The Mongolian Culture.

Prepared by : Nazrin Jaffri

Mongolia is stated north of China and borders north to Russia. Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia is the largest city in Mongolia and is home to about 45% of the population. Mongolia runs on a  parliamentary republic political system.

Location of Mongolia on the world map.

The capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

The culture of Mongolia.

The culture in Mongolia has been greatly influenced by many other cultures from other countries such as Russia, Tibet, China and the European culture. The Mongolians have their own version of literature, music, festivals and beliefs. 

Similar to many other countries, Mongolia too have epic heroes that have affected Mongolia greatly, for example, Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan is one of the greatest heroes of all time and is also known for his leadership. The Mongolian culture has prospered  greatly under his great leadership.Till this day, the Mongolians pay respect to Genghis Khan and is an icon for many people worldwide.

A statue of Genghis Khan built in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.

The Mongolian word for "Hero" is Baatar. This word was introduced during the Middle Ages. Another traditional word that has greatly affected Mongolia is Temul. Temul signifies a way to describe creativity and passion. 

Yurts (Ger). 

Traditional Yurts.

The Yurt(Ger) is a part of the Mongolian national identity. The Yurt was commonly used in the Middle Ages by travelers. It is made by felt and is still commonly used today by the Mongolians. The Yurt was a trend that caught on after the great hero Genghis Khan travel around with his Yurt. The word Yurts also means home. 

Modern Yurts.

Religion.

Tibetan Buddhism was the dominant religion in Mongolia back in the 17th century. Shamanism too was commonly practiced. For example the ovoo worshiping. 

The ovoo worshiping is a type of shamanistic cairn. The ovoo are usually stacked rocks and/or wood and is commonly found in high places such as hilltops. The ovoo serve as a religious site and are also known as landmarks. 

When travelling, a traveler that passes the ovoo will have to stop and circle the ovoo in a clockwise rotation 3 times. They believe that this will give them a safe journey. It is a custom to leave offerings such as candy, money or milk. If a traveler is in a hurry and does not have time to stop, they will have to honk their horns and recite a citation. 

Ovoo.

Currently, many Mongolians practice either Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.

Customs and Superstitions.

The Mongolians believe in a variety of good and bad omens and are afraid of misfortunes. They believe that by talking bad about someone or someone that is often talked about can bring misfortune to that individual. They also believe that the children is the most endangered among the family members. Some children's are often named Nergui (means without name) or Enebish (means not this one.) Before going out at night, kids are often painted with charcoal to deceive evil spirits. 

For a child, their first big celebration would be their first haircut, usually at the age of three to five. Birthdays were not celebrated in the olden days, but now are. It is according to custom for a couple to receive a new Yurt when they are just married during their wedding ceremony. 

Festivities.

The biggest most important public festival of them all is the Naadam. Naadams are usually held every year on July 11-13th in Ulaanbaatar. Naadam "The three games of men" is a game that consists of Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. The women are allowed to participate in the games but can only participate in the horse racing and archery games.

Archery

Wrestling.

Horse Race.

For families, the most important festival for them is the Tsagaan Sar. The Tsagaan Sar is equivalent to the Chinese New Year which falls in the beginning of each year. Family members and friends often switch gifts and visit each other for this occasion. 

Clothing.

The Deel is the traditional Mongolian garment worn on both normal and special occasions. The Deel is a long, loose gown cut in one piece with sleeves. It widely overlaps and has a high collar at the front and is usually made out of silk. The Deel is usually worn with a belt creating a pocket that is used to keep their belongings. Paintings of Mongols from Persian and Chinese sources show that when a Deel is worn, both men and women will braid their hair. Some men would shave their tops and sides. 

Deel.

Deel with a boqtaq headdress.

Cuisine.

The mongolian cuisine usually consists of dairy products, meat and animal fats. The use of vegetables and spices is quite limited. Most of the Mongolian cuisine is influenced by Russia and China because of its geographical proximity and historical ties. 

The kind of meat they usually have is cattle, camels, horses, yaks, sheeps and goats. The meats are usually use in dumplings or soups. Due to the cold weather in Mongolia, the average Mongolian would have a big diet. Milk and cream are commonly used for drinks and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. 

Buuz

Khuushuur

The most common dish cooked is mutton often without any other ingredients. Sometimes deep fried, or combined with rice or noodles. The most bizarre cooking method which is usually only done on special occasions is the meat getting cooked together with vegetables with the help of stones which were preheated in a fire. This dish is called Khorkhog.

Khorkhog.

Horse meat is eaten in Mongolia and is commonly found in most grocery stores. Vodka is the most popular alcoholic beverage in Mongolia. 

Music.

Mongolia has a very old musical tradition. Key traditional elements would be the Morin Khuur, throat singing, and other string instruments. 

Morin Khuur.

The Mongolian Waltz is a dance unique to Mongolia. Typically, one mounted horsewoman and one mounted horseman circle each other in sync with a traditional song, which speeds up as the song progresses. The three step gait of the horses as they circle gives the dance its name.