Religion and Culture
Religion
Traditionally, Mongols practiced Shamanism, worshipping the Blue Sky. However, Tibetan Buddhism (also called Vajrayana Buddhism) gained more popularity after it was introduced in the 16th century. Tibetan Buddhism shared the common Buddhist goals of individual release from suffering and reincarnation. Dalai Lama is the religion’s spiritual leader and is highly respected in Mongolia.
As part of their shamanistic heritage, the people practice ritualistic magic, nature worship, exorcism, meditation, and natural healing.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Mongolia had hundreds of Buddhist monasteries and about 30 percent of all men were monks. Communists led an anti-religious campaign in the 1930s, which nearly destroyed the extensive system of monasteries. Under Communist rule, atheism was promoted and monasteries were closed, although shamanistic practices survived. From 1945 to 1990, only one monastery (Gandan in Ulaanbaatar) was allowed to operate.
Democratic reform that started in 1990 allowed freedom of religion; well over 100 monasteries have reopened, and Kazak Muslims are allowed to practice Islam. Many young people are receiving an education through these traditional centers of learning, and the people are once again able to practice cherished traditions.
Nomadic Culture
Mongolians traditionally lead a pastoral, nomadic lifestyle. Because of the climate and short growing season, animal husbandry defines the nomadic lifestyle, with agriculture playing a secondary role. Nomads represent approximately half of the population, and raise primarily five types of animals – goats, sheep, cattle (including yaks), camels and horses – that provide food, dairy products, transportation, and wool. The camel Mongolian nomads breed is the Bactrian camel, a two-humped camel able to endure the extremes of cold and hot. The camel as well as the yak is used as beasts of burden specially to transport the dismantled ger from place to place.
Of the five types of animals, the horse holds the preeminent position in Mongolian hearts and legends. As one of the only remaining horse-based cultures left in the world, Mongolians greatly cherish their horses. Outside the capital, Ulaanbaatar, the horse is still the main mode of transportation and children begin riding as young as three. Nomads are extremely proud of their horse riding skills and horseracing is a favorite past time. To catch the horse, Mongols use polo-lasso called "uurga" consisting in a rope loop at the end of a very long pole. Believing the race to be a test of the animal’s, and not the rider’s, ability, young children (since they are light) are often the jockeys. The most prestigious tests of these superb animals are the horse races at the Naadam Festival, Mongolia’s national games, which takes place each July. Families will travel for days to be able to participate or just attend this grand event.
Nomadic families follow a seasonal routine, moving their herds to new grazing land based on the time of year, rather than one of aimless wandering. Historically, each clan had various chosen grazing grounds that were used exclusively by the same clan year after year. This tradition carries on today and families return to the same locations at the same time each year, for example, traveling at the end of each winter from a specific sheltered valley to a particular area on the high plateau of the Steppes. The longest period nomads stay in the same pasture is between October and late April. At that location, every nomadic family has a winter place with a fence and shelter made of stones and wood called ‘uvuljuu.’ Apart from protecting livestock from the cold of harsh winter, animals give birth to their young in an ‘uvuljuu’ around late winter and early spring.
Daily responsibilities are divided evenly among family members and no one person’s work is considered more important than another’s. Traditionally, men take care of the horses and the herds and make saddles, harnesses, and weapons. In addition, they hunt to supplement the traditional diet of dairy products. Women’s responsibilities include cooking, taking care of the children, and making clothing (the traditional Mongolian costume is the ankle-length silk del). Women also milk cows, goats, and mares (the national drink is airag – fermented mare’s milk). Despite their enterprise, however, Mongolians are not self-sufficient. Since ancient times, they have traded with surrounding civilizations for grain, rice, tea, silk, cotton, and, above all, metals for their weapons.
Tibetan-Buddhist Tradition
Woven through the nomadic culture is a rich Tibetan-Buddhist tradition, which has incorporated some elements of Mongolia’s ancient Shamanist practices. Tibetan Buddhism represents the most complete array of Buddhist teachings, as Buddhist texts and practices were transmitted from India to Tibet from the 7th century up until the 13th century, when Buddhism in India collapsed under the onslaught of the Muslim invasions.
Mongolians are renowned in world history for their outward quest for power and riches when, centuries ago, Chingis Khan’s armies conquered most of the known world, from Germany to Korea. Less known is the inner revolution that Mongolians embarked upon soon afterwards, in which they relinquished their conquest of the outer world and began an exploration of their inner world. In this they were guided by Tibetan masters who began the process of educating Mongolians in the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1576, in gratitude for his conversion, Altan Khan, the leader of Mongolia and a descendant of the legendary Chingis Khan, bestowed the title "Dalai Lama" upon his spiritual guru, Sonam Gyatso. This spiritual bond between Tibet and Mongolia continues into the present day.
By the seventeenth century, Buddhist monasteries and temples sprouted throughout Mongolia and Mongolians undertook the extensive task of translating the Buddhist scriptures into their language. This task, which took several centuries, led to a flowering of the arts in Mongolia. Mongolian scholars became renowned even amongst the Tibetans for their breadth and depth of knowledge and they designed and constructed hundreds of monasteries. These in turn were decorated with brilliantly executed artwork, such as the sculptures produced by the renowned Mongolian artist Zanabazar. Although many Buddhist monasteries were destroyed and religious expression was severely curtailed during the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, Mongolia’s spirituality persisted and a significant resurgence of Buddhism began in 1990 when Mongolia became a democracy. Priceless artifacts, which were hidden for safekeeping, are now being returned to monasteries by nomadic families. Today, Mongolia is home to some of the finest collections of Buddhist art and artifacts found in Asia, and many of these artifacts can be viewed by visitors to Mongolia today.
The Shaman Heritage
This ancient religious phenomenon, which manifested from the Central Asian nomads thousand of years ago, still co-exists with Buddhism in rural Mongolia.
Shamanism was originated during ancient times, alongside the first human artistic concepts of fetishism, totemism, animism and others. It has played a significant role for thousands of years among the Central Asian nomads. Great Mongolian Emperor Chingis Khan worshipped the Blue Sky, which is the integral part of shaman belief and held a famous shaman under his favor.
Since the 16th century when Buddhism started to spread throughout Mongolia, Shamanism started to lose the leading position in the intellectual life of its practitioners. However, it has still co-existed with Buddhism for the last four hundred years within certain geographic area. Shamanism has traditionally been practiced amongst a few ethnic Mongolian groups: the Darkhat, Buriyat, Khotgoid, Uriankhai and Tsaatan (the Reindeer people).
Darkhat and Ttsaatan people who live in the forests near Huvsgul lake, northwestern Mongolia, have observed original Mongolian Shamanism throughout their long histories. They still inherit ancient Shaman traditions and practice its rituals in an annual ceremony.
The Darkhat people hold the Shamanist Spirit Evoking Ceremony on the third day of Lunar new year. This ceremony coincides with the annual Great Sacrifice, a nomadic religious ceremony during which offerings of livestock are made to deities. This tradition has been transmitted down from as far back as the Hunnnu, who established the first Mongol state during 3rd century B.C. This spiritual ceremony is a symbolic form of worshipping the ancestors, their origin, and the spirits of Shamans long gone. Everything used by the Shamans during their practices contains symbols of this powerful phenomenon. Their clothes are marked with special symbols.
A male Shaman is known as ‘Boo’ and a female Shaman is ‘Uudgan.’ A Shaman is one who has been selected from a clan or tribe as the leader or transmitter of their intellectual and spiritual property. A Shaman is never the reincarnation of a former Shaman practitioner. The selection of individual Shaman is never made by one person, or even a group of people. This decision is made by a spiritual power known as a ‘touch of spirit.’ The spirit is a wise and eminent Shaman who once lived on this earth. His or her choice is revealed by the candidate going into a trance, known by the researchers as an ‘abnormal psychological state.’ It is also called ‘the Shamanic state of consciousness.’ The manifestation of this abnormal psychological state is usually an illness, which is known as Shamanic sickness. This sickness may last from two or three days to several years. The reason behind this sickness can only be explained by another Shaman. If one who has suffered from this Shamanic sickness, or who has experienced the touch of spirit, does not become a Shaman, he or she will die. Their entire family will also perish afterwards. A Shaman has to follow many unconventional rules and orders, which vary from one Shaman to another. A Shaman never lives in publicly crowded places, but inhabits quiet, isolated environments. He does not even visit other nomadic families, settlements or communities without a specific purpose. Anybody may visit the home of Shaman. However, they must not spend the night there.
A Shaman’s food, clothing, tools, and individual belongings are used as part of their ritual existence. Some Shamans never use tobacco and alcohol, whilst others have both in abundance. Some Shamans only wear light and bright colored clothes, whilst others dress in somber deels. As for the vocation of a Shaman , it is to defend his or her tribe or clan. In their own words, Shamans live in order to keep their people healthy and livestock alive.
One of the features of Shamanism that differentiates a Shaman from a lama or a nun, is that Shamans do not have the same definite concepts of good and evil. The broadest Shaman concept is the view that everything consists within a state of two contradictions. The first belongs to their own tribe or clan. The other to those who live outside. This view is to defend the survival of the tribe or clan and protect their natural surroundings.
The question if Shamanism is a religion or not has been a point of contention among Shaman researchers the world over. Shamanism does not match the conventional description of a religion in the same way as Buddhism, Christianity or Islam etc. It is instead a religious phenomenon. Shamanism does not fulfill some of the criteria that are seen as essential for an established religious doctrine. Any established religion has its founder, from whom its teaching originate, such as Buddha, Jesus Christ, or Allah. However, there is no figure that has manifested Shamanism. When Shamanism was originally studied researchers believed it was a global phenomenon. However, as these studies gradually become more elaborate, academics realized it was actually quite different from other seemingly similar religious phenomena: African sorcery, European witchcraft and native American Indian spiritual practices. The main distinguishing feature of Shamanism is that individual Shamans embark on spiritual journeys outside of their own bodies. In other words, a Shaman is able to communicate with both animate and inanimate bodies via his or her spirit.
People who live in areas where Shamans live and Shamanism is being practiced are heavily influenced by the phenomena. A direct example is the story of a young family of Tsaatans named Baldish who lived near the Huvsgul lake in a village called Hankhhad. The villagers have never been Shaman practitioners. The daughter of the family developed a bad ear infection. The family visited many doctors who were unable to treat her ailment. Eventually the family saw an old female Shaman in their neighboring village. The Shaman spoke with the family and presented the girl with a two-year-old reindeer, which had been consecrated to Shaman deities and had sacred strips of cloth bound to its antlers. Within days the daughter’s disease was completely cured. The Shaman promised to visit the family again. She made an appointment with the parents, who presumed she would be visiting her in person. However, on the day of appointment a small , yellow bird sat on the roof of their canvas sheltered sang. An old man who was familiar with the phenomenon explained to the family that this was the Shaman, she was displaying her presence to the spirit. The Tsaatan believe this illustrates the part human and part spirit nature of a Shaman.
Traditional Music and Dance
Reflected throughout both traditional and modern art and music is a sense of profound connection with the land and appreciation of the country’s incredible natural beauty. Tributes about the open steppe, nature and horses are popular themes of traditional Mongolian music.
There are two basic forms: short songs and long songs. Short songs are more popular and have short tunes, sharp rhythm, originality and vivacity, and are connected with daily life and activities, and combined with beautiful decorations. The Mongolian long song is of the classic genre, philosophical, reminiscent of vast wide spaces. It also demands great skill and talent from the singers in their breathing abilities and guttural singing techniques. The original long songs were written about 800 years ago.
However, Mongolia’s best-known traditional music is Hoomii, described as “double-throat singing.” Hoomi is a musical art to be delivered with the help of a guttural voice and specific way of breathing. It can be regarded as musical art - not exactly singing but using one’s throat as an instrument. Hoomii originates from western Mongolia and professional hoomi performers are only found in certain areas with a certain tradition and geographical location. Perfecting this eerie beautiful, acoustic singing takes lengthy training.
A highlight of any trip is the hauntingly beautiful artistry of hoomi singing and the enchanting melodies of the traditional Mongolian long songs.
Since their origin, Mongolian folk instruments have long been developed, evaluated, improved and enriched through historical links with musical instruments of other nations in Asia. Mongolians have made their musical instruments through the ages using metal, stone, bamboo, leather and wood.
Five of the folk instruments - morin khuur, shudraga, limbs, khuuchir and yoching - are usually considered to comprise the classic quintet. The morin khuur, a two-stringed lute with a wooden sound box and scroll carved in the form of a horse's head, is the instrument that comes closest to expressing the deep feelings of the Mongolian heart. The shudraga is a three-stringed lute with a circular wooden sound-box covered with skin. Khuuchir is a two-stringed spike fiddle with a skin-covered body, and yoching is a board zither.
The most popular musical instrument is the Morin Huur (the horse fiddle) which is said to represent the movement and sounds of a horse. It is a square fiddle with a long, straight handle curved at the tip and topped with a carving of a horse's head. Every Mongolian family strives to have a Morin Huur in their ger although they are hand-made.
Many musical instruments are used purely for religious ceremonies. A shell shaped bugle called ‘Dun’ is used to gather lamas before a ceremony and Ganlin horns are still used to dispel bad spirits. The Ganlin is made from the femur of an eighteen-year-old female virgin (who died of natural causes) and is filed down in size. Examples of this controversial instrument can be found in Choijin lama museum in Ulaanbaatar and Manzshir monastery.
Mongolian Buddhist temples host the spectacular Tsam dances during special religious ceremonies. Lamas wearing huge, ornate masks and brilliantly decorated costumes sway and circle to the sound of gongs and trumpets. It is a theatrical art by those bearing the external appearance and characters of different apostles and devils, legendary animals and figures. The scenery, opening, inaction, musical climax and outcome of Tsam dance reflect the character of the participants in different ways: cruel, calm or humorous.
Western music has become a big thing in post 1990 Mongolia. A number of western sounding bands have hit the domestic charts, Chingis Khan, Kharanga, Hurd and Niciton are all popular with young people. Individual singers such as Ariunaa and Saraa also play to packed houses everywhere across Ulaanbaatar.
Ger - Traditional Mongolian Dwelling
Ideally suited to Mongolia’s nomadic way of life and harsh weather, the ger has been the most popular dwelling for hundreds of years.
A round wooden-framed felt tent covered in durable white canvas seems to be the most simple description of this portable home. The modern shape of the Mongolian ger has been formed as the result of the long development through huts, marquees and wheeled abodes. During ancient times, people made shelters from dry branches and animal skins. This could have been the first version of current Mongolian ger. The history of the ger goes back to 2500-3000 years B.C. In medieval era, large gers that belonged to kings and nomadic chieftains were built on special wheeled floors and were dragged by a number of oxen (22 usually).
The Mongolian Ger has two key components: the wooden frame work and the felt cover. The wooden wall shell is called ‘khana,’ the upper wooden poles (measuring 1.5-3 meters) are ‘uni,’ the central supporting two columns are known as ‘bagana’ and the uppermost smoke hole is ‘toono.’ A ger has 4-12 khanas, depending on its size. The number of uni or upper poles ranges between 45 and 120 depending on the number of khanas. Any ger has a toono, the smoke hole, and baganas, 2 columns supporting the toono. The gers have beautiful carved and decorated doors that face south.
There are several felt layers, covering the wooden framework and outer white canvas, which is designed to make the ger look prettier and protect the felt covers from rain and snow. Mongolian nomads, who move several times each year, pack their gers onto the back of camels or camel and ox carts. The weight of a ger is approximately 250 kg. It only takes half an hour to collapse an average ger and a bit longer to rebuild it.
When entering into a ger airag and cheese are blown and snuff bottles are exchanged. Since Mongolian nomads are very hospitable, it is very easy to meet them and enter their gers. Accommodation in ger camps provide a perfect balance between comfort and authenticity and allow tourists to visit remote places with no other accommodation facilities.
The Mongolian traditional dress is called the ‘Deel.’ Cut in the very simple pattern (in one piece) and buttoned at an angle, it is worn with a bright-colored silky waistband. There are several different types of deel: winter, summer, spring, and party deel. Party deels are most colorful, and are usually made of valuable silk and worn during Naadam, Tsagaaan Sar, and any other significant ceremonies.
Mongolian food reflects the influence of Russia and China. Dairy products, breads and meat (primarily mutton and beef) form the basis of the Mongolian diet. Vegetables have that used often include potatoes, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions.
Some typical dishes include: shorlog (Mongolian Barbecue or shish kebab), horhog (roasted sheep), buuz (steamed dumplings with mutton or beef), and guriltai shol (mutton noodle soup). Food is generally oilier compared to what you may be used to. Noodles, rice and/or breads are likely to be a part of most meals.
A variety of restaurants in Ulaanbaatar offer traditional Mongolian food as well as European and Asian cuisine
In general, it is difficult to accommodate special needs such as vegetarian or low fat diets while eating out. However, import of foreign products has been developing and various fruits, vegetables, canned fish, crackers, peanut butter and etc. are becoming common in market places. Thus, if you need a special diet, you should bring with you the ingredients essential to your diet or contact us to find out if such products is marketed in Mongolia.
The national drink is airag – fermented mare’s milk. Airag is a favorite drink among Mongolians. It can be distilled in an alcohol, ‘arhi,’ the typical Mongolian vodka. Airag is offered as a ritual to the visitors.
The Naadam festival is celebrated each summer. It has been organized many centuries ago as a test of courage, strength, daring, horsemanship, and marksmanship, all traits necessary for nomadic people and warriors. It is celebrated on July 11-13 annually across the country with every town and village holding contests in traditional wrestling, archery and horse racing. The official opening ceremony of Naadam in Ulaanbaatar is spectacular event. Early in the morning of the first day, a ceremony is held in the center of the city and riders dressed as Chingis Khan’s entourage parade from the square to the central stadium. At the stadium a huge procession is held including hundreds of adults and children dressed in costumes representing Mongolia’s numerous ethnic groups. The opening ceremony features colorful show with folk music and dance, official opening speech of a president of Mongolia, parachute show and many more.
Mongolian wrestling contests at Naadam, involving over 500 contestants, are an exciting spectacle. Originated some seven thousand years ago the technique and ritual of Mongolian wrestling is distinctly national. Before the contest wrestlers perform eagle dances (leaping and dancing, flapping their arms in imitation of an eagle) to warm up and display their fine physiques. There are no weight categories or age limits. Since multiple contests occur simultaneously on one large field, the competition progresses quickly. The aim of the wrestler is to knock the opponent off balance and make him touch the ground with his elbow and/or knee. Each wrestler has a second who acts as a coach and a herald to announce his past accomplishments.
Archery contest has inherited a tradition dating from the time of Chingis Khan when they were intended to sharpen military skills. The contest takes place outside of central stadium in an archery field, where man and women dressed in traditional costume aim at a target. Men fire 40 arrows made from willow branches and griffin vulture feathers from a distance of 75 meters and woman deliver 20 arrows from 60 meters at a target consisting of 360 leather rings fitted to a wall. In accordance with ancient custom, several men stand on either side of the target singing a folk song (uuhai) to clear the contestants and then use hand signals to indicate the results.
Horseracing is the favorite sport of the herdsmen who bring their best horses from great distances. Races, which take place on the steppe over distance from 15 to 30 km, are a test of endurance for the horses and riders, boys and girls, some as young as six years old. The races are organized according to the age of the horses. Mare’s milk is poured over the heads of the winning horses that are also honored with songs.
For more than 2000 years Mongols have been celebrating the New Year according to the lunar calendar. Each cycle of the Lunar Calendar consists of 12 years named after one of twelve animals in the following order: Mouse, Bull, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Cock, Dog and Pig.
Today, Mongolian New Year is a nation-wide holiday celebrated as a greeting of the end of severe winter and beginning of spring time, when nature and people awaken and are inspired for new life and deeds. After a month of preparation Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar with three days of feasting with their families. Tables literally drown with food. Families traditionally kill the fattest sheep in the flock and then display the boiled lower back and tail throughout the holiday. In addition there are a great variety of milk product, and buuz (beef and mutton dumplings). Mongolians are very hospitable people. Visitors are expected to try every dish and tip a few glasses with the host. Toasts are usually made with fermented mare’s milk (airag) or arkhi distilled from a fermented cow's milk. The celebration is followed by sports competitions, traditional song festivals and other events. At this time monasteries are full of people, usually wearing new deels.
