is forbidden, for example, to pour water on the hearth or throw
garbage into it, to touch the fire with a knife, step over the hearth
or spill milk. Whistling in the ger or leaning against the supports is
considered an ill omen. In summer the host will offer you koumiss
(fermented mare's milk) instead of tea. To establish friendly
relations it is customary to eat off a common plate and drink from a
common cup, notably koumiss. The host fills the cup and hands it over
to the guest. The latter drinks a little and returns the cup to the
host who refills the cup and hands it over to another guest. The host
drinks after all his guests have drunk from the cup.
Nobody will insist on the faultless observance of all the customs and
rules but learning at least some before a visit to Mongolia would
please your hosts and allow you to get a real feel of Mongolian
culture. |
Information provided by
the
Ministry of Tourism. Government of Mongolia.
