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Trekking Mongolia
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Crossing the Kharkiraa with Three Horses and a Camel |
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Living With The Nomads
By Chris Devonshire-Ellis
With a population of about 3 million, and just a quarter of that in Ulan Bataar, pretty much 80% of the rest of the population live as nomads, although there are a few smaller towns and villages across much of the country. Many of these however are also semi-nomadic, especially during the summer months when livestock needs grazing. Often whole communities will spread out far and wide to live off the fat of the land during the summer.
Gers, Teepees, & Totems
Known as Yurts in Kazak only, the Mongolian Ger is the traditional nomadic, transportable "tent" - made of a birch wood frame, with the supporting struts painted orange to symbolize the sun. The Ger is the heart of family life, with roll away bedding, a central stove / oven and small amounts of furniture – family chests – with everything packed and stored away neatly and tidily inside. The outer layers are of heavy felt – waterproof and warm – and itself is traditionally made by placing sheep and other wool underneath the saddle and riding on it for several days. Different sections are then sewn together to make everything from clothing, to bedding, to ger walls. Gers can be taken down and moved on in a matter of two hours.
In the North and West of Mongolia, the Ger gives way to a wigwam style tent, very similar in looks to the teepees of the North American Indians. Totem carving and displays are also a traditional part of Mongolian nomadic craft.
Diet
Mongolia has a harsh winter climate, and consequently certain foods are impractical for them to eat during the summer months, when the putting on of fat reserves and maintaining a solid (yet healthy) physique to last through the winter being paramount. Fish, for example, is rarely eaten. The majority of the diet is dairy based, with milk from horses, goats, sheep, yak and camels all in high demand, and drunk, used as yoghurt (the Mongolians make fantastic yoghurts), or made into cheese, all part of the standard dietary intake. Sweets are made from sweetened milk or cheese, and even alcohol, made from fermented mares milk (known as airag) is a staple. Livestock are precious then for their produce and only killed on special occasions or when they are too old to be productive. Sheep are traditionally slaughtered by making a small slit in the chest cavity with a sharp knife, then inserting your hand and stopping the heart beating directly. Marmots are eaten but are prone to plague, so are only shot when there are no signs of disease. All of these are supplemented with wild mushrooms, herbs and berries as can be found in the wild.
Produce includes milk, plus cashmere wools from goats (amongst the worlds finest and most sought after), wool and furs from sheep, camels and yaks and is used both in the home or traded for other supplies. Often a centralized trading point is established, way out in the middle of nowhere, to cater for the nomads bringing in their produce, such as the cheese factory (pictured) in the middle of Terelj (about 200km east of UB) that buys fresh milk from passing nomads, processes it into cheeses and sells it onto the markets in UB and beyond.
People
Elders are revered and children fawned over. Children are brought up at an early age to handle animals – most can ride a horse at age 3, and will be helping out with herding duties and milking by age 6. Traditional stories, and games such as elbow flicking – involving knuckle bones and accuracy of shots, as well as archery and horsemanship skills are all part of growing up.
Livestock
The most important part of any nomadic family, even the traditional greeting in Mongolia is "mal sureg targan tavtai yu ?" – "How are your animals fattening up ?" Livestock quite literally allows the nomads to live, providing everything from clothing to milk – even the dried dung is used as fire – and being mainly vegetative based is not obnoxious in aroma. Plus the smoke keeps the midges away.
Most families will have a rather large dog as a watch, so again, the phrase "Nokhoi khorio !" - "Please hold your dogs !" is a useful one to have ready. Otherwise, depending upon the size of the family, their wealth, and their traditional area of expertise with animals, they will possess horses, goats, sheep, yaks and camels. In the Altai, the locals tame eagles and falcons for hunting as well.
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