Mongolia – Faces of a Nation

Mongolia – Faces of a Nation

Frank Riedinger

Hans-Uwe Hähn

Odmaa Duuvaa

Nicholas Freakes

www.frank-riedinger.de

www.photounddruck.de

www.mongolia-help.org

Contents

Contents

Foreword

Dashaa – The Shaman

German Lessons in Ulaanbaatar

Choijin Lam Sum Temple Museum

Gandantegchinlen Khiid

The legend: ”White Tara“

The legend: “River Tuul“

Takhis or Przewalski’s Horses

Baigaljav – The Horse Head Fiddle Maker

The legend: “Khukhuu Namjil“

Tsagaan Sar

The Mongolian Family

Tsaagan Arkhi (Vodka of the Mongolian steppes)

The Camel Festival in Bulgan Sum

Nergui – The Gold Hunter

The legend: “The three Beauties“

Meetings in the South Gobi

Saxaul

Tooroi Bandi – The Mongolian Robin Hood

The good men of Tooroi Bandi: “The Oath“

Zunduidavag – The Old Burjate

Amarbayasgalant Khiid

The legend: “Amarbayasgalant“

With the Tsaatan

Deer stones

On Horseback

Horse Breeders

The legend: “Silver tree“

Naadam – The Three Games of Men

Wrestling outfits

The legend: “Tsagaan Nuur“

1,700 Kilometres by Post Bus

Aishok – The Little Schoolgirl

Murat – The Furnace Builder

The legend: “Seven Suns“

Kairatkhan – The Eagle Hunter

The Nines of Winter in Mongolia

The Kazakhstani Family

Stone Babas

Glossary

Interviews

Zagdsuren

Nyamdavaa

Murat

Ariunaa

Tumursukh

Saruul

Batsaikhan

Irlan

Gombosuren

Enkhtsetseg

Kairatkhan

Ayurzana

Baigaljav

Ochiroo

Murat

Davaanyam

Enkhjargal

Saintsetseg

Chinbat

Altantuya

Janatkhan

Ragchaa

Vasya

Balgansuren

Turbat

Dalaikhan

Battulga

Umurbek

Jim Reichert

Munkhbayar

Byambajav

Impressum

Foreword

During the numerous trips that I have made to Mongolia, I have been bombarded by a wealth of new and unfamiliar impressions. The natural world, so rich in contrasts, brings many surprises with its distinctive characteristics, all of which make this Central Asian country so unique.

But it was the open-hearted and hospitable character that the people showed towards me as a foreigner, which awakened my greatest affection and fondness. I was deeply moved and affected by being able to participate in their lives, to experience their genuine satisfaction at their modest and frugal existence and to share their happiness and their concerns, both large and small. Over time, passing acquaintances have grown to become firm and lasting friendships and my Mongolian friends were happy for me to join them at family celebrations and to become a part of their personal activities.

I have experienced a country undergoing change. The focus is no longer on being the homeland of the great Mongolian Chinggis Khaan but on the current situation within its society and the fate of the individuals that make up that society. The people are facing a period of rapid development and are having to handle and come to terms with the conflict between the modern and the traditional, with the mix of poverty and wealth and with the situation of shortages and excess. And all of this results in attitudes and behaviour that can be contradictory and inconsistent.

I am delighted to be able to let you share in the encounters and experiences that I have had. This book, “Mongolia – Faces of a Nation”, reflects the events and the feeling of closeness to the people that I was privileged to experience on my trips through this fascinating country.

Frank Riedinger

Dashaa – The Shaman

The initiation ceremony of Dashaa the Shaman has not yet started when I reach the weekend house north of Ulaanbaatar. Children are playing around the parked cars. A man on a horse moves through the assembled guests. I look around, searching for a familiar face. Then I hear my name being called out. Dashaa’s friends and relatives are waiting for me in the shade of the house. Battulga, who I am also meeting here, says somewhat ambiguously, that the evocation of the spirits will only be successful once I am present. I doubt that to be the case, but his serious expression makes me unsure. I notice a few pensive looks. For some, the upcoming ceremony seems to be a bit disconcerting and they question what the unusual family gathering portends. To welcome us, we are all given a small silver chalice as we arrive, Agenately filled with milk and vodka. To start with, the chalice has to be offered up to heaven accompanied by expansive gestures and then the contents have to be downed in one. At the same time, you are meant to whisper your most secret wishes.

Eight years earlier, Dashaa had visited a Shaman society in the capital, in order to give support to a friend of his. His friend’s mother was seriously ill and it was uncertain how long she still had to live. When Dashaa started questioning the Shamans, they became infuriated and dismissed him angrily. Scared and intimated, he asked them why they were reacting like that. They told him that they saw in him a connection with heaven. His ancestors had also been Shaman. He should be able to know himself what the fate of his friend’s mother would be. Confused and alienated by the experience, the two friends went home.

Dashaa started to suffer from fainting fits accompanied by allergic skin reactions, which he had never had before the meeting. He visited four Mongolian Shamans, who all pronounced the same judgement: “You have been selected! You must become a Shaman! The fainting fits should be seen as a sign from heaven. If you don’t take this path, something bad will happen to you in the future.” After a long period of reflection and consideration, Dashaa decided to become a Shaman. In his normal life, he is a gallery owner and an artist, a quiet, reserved man who enjoys life surrounded by the security of his family. It is not easy to take on board the trappings of Shamanism as an older person, so, Dashaa secured the services of an older, very experienced lady teacher who was able to give him advice and support in all aspects of the faith.

Now the old Shaman lady is attired for the ceremony. As her assistants move around her making the preparations, I see the colours of the garment flashing. The light of the midday sun captures every detail. The sky is a cloudless, transparent blue. We are led into the garden and positioned in a large circle. The circle stands empty, its centre still concealed. Scarcely any of the spectators appear to know what awaits us. And Battulga’s comment keeps going round in my head. I ask myself how I should behave. As Dashaa’s friend, I am one of the invited guests and am allowed to photograph the ceremony as it unfolds. That is a mark of trust and I don’t want to make any mistakes. Fortunately, I have my camera to hand and as soon as I start to take some pictures, I feel more secure. But I am aware of the effect it will have on others and I have to respect that.

Next to me, I hear Dashaa’s father talking. He is looking towards the man standing next to him and both are talking about the cost of the weekend house that is still in the early stages of construction. An ear-splitting drumming interrupts the conversation and as if she has sprung up out of the ground, the Shaman lady is standing behind me. Shocked by her sudden appearance, I move to one side. Accompanied by rhythmic drumbeats, further gestures and gyrations of her upper body, the Shaman teacher dances into the circle made by the spectators. Everyone is looking at the whirling figure. The hollow, pulsating beats, the sounds and the movements, the drumming and the dancing all merge into one. It cannot be long until she achieves a state of trance. She falls heavily to the ground. She has sensed the nearness of the spirit. Now her young assistants bring forward some selected persons who may use this opportunity to question her about their fate. I see a mix of anxiety, hope and joy in their faces and their reactions and the sheer horror as she pushes one of them away violently. The spirit that has invaded her, has cast this person out.

The whole thing lasts about half an hour. Once she has awoken from her trance, it is Dashaa’s turn. He plays the same rhythm on his Jew’s harp over and over again until he too falls into a trance. It is still not certain whether Dashaa is suited at all to being a medium. Doggedly continuing to play on a small Jew’s harp, he summons up the spirit. It is noticeable that he interjects the same beat time after time. He appears to be weighed down by respect and awe. It can never be predicted which spirit will come to the Shamans. It can be one of several spirits who, with their different characters, can cause distress to even an experienced Shaman. I sense a very wild and angry spirit is showing itself through Dashaa. The sight of my friend as he dances like a dervish, clad in his costume covered with small tinkling bells, sends shivers up and down my spine.

Dashaa sits at a table that has been prepared for him and starts eating and drinking. The food disappears in no time. More buuz, Mongolian dumplings filled with meat, have to be fetched in order to satisfy the hunger of the Shaman student. Or the hunger of the spirit, who consumes vodka like water and devours unbelievable amounts of food. Unsavoury lip-smacking and grunting come from his direction. I have to keep remembering that behind the black fringes of the mask is my good friend, who I met and got to know during the winter as a clever and gifted businessman, dressed in a pin-striped suit.

After the feeding frenzy is over, the bizarre creature abruptly tips the table over. He adopts a threatening posture and begins to dance around the dumbfounded guests, pulsating violently to the Shaman drum, which shatters under the heavy blows. The spirit calls one of Dashaa’s relatives to him and concealing nothing, lays bare the shocked and frightened man’s future. Ashen-faced he listens as his fate is revealed. The spirit then throws Dashaa to his knees and gesticulates towards the bearskin that is hanging over a chair in the garden, in preparation for the ceremony. Immediately, an assistant brings the bearskin to him. Nobody wants to antagonise the spirit that now seems to be out of control. It checks the bearskin to see whether it is acceptable, together with the boots that Dashaa will wear later as a Shaman. Contemptuously, the objects are hurled back at the feet of the young assistant.

Gradually, the bells start to fall silent and the drumbeats die away. The Shaman student becomes quieter and awakes from his trance. His companions help him out of the robes. I also go up to my friend. Surrounded by his friends and relatives, he sits on a chair in the garden, exhausted. Does he know how much he has eaten and drunk? He says no. Dashaa has no recollection of what has just happened.

More sessions are needed to be able to function as a Shaman. This however was one of the most important of all the sessions as here the spirits drew close to Dashaa and showed their trust and confidence in him.

Making preparations.

The spirit has taken possession of him.

Dashaa during the Shaman ceremony.

German Lessons in Ulaanbaatar

A strange feeling creeps over me. Somewhat nervously, I stand in front of the group of unknown language students, made up of young people between 18 and 24 who are taking a course at a Mongolian college or who are working and want to learn German from me at an evening class. The main reason why they take on this extra workload is their strong desire to study in a German-speaking country in Europe. I had already made some preparations for this challenge before I left Germany and had copied a few worksheets. Apart from a plastic sheet screwed to the wall instead of a chalk board, the room doesn’t offer me any other teaching aids.

Several thousand kilometres from home, I will be teaching here as a “native speaker”. Bathed in the glaring light of the fluorescent tubes, I start the lesson for the twenty students. My concept and approach is first to ask a few questions where we will discuss the answers in German before reading a German text together. As I write the question “What is typically German for you?” on the plastic board, I get a unanimous response: “diligence and punctuality”. These “German characteristics” are already established in the consciousness of the Mongolian students or perhaps they have already experienced them?

I am so surprised by the thirst for knowledge shown by the young people and the excellent level of knowledge they already have about Germany, I am scarcely able to express my admiration adequately. I learn that most of their parents studied in the former East Germany and that today some of them have well-paid jobs in Ulaanbaatar. I am grateful to this fact for the large interest in my seminar. The curiosity shown in the German teacher and his teaching methods is enormous. During the first sessions, the small room threatens to burst at the seams. As the head of the private school confirms to me, there has never been so many students attending German lessons!

The desire for punctuality is particularly relevant. The only problem is that it is very difficult to achieve this here. The indescribable traffic chaos in the capital usually makes it impossible to keep to agreed appointments. The Mongolian metropolis doesn’t have any functioning public transportation network in the shape of underground trains or trams. Instead of this, the streets are gridlocked by vast numbers of cars because the bus routes are just as overloaded as the privately operated microbuses.

I live near the Dragon terminus in the west of the city. Overland and post buses set off on their journeys to the far-flung, remote parts of the country from this station. If there is not much traffic, I can get to Sukhbaatar Square where the school is located in ten to twelve minutes on one of the municipal buses. However, on a late winter afternoon, I need sixty to ninety minutes. The traffic problem is a logistical challenge facing the city. Population levels are rising and the amount of traffic is increasing correspondingly. A large bridge-building project will take years to complete. An underground train system is technically very difficult to achieve as the city is criss-crossed by a network of subterranean district heating pipes.

So I also have a problem with punctuality. But the fact that we are all faced with the same issues provides a common bond for me and the students and we start to get to know each other.

The owner of the school invites me for a meal at a top-flight restaurant. We sit at a table for two in the almost empty dining area. She tells me that only half the expected number of students has enrolled for the Chinese course this semester. Even English is not particularly attractive as a foreign language for the young people attending this school. I try to explain the interest in the course I am offering by saying that in the light of the global economic situation, German is a language with a future, even though I know that in practical terms, this is not really the case. The Mongolians have a strong resentment against the Chinese, particularly because of the difficult relationship that has existed between the two countries in the past. Currently it is the cheap, low-quality “Made in China” products that are flooding the markets in Ulaanbaatar, which are causing the Mongolians to adopt a rather sceptical approach to their southern neighbours.

One semester at the private school with two lessons a day, five days a week, costs 600 US$. This is a lot of money that not even the parents with better paid jobs can easily scrape together. For that reason, the students’ expectations of receiving a successful education are very high and they do everything in their power to achieve their dreams. After graduating in Germany, Austria or Switzerland they will return to Mongolia in order to drive the economic progress of their country forwards. “Homeland is homeland”, is the answer to my question as to where they would want to live later on. I hear this time and again during my many conversations with a very wide range of people across Mongolia.

How responsibly they approach the utilisation of the immense natural resources that Mongolia has, will have a significant, global impact. The build-up of commerce and industry, the protection of the natural environment and the improvement of living standards are also core topics that are already being critically assessed and discussed in schools and colleges. In my opinion, these young Mongolians are the highly motivated generation that the country will need in the future, as it emerges into the globalised world.

The traffic in Ulaanbaatar is getting heavier every year.

Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia and almost half of the country’s population of 3 million lives there. At 1,570,000 km2, Mongolia is over four times the size of Germany. In winter, temperatures in the “coldest capital city in the world” get down to below -40°C.

There are obvious signs of change in the country, particularly in respect of the economic situation. Up until current times, sheep, goats, cattle, horses and camels, once Mongolia’s five principal resources, have provided the cornerstone of the population’s existence. For millennia, they have been able to live well from the products of these animals; products such as wool, meat and milk. More recently, the mining of natural resources has been intensified. Coal, copper, gold and rare earth elements represent an enormous potential for the future of the country, which is facing both a cultural and an ideological metamorphosis.

The cityscape of Ulaanbaatar is dominated increasingly by large off-road vehicles. In earlier days, the mode of transport of choice was a fast Nomad horse. Today it is more usually American gas-guzzlers and other western status symbols.

Ulaanbaatar – Sukhbaatar Square in the centre of the capital.

Ulaanbaatar.

Choijin Lam Sum Temple Museum

This Buddhist monastery was established between 1904 and 1908 and at that time, it was the residence of the state Oracle. The holder of this office was Luvsankhaidav, a younger brother of the Bogd Gegeen, the first living Buddhist leader Zanabazar, who introduced Lamaism to the Mongolian people in the 17th century.

If important decisions had to be made for the state, the Oracle was called upon to pronounce on the right decision for the future. The site consists of five temples, which fortunately escaped mostly undamaged and unscathed from the anti-Lamaism campaign during the country’s socialist era. Tradition says that Choibalsan, the socialist dictator in power at the time, personally removed the site from the list of cultural heritage sites that were to be destroyed.

Most of the items on show have been collected together from different sites throughout the country. They give an interesting and richly varied overview of the historic and cultural development of Mongolia, right up to the 1930s. The museum also contains the rooms where the Oracle was sent into a trance, in order to be able to make the desired pronouncements and predictions. Again, tradition says that secret, Tantric rituals were also held here.

Throughout the temple, you will find images and statues of the green Tara of Zanabazar. She was the favourite deity of the master and is venerated at almost every family altar set up in Mongolian jurtes. One of the things most worth seeing is a bronze stupa, which was made in India in the 10th century and was brought single-handedly to Mongolia by Zanabazar. The well preserved Tsam masks are amongst the museum’s treasures. These fearsome objects originate from 18th century Tibet and were brought from there to Mongolia where, as a result, even more magnificent and impressive masks have been developed. Particularly impressive is the representation of the deity Jamsran that is decorated with about 7,000 pieces of coral.

Choijin Lam Sum Temple Museum in Ulaanbaatar.

Temple Museum Choijin Lam Sum in Ulaanbaatar.

Temple Museum Choijin Lam Sum in Ulaanbaatar.