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CULTURE 10 months 21 days ago
Mongolian culture is unique and dissimilar to anywhere else on earth. It isn’t so much individual parts that are fascinating but the combination of history, traditions and customs that makes Mongolia a truly special experience. Certainly the best place to experience culture is in the countryside where the nomadic herders have lived in much the same way for hundreds of years. The population of Mongolia consists of 20 ethnic groups although there
are few differences in language. Only the Kazaks speak in their mother
tongue.
The Mongols do not like to talk about unpleasant things and
expressions of good will and praise are widespread. Praise of their
mother country, the beauty of the natural scenery, the hospitality of
the host presents a special form of folklore. |
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Read more...CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE 10 months 21 days ago
Mongolian culture has many distinctive features. They are closely connected with the life style. From ancient times on, Mongolian have lived in the vast lands of Central Asia. Raising livestock and nomadic living patterns have found reflection in everyday thinking and the culture.
One of the unique features of nomadic culture is that Mongolian people live in full harmony with Mother Nature. In comparison with settled peoples, the nomadic herders, face nature directly on a day in, day out basis. Through this, the herders are involved in a multifaceted relationship with nature. This is why Mother Nature is the theme of many epics, blessings, and well wishes. There are many traditions, customs, and teachings regarding the protection and care of Mother Nature. Tearing up flowers and grass, allowing filth into water systems, digging up and destroying land, killing of animals and destruction of forests are considered sins and are thus strictly prohibited even today.
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Read more...EDUCATION 10 months 21 days ago
During the state socialist period, education was one of the areas of significant achievement in Mongolia. Illiteracy was virtually eliminated, in part through the use of seasonal boarding schools for children of nomadic families. Funding to these boarding schools was cut in the 1990s, contributing to slightly increased illiteracy.
Primary and secondary education formerly lasted ten years, but was expanded to eleven years. Since the 2008-2009 school year, new first graders are using the twelve year system. As such, full transition to the twelve year system will not happen until the 2019-2020 school year, when the current first graders graduate.
Mongolian national universities are all spin-offs from the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology.
The broad liberalization of the 1990s led to a boom in private institutions of higher education, although many of these establishments have difficulty living up to their name of "college" or "university".
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Read more...FOOD AND DRINKS 10 months 21 days ago
There are five main kinds of animals in Mongolia, affectionately called five-pointed star by Mongols: horse, cattle, camel, sheep and goat. Meat, especially beef and mutton, is a primary source of nutrients and it is consumed in large quantities during the winter and spring. Dairy products are main products for summer and autumn. People in countryside use very little vegetables and fruits; normally their diet consists of meat, rice and some dough. Use caution when having a true Mongolian meal, since the dishes are very heavy and can cause significant problems for an untrained stomach. Read more...LANGUAGE 10 months 21 days ago
The official language of Mongolia is Khalkha Mongolian, which uses the Cyrillic alphabet, and is spoken by 90% of the population. A variety of different dialects are spoken across the country. In the west the Kazakh and Tuvan languages, among others, are also spoken. The Russian language is the most frequently spoken foreign language in Mongolia, followed by English, though English has been gradually replacing Russian as the second language.[citation needed] Korean has gained popularity as tens of thousands of Mongolians work in South Korea. Interest in Chinese, as the language of the other neighbouring power, has been growing. Japanese is also popular among the younger people. A number of older educated Mongolians speak some German, as they studied in the former East Germany, while a few speak other languages from the former Eastern Bloc. Besides that, many younger Mongolians are fluent in the Western European languages as they study or work in foreign countries including Germany, France and Italy. Mongolian is one of the Mongolic languages. Mongolic is frequently included in the Altaic languages, a group of languages named after the Altay Mountains that also includes the Turkic and Tungusic languages.
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Read more...RELIGION 10 months 21 days ago
According to the CIA World Factbook and the U.S. Department of State, 50% of Mongolia's population follow the Tibetan Buddhism, 40% are listed as having no religion, 6% are Shamanist and Christian, and 4% are Muslim.
Various forms of Tengriism and Shamanism have been widely practiced throughout the history of what is now modern day Mongolia, as such beliefs were common among nomadic people in Asian history. Such beliefs gradually gave way to Tibetan Buddhism, but Shamanism has left a mark on Mongolian religious culture, and continues to be practiced
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