Nomadic traditions
Based on the breeding, the nomadic way of life tends today to be lost in Mongolia. It is made more and more difficult by climate change and the züds which gain in recurrence and intensity in the steppe in winter.
Traditional Mongolian life uses the "five muskets", which provide nomadic families with enough to live on: meat and dairy products, which make up the bulk of the Mongolian diet, wool to make clothes and insulating felt, and fuel from dung. Even the hair and bones of animals can be used to make musical instruments or toys. Horses, yaks and camels are also used as pack animals for transportation.
Animal husbandry requires specific knowledge, which is passed on from generation to generation. It is necessary to domesticate the animals, to control their feeding and reproduction, to know where to take them to graze and the natural cycles of the different types of herds.
In the past, nomadism involved several migrations per season. Today, many herders have restricted their movements from a winter camp to a summer camp. In some areas, such as the Gobi Desert, the land is poor and requires frequent changes of grazing area. The nomads therefore continue to move several times a year, usually 15 to 20 km, but sometimes up to 150 km depending on climatic conditions, in search of water sources and food for the herds. They live in smaller and lighter yurts than those they use during the cold season.
The frequency of travel increases during the summer and fall seasons, when the animals must graze in preparation for the harsh winter that follows. They are therefore taken to successive areas where grass is abundant.
The migrations from one pasture to another give rise to a ceremony. According to tradition, the father of the family rides in the middle of the day to scout the area. Once he has chosen a suitable location, he places a few stones on the ground to symbolize the new home and to show the other herders that the site is taken. Back in the camp, preparations for departure can begin. The family packs up all their possessions and dismantles the yurt on the day of departure. Today, the nomads have modernized! They use motorized vehicles to move around and no longer use pack animals to transport their belongings. They will be received in the ger crossed on the way, and invited to share the tea, and sometimes the lodging and the food. Upon arrival in the camp, the family invites its new neighbors, even if they live several kilometers away, to a party to celebrate its installation.
Hospitality is a strong value for the nomads, and the way to receive guests is codified. Thus, one does not knock before entering a yurt, and one stands to the left of the entrance. Used to a difficult climate, nomads must show solidarity and will not leave anyone outside. Visitors are treated with great respect, and received with salted milk tea, airag or vodka. They are also invited to share food and lodging with their hosts. If the nomads take this tradition for granted and do not expect anything in return, it is normal that the person received in the ger
offers small gifts to his hosts.The Mongolian ger , or yurt, takes about two hours to set up. It is 15 to 30m2 in size and consists of two main parts: the wooden frame, khana, and the insulating felt roof. Two central pillars, called uni
, support the entire structure. They are considered sacred: one should never pass between these pillars or carry objects through them.In principle, the floor of the yurt, if there is one, should be installed first. Then the wooden latticework is laid, which forms the sides of the house and the doorframe. The crown, or toono - the wooden circle at the top of the ger -
is attached to the two central columns. Depending on the weather conditions, it will be open or closed. Once the wooden frame is installed, the men cover it with different layers of felt and then the outer white cloth, held together by ropes. Felt is a material made by hand from sheep's wool. It is used for its insulating properties: it protects the family from the cold in winter, but also from the heat in summer. Symbolic, the ger is a reduced representation of the universe and of the Mongolian cosmogony. It is considered as a sacred space, that's why you have to respect many rules when you enter the yurt of a Mongolian family, in order not to offend the house guests. The round shape of the roof represents the vault of heaven, and the central pillars the cosmic axis connecting the earth and the sky. The stove is placed in the center and many beliefs are attached to the fireplace. It is the woman who is in charge of its maintenance.Traditionally, the ger is oriented towards the south, and each part of the yurt is dedicated to a particular function. Thus, the north is sacred: the altar of the ancestors and the most precious objects of the family are installed there. The west is the space for men and guests, while the east is reserved for women and domestic life.
Today, the nomads have adapted and use new technologies. Thus, many yurts are equipped with solar panels that provide them with electricity during the day, as well as a satellite antenna connected to the television.
Marriage and the place of women
If, in the past, marriage in Mongolia was based on the kidnapping of the future wife, this tradition has fortunately been abandoned! Today, the spouses themselves decide on their union, free and without constraints.
Traditionally, the bride and groom wear the deel, and the bridegroom has to build the yurt where the ceremony will take place. His bride must provide him with the horsehair rope that will be used to hold it up, the felt that will cover the roof and the furniture, but the construction of their future place of life remains the responsibility of the groom.
Today, it is more rare to attend weddings in the respect of traditions. In Ulaanbaatar, the Wedding Palace takes care of the whole organization of the event: reservation of a hall, wedding certificate, clothes...
In the countryside, it is still possible to attend traditional ceremonies. These are very solemn and codified, involving rituals and prayers. The exchange of gifts is still frequent. The parents of the bride receive cattle from the family of the future husband and offer jewelry, clothes or furniture to the bride.
Within the household, the roles are well divided: in the countryside, the man takes care of the animals and the woman takes care of the ger. In urban areas, the division of tasks is more blurred, as in Western societies.
Status of women.
Women have had better access to education and to positions of responsibility since the 1990s and the end of the communist regime. While they remain excluded from political power and do not earn higher salaries, in recent decades they have benefited from a higher level of education than men in Mongolia. About 60 percent of women reach university compared to only 30 percent of men. This gap is explained by the nomadic way of life: families believe that boys should stay and work with the cattle and send their daughters to study in the capital. With better education and life expectancy, women have climbed the social ladder while a larger share of men face unemployment and alcoholism. However, Mongolian women are still under strong social and cultural pressure: they are expected to have a career but also to marry and have children, preferably before the age of 29!Declining marriage rate. In 2007, the marriage rate in the capital was 22.9 per 1,000 people. By 2016, it had dropped significantly to only 8.9. This is due to the widening gap between women and men. Young men tend to marry people from the same social background as themselves. Since educated women outnumber men, they are far from all finding a match.
Homosexuality still taboo
In Mongolia, homosexuality was punishable by prison until 1989. However, it was decriminalized in 1993. Although there is no legal prohibition, the situation of LGBT people in the country remains difficult.
Same-sex couples have no legal recognition. They cannot adopt and same-sex marriages contracted abroad are not recognized in Mongolia.
Although legislation has changed, there is still violence, persecution and discrimination against gay, bisexual and transgender people. In the absence of adequate legislation, very few complaints filed by them are successful. Fear of reprisals also makes LGBT people reluctant to take legal action.
To change the situation, associations and organizations are carrying out actions to raise awareness and defend the rights of the Mongolian LGBT community. In 2013, the first Pride Week was held in Ulaanbaatar, and in 2014, more protective legislative proposals for sexual and gender minorities were presented to the Parliament.
A plague called alcohol
Alcohol is a real scourge in Mongolia, wreaking havoc on the population, all social strata included, whether in urban or rural areas. According to a study conducted by an international health organization, 22% of men and 5% of women are addicted to alcohol in Mongolia, a rate three times higher than in Europe.
The level of alcohol abuse has worsened considerably since the 1990s and the liberalization of the economy. It is exacerbated by a difficult social situation in urban areas: in the capital, a large proportion of the population is unemployed and living below the poverty line. Alcohol is also a commodity that is very cheap and available everywhere; in some supermarkets, there are more than 25 different brands of vodka!
Alcoholism has serious social and health consequences. Almost one out of five Mongolians is said to regularly abuse alcohol and 72% of violent crimes are committed by intoxicated individuals. Domestic violence is reportedly one of the leading causes of divorce in the country, which in 2020 had 86,500 single parents - the majority of whom are women. There are many cardiovascular problems among male alcoholics, who tend to live shorter lives than women.
In 2022, President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh launched a national movement against alcoholism for the safety and well-being of Mongolian families.
Abolition of the death penalty
The death penalty, while no longer applied since 2008, was abolished just recently, in 2017. This historic decision is the result of a long process, which began in 2010 with the announcement of a moratorium on executions by the then President of the Republic, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.
In 2015, the Great Hural adopted a new criminal code that endorses the abolition of the death penalty and also contains other human rights advances, including on torture.
Mongolia became the 105th country in the world to legislate the abolition of the death penalty. The death penalty could not be applied to women, those under 18 years of age or those over 60. Convicts were executed with a bullet to the back of the head.
