Mongolia is the 19th largest and the most sparsely populated independent country in the world, with a population of around 2.9 million people. A majority of the GDP comes from the herding industry. Approximately 30% of the population are nomadic or semi-nomadic.
Northern Mongolia
Southern Mongolia, Gobi Desert
Ger
This is the traditional house for the nomadic herders of Mongolia. Many people know this as a "yurt", but the real name is ger (sounds like "gear"). My ger has been on display at the Festival of Nations, Edina Art Center, Crown College, and Circus Juventas "Yulong" show, giving thousands of people a unique chance to see how people live on the other side of the world.
My ger is available for cultural events as well as private use. If interested please contact me.
Shagai
Shagai, the "original" dice game, comes from sheep ankle bones.The ankle bone has 4 distinct sides that represent the horse, camel, sheep and goat. There are many games that can be played with the shagai, most similar to dice or marbles. This traditional game is what I grew up playing.
Chimgee is teaching students at Circus Juventas how to play Shagai in between shows.
Mongolian Traditional Dance
Chimgee performs her traditional Mongolian dance at schools and cultural events.
She also dances with the CAAM Chinese dance company.
This photo is from a performance at Ted Mann Concert Hall at University of Minnesota.
Mongolian food
The photo below is a steaming bowl of meat dumplings called "buuz". Other Mongolian dishes include fried dumplings called "khushur", rice dishes and many kinds of soup.
Traditional Costume
Naadam
The Naadam Festival celebrates Mongolia's Independence Day,with the three "Manly Sports": Wrestling, Horse Racing and Archery
Wrestling:
Long-standing ritual governs the traditional style of wrestling. Before the wrestling matches begin, the wrestlers perform the eagle's dance which symbolizes power and invincibility. The wrestler who forces his competitor to touch the ground with his knees or elbow is considered the winner.
Horse Racing:
Horse racing originally involved adult jockeys and the most popular contests were in riding unbroken horses. Later, so as to ease the burden on horses in long-distance races, the adults were replaced by children aged six to ten years, riding broken horses. The racing is done both with and without saddles and the horses which take part are aged two years and above. Depending on the age of the horses, the distances of the race vary from 5-30km.
Archery:
The skill of Mongolian archers and their advanced bow design was a significant asset to Chingiss Khan and his descendants during their years of conquest. The archers wear a special glove on the thumb and index finger of the right hand and wrap the left arm in soft belts. Referees line up next to the targets, mark each hit and raise their hands and move around the spot singing a short song of praise.
Manduhai
Chimgee named her show after the legendary Mongolian, Manduhai. Manduhai was a strong, brave warrior woman, the most famous Mongolian after Chingiss Khan. She is a powerful role model for all women. It is told that Manduhai even led her troops to battle while pregnant, rushing ahead on horseback to draw first blood.
