The Mongols

The Mongols

           In a raging path of plunder, destruction, dominance, and killing, a name would be born and taught for centuries to come. Campaigning across China, the Mongols made their mark on a global scale, and proved to be a truly fearful culture. The Mongols have grown to become a respectable culture over the years as they migrated and inhabited Mongolia. I now invite you to join me on my journey of discovering what their culture entailed, and what it means to be a Mongolian.

Environment and Human Adaptation

           A peninsula in northern Asia, between China and Russia, known as Mongolia, is home to the Mongols. This area covers a total of 1,564,116 sq km, slightly smaller than the state of Alaska for comparison. Mongolia has a desert climate, with a wide range of temperatures. Mongolia lies roughly 1500m above sea level, and has an extreme continental climate. Winter lasts from November through April. Spring continues May through June, and summer is July through September. The average summer temperature is +65F, and winter is -13F. Wind averages 1.5/4.5m/s and the average rainfall is 200-220mm. It is said that there are 250 days of sunshine each year, giving Mongolia the name of “Blue Sky”.

            There are nearly 2,800,000 inhabitants of Mongolia, 94.9% of which are Mongol. The land consists of desert, desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in the west and southwest, and the Gobbi-desert in southcentral. Forests cover roughly 15%. Steppes and Meadows account for 52%. And Deserts make up around 32% of the land. Some of the natural resources available to the Mongols include oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, iron, and silver. Mongolia is home to many animals, but five have been found in abundance, earning the name the “five muzzles”. Horses, sheep, goats, camels, and cows make up the livestock raised by the Mongols. Nearly 34.8 million cattle are found, in comparison to the 2.8 million people. Wild Fauna, wolves, and rarely even snow leopards also add to the animal kingdom. Mongolia is home to a great variety of birds ranging from vultures to eagles, and geese to pelicans. Fishing is rather scarce in Mongolia, as the fish can rarely be eaten, though the abundance of livestock ensure the deliverance of food.

            Some of the stressors that the Mongols must deal with include dust storms, grassland and desert fires, droughts, and harsh winter conditions. Overgrazing, deforestation, and rapid urbanization have also had an impact on life in Mongolia. Global warming has had a major impact on Mongolia, and adaptations are in order, if they are to survive and live healthy lives. Addressing the issues and educating the civilians is major step for the Mongols, yet some barriers still exist. Economic difficulties have caused a halt in advancement for the country and culture. Lack of technology, largely due to the economy, has slowed the Mongols ability to store, preserve, and advance in agriculture, which they are greatly dependent on.

            The Mongols have undergone several physical and cultural adaptations to ensure survival and prosperity amongst their people. One cultural adaptation they have adapted is Nomadism. With this they can travel around Mongolia without truly settling, in which they can gather and utilize the resources that are not year round. Another cultural adaptation they have made is limiting herd sizes and maximizing the necessities gained from animals. The winters are extremely harsh and shelters can only support so many animals. The Mongols kill off the weakest of the herd and freeze the meat gathered for use during winter. With this adaptation, the Mongols keep a strict limit on the size of herds, and are provided meat in dire times. Lastly, the Mongols refuse to eat vegetables. Their diet consists of meat and milk. They claim “Meat for men, leaves for animals”. Due to this stubborn and strict diet, the Mongols have had to make the adaptation of a pastoralism system in which they hunt and gather the most necessary meats and animals. Sheep are seen as basic, horses a luxury for example.

            Physical adaptations have also been made by the Mongols to maintain homeostasis and ensure survival. Earlier I mentioned the fact that Mongols have reduced their diet to mainly meats and milk. This is a factor in their tradition of strong, burly men. It isn’t strange to see a fifteen year-old child already training in the military, a tradition that has stuck since the days of Ghengis Khan in 1227. The Mongols have adapted into large muscular men to ensure the safety of their homeland, and the availability of a deadly militia. Another physical adaptation the Mongols made was their use of horses. Notorious for their skill on horseback has been widely spread in the discussion of Mongols. They have always trained horses whether it be for travel, battle, or agricultural needs. Weapons were developed to make it easier for Mongols to combat while riding a horse. It isn’t necessarily a physical adaptation made by the Mongols, as much as a central training point for use in the culture.

Language and Gender Roles

            Most Mongols speak Khalkha , a language in the Altaic language family. The language in which is most common to Khalkha would be Turkish. Russian is a language that the majority of Mongols can speak decently. English has seen a rapid growth in learning throughout Mongolia, and almost all of the signs have the traditional language followed by an English translation. The written language is almost always following their script, with a rise in English writings. Though there has been an influx of English, dissecting to spoken tongue can prove difficult, give it a try. Starting with “Yes”, they say “Tseem”. How about “Goodbye”, they say “Bye-arsh-te”. If you aren’t confused enough let me end with “I don’t understand” or as they say “bi oligokhgwee bain”. That’s enough language for the day, let’s move on. This language is unique in the sense it uses the Russian alphabet with the addition of two vowels.

            Gender roles have a great impact on Mongolian society, and I was surprised at some of the information I gathered in my study of this culture. If you were to look through Mongolian history, you would find all the major political and war figures to be males, but females were certainly and still are appreciated and admired. It is common for Mongol men to marry women older than themselves, in means of having someone wiser guide and influence their actions. In fact, it is a sign of weakness and immaturity if a Mongol doesn’t listen and follow through with what his female partner tells him. A great example of this is Chingis Khan and his wife. Chingis, a famous ruler of the Mongol people, was advised by his wife to dedicate a successor in the case that he should fall in battle during their reign of terror. Many people looked in awe at the situation wondering if he would take this as a sign of disrespect. He went on to agree with his wife and dedicated a successor shortly after. A common analogy fitting to this culture is that the man is the head of the house, while the woman is the neck that turns the head's decision as she pleases.

          Men generally dealt with affairs regarding military, administrative, and trade. They were also responsible for herding, slaughtering, hunting, gathering, and repairs. Women on the other hand tended to housekeeping, cooking, raising children, milking animals, and sewing. Unlike many other countries and cultures, the Mongols have great equality amongst both sexes. Their status’ are seen as equal. Women earn the same wages as men for their labor, and enjoy the same freedom as their male counterpart. The two genders coexist just fine in Mongolia.

            Children growing up and developing their roles begin at a young age. By the age of fifteen, they are quite familiar with what their cultural responsibilities are. The mothers generally raise the children and when they reach the appropriate age, engage in their necessary tasks as a male or female. Biological traits are expressed through the roles given to the sexes. The men are strong and agile, which can be the difference in life or death when going out to hunt for the village people. Women are more gentle and calm, leading to comforting mothers and housekeepers.

            Reflecting on “The Blessed Curse” the protagonist would have her best shot in the Mongolian culture. Under her odd circumstances her role amongst he people would have to be discovered in time. Too pretty to be a boy, too strong to be a girl, though this may be, her ability to contribute would not be hurt. With a culture as gender appreciative as the Mongols, this person would surely find success and be treated as an equal.

Subsistence and Economy

            As mentioned earlier, the Mongols having a constant flow of meat in their diet. The Mongols pattern of subsistence is Pastoralism, meaning the gathering of large herds for meat. A great deal of Mongols are pastoral nomads in the sense that they live where their food is at any given time. A pastoral nomad must also migrate when his herd of animals requires water or food. They move and create simplistic living structures frequently to maintain the health of their herd. The Mongols have strong ties to their animals, and require the nomads to able to defend a herd at all costs.

            With the Pastoralism subsistence pattern, the Mongols diet is heavy in meats and dairy products. Mongols are heavy eaters of sheep, lamb, and goats. Some dairy products made include milk tea, milk wine, and liquid butter. They also domesticate horses, camel, and cows, but do not generally eat them. Due to their protection and domestication of these animals, they are available for meals all year long, a major bonus to their pattern of subsistence in pastoralism. As mentioned earlier, gender roles play a part in the subsistence of the Mongols. Men are almost always the herdsmen and hunters, while the women are in charge of cooking and preparing the meals. Children are for the most part just there to receive their meals until the age of fifteen or so when they begin to join their gender’s role. Social class plays little part in the roles in the culture, as it is truly a team effort to ensure a flourish in their food source.

            The strength the Mongols have in nomadic pastoralism has given them a dependent food source, though a lack of variety. Their pattern of subsistence wouldn’t work with agriculture as they are always on the move. They grow strong and healthy lives with the amount of meats and dairy products they have at their disposal, though the lack of vegetables can limit anyone’s personal growth. What is beneficial to their pattern of subsistence is their dependence on a food source in which they have found great success. Their diet includes foods that aren’t difficult to obtain, more as maintain. As long as their herd is happy and healthy, so are the Mongols.

            Mongolia’s economy is dependent on trade. Nomadic pastoralism requires frequent migration of a group, and the Mongol’s must trade a portion of their herd gatherings for necessary items such as clothing, grains, silk, and manufactured items. Mongol’s lack a definitive surplus of any one particular animal, therefore trade what gatherings they have most at the time. A lack of a permanent home can be the cause for this. If at a particular time they produce a surplus in a particular resource, most commonly meat, they will trade it for the items I have previously listed. Specialization of labor is relevant in this culture. The men are in charge of the herd, big game hunting, and construction of temporary settlements. The women are in charge of all the cleaning of animal hides, cooking, harvesting if any, maintaining the home, and raising the children. The children will help their mother’s with her responsibilities until they reach an age in which they are ready to partake in their gender’s role. Due to a high dependence on Russia and China for trade, the distribution of wealth in Mongolia is unequal. The top 10% enjoy roughly a fourth of the nations wealth while the bottom 10% gets by on 3%. Mongolia’s form of currency is Togrog, a form of cash similar to ours in the United States. One U.S. dollar is equivalent to 1,200 Togrog. The Mongols are heavy traders with countries including China, Japan, Russia, Canada, and the United States. For example, in 2006 $1.889 billion worth of copper, wool, apparel, animal products etc. was exported. This same year an estimated $2.117 billion worth of machinery, equipment, fuel, cars etc. was imported. The amount of trade the Mongols participate in is beneficial in the sense that they have strong connections with foreign countries and have unique products in demand from them. These items can be traded for products that not only help them with their pattern of subsistence, but brings forth a consistent flow of new products the Mongols are incapable of producing. The drawback to this amount of trade the Mongols partake in is the dependency. The Mongols culture is somewhat primitive, and depends on trade with countries like China and Russia to keep up with todays day and age.

Marriage and Kinship

            The marriage pattern in which the Mongols practice is Monogamy. They marry outside their family and generally marry within their social status’. Herders marry herders, gatherers marry gatherers etc.. Marriages are generally determined by the spouses rather than by some for of family arrangement. A traditional Mongolian wedding included gifts from both the bride and groom’s family. A great deal of livestock came from the groom’s family, while the bride’s family provided jewelry, clothing, and furnishings. A great feast would be had by both families in celebration of the families agreement in marriage, as the wedding was seen more as an agreement rather than a religious ceremony. The exchange between the families emphasizes the equality and appreciation of both genders. There is equal contribution, and this shows that there is no superior gender, but more of a unity amongst all people.

The Mongols are not restricted to any rules regarding endogamy or exogamy, though it is almost always the case that they will marry within their cultural group. As stated earlier, they generally marry those with similar status’ and tasks, herders marry herders for example. Residence patterns are for the most part the same across the country. A household will normally consist of parents, their children, and grandparents. There was a recent spike in birthrates in Mongolia, but for the most part a household will consist of 5-7 residents.

            The Mongols have slowly adapted the Western Culture of life, and have similar issues that we have in the U.S.. Homosexuality for example, has become a rising issue in the U.S. as far as tolerance, and who has the right to get married. In Mongolia, homosexuality shares similar skepticism as it does here. Some agree and tolerate it, while others find it unacceptable. In their case however, there is such a little presence of homosexuality that they needn’t think twice about it.

            The Mongols pattern of descent is patrilineal. What this means is that the kinship is traced from father to son. Many interpret this to mean that the Mongols are proud of their great leaders through the generations and wish to have the war heroes like Genghis Khan stand out. Other descent lines aren’t ignored, but lack the emphasis like the men through the generations have received. This may seem that the Mongols lack appreciation for their women, though as stated earlier in the gender roles section, this is not the case. Authority in the household is held by the father. The men are commonly off on hunts or busy tending to their cultural responsibilities, in this time the women are in charge of raising the children. When the man comes home he shares authority with his spouse, but ultimately holds the final say in things.

Social Organization

            The social organization of the Mongols has seen great change over many years. The culture used to be majorly stratified in the sense that there were nobles, herders, artisans, and slaves. Today this is not the case. With most cultures there are still those with wealth and those without. Though there aren’t the differences they in ancient times when ones wealth was displayed by their horses, clothing, tribesmen etc.. The culture has become much more egalitarian than it once was. Though the culture has become more egalitarian it still portrays signs of social status. People are seen as equals, but their wealth is what separates them from one another. The rise of Mongolia’s economy has blessed many with great success, increasing their social status, while others have found difficulty in financial areas. The political power is not carried through a family name like it once was, and has become a socialist nation. The culture still has stratification, just nowhere near the level it once was. As stated earlier, women are not looked down upon and can achieve most everything a man can. Status’ aren’t inherited as they once were, and the cross between social status can be achieved by each and every Mongol. The main component in changing one’s status is through wealth. It is a goal achievable by everyone, and the social organization of the Mongols continues to breed success.

Political Structure

            Over time the Mongols adopted a democratic political structure once breaking away from Russia and China’s inherited communist views. The country operates utilizing three branches of government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branch of government. Similarly to the United States form of government, officials are elected in free elections and serve terms. Taking advantage of the democracy, the people choose who will run their country, and determine who fills what position through means of elections. Laws of the country are regulated by the constitution that was put in place in 1992. Laws are sent through a supreme court and accepted or rejected by the executive branch of government. Many levels of the Mongolian court system deal with punishment for acts of violence and disobedience. The Soum and Aimag courts are a couple of the ones that would deal with punishing those who have committed acts of violence and aggression. Major acts of violence in Mongolia include domestic abuse between spouses. This had become such a problem that a law was instated in 2005 against it. Mongolian women are raised to be tough, and the fact that they are seen as equal to men ensures that this issue must be addressed. Lastly, a transition into democracy was widely accepted, though protests did tend to take place. Protestors resorted to acts of violence to voice their frustration and in turn received aggression from the Mongolian police. These protests are said to have stopped or at least slowed since democracy has taken place, but they happen every so often. Acting against the law in participation of these protests receives nothing but the full justice of the law. Both these issues are majorly rejected by this culture, and have received great attention in finding a solution.

Religion

            Due to an attack on religion as part of the communist leadership in Mongolia, religion had seen setbacks. The most tradition Mongolian religion had always been Shamanism, though currently there are three major religious views. The three include, Atheism, Shamanism, and Buddhism.  Over time, despite losing all but one Buddhist monastery, Buddhism has become the most common religion. Buddhism is neither monotheistic nor polytheistic. There is no God in Buddhism, but merely a way of life one should choose to follow to attain peace, happiness, and the opportunity of reincarnation in an afterlife. Buddhism is said to have originated in the 5^th century in India, and has become widely accepted, spreading across the world. How it came to be adopted by the Mongols is unclear however. Buddhism is not your traditional religion, and has even been considered more of a philosophy. Buddhists have guidelines for how they should live their life scripted in “The Four Truths”. 

Different interpretations have been drawn from Buddhism but the most common include the following beliefs, to live is to suffer, suffering is caused by desire, one can eliminate suffering by eliminating all attachments, and success can be achieved by following the eightfold tasks. Nearly 200 Buddhist monasteries have been restored, showing its strength in the Mongol people. With the loss of this religion, surely the Mongols wouldn’t be doomed, as it is arguably a philosophy, however, it would restructure the ways that the Mongols live their lives.

Art

            The Mongols express several forms of art that make their culture unique. Beginning with typical art, they used to carve Petroglyphs into caves and rocks. These rock paintings symbolized hunters, animals, trade carts etc. Even today new Petroglyphs are being discovered and bringing forth a new way to review and understand the Mongols. Mongolians love their music, and have wonderful instruments to produce both peaceful and fast paced songs using their drums, string instruments, flutes etc. One of the most commonly used instruments is the Khuuchir, which is most relatable to a guitar. Trumpets are among the most popular, as well as the Yuuchin, another string instrument. Cymbals provide a great accent to the traditional Mongolian songs, and continues to be widely used. 

Like most cultures, music provides entertainment for events like weddings and feasts, but is very common in any kind of gathering. Mongolian dancing is particularly interesting. It began as a way of reliving major battles or events in the Mongol’s past. Dancer’s would reinact the movements of former heroes, almost more as a play than a dance. It later split into several forms of traditional dance, including the ever so popular ballet. Dance continues to be a major tradition held in Mongolia. The most common form of religious art is the representation of Buddha. Paintings and sculptures alike, the Mongols produce a surplus of art representing their religion’s icon. Sculptures and painters create different body statures and hand gestures to release hidden meanings within their religious art. These are the most common practices of art in Mongolia, and continue to strive and be a major impact on their culture and way of life.

Closure

            The Mongols have seen great influence from both China and Russia, though even India must be brought into consideration for their relevance in religion. Pros of these influences is that they have provided Mongolia with a structured society where it was once mainly nomadic and isolated. Cons include the fact that Mongolia is more of a product rather than an individual country like it once was. The Russian and Chinese impact is noticeable in the Mongolian culture today. Mongolia’s current state isn’t exactly thriving, but stable. Their trade and dependence on foreign countries is what concerns me most. They haven’t developed, or showcased their independence as a country. And the Mongol culture, widely known for nomadic practices, has in time become a dependent culture. The cultural identity of the Mongols hasn’t been lost, but it has definitely seen noticeable change. The Mongols have a solid impact on the world. They are a culture of trade, not only due to their surplus of certain products, but they must trade to acquire certain resources many cultures take for granted. The Mongols have a strong trade line with both Russia and China as mentioned in the section regarding the economy. This trade is what keeps Mongolia current. The Mongols certainly aren’t known for their groundbreaking inventions, emphasizing the trade necessary with Russia and China, to remain current. The Mongols are a fascinating culture, the country as a whole may show dependence, but the people maintain their nomadic independent ways. They are a strong group of people, with respectable values and lives. It has been wonderful studying their culture in detail, thank you for reading.

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