Post Tsagaan Sar Shaman Festival

This was a real cultural experience that we stumbled upon.  The first full moon since the end of Tsagaan Sar occurred last Thursday, and it is a very religious day for Shamanism which we were unaware of.  It was also International Women's Day, so school was closed.  We wondered why the US doesn't celebrate this.  Has the country maxed out days off for workers?

Back to the story.  Pam, two friends and I headed out to walk up the solidly frozen Tuul River.  As we slid our way upstream, we began to hear beating drums and then caught sight of lots of parked cars.  The hike was suddenly put on hold, and we scrambled up the river banks to check out the activity.

We were greeted with a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds and activities.  There was a large fire blazing away warming some of the Mongolians that had obviously come to see one or more shamans.  In addition, there were many blankets on the ground with bowls of milk, cups of vodka, the Tsagaan Sar centerpiece of biscuits and yogurt cheese toppings and, of course, mutton.  As we walked around, we became aware that we were causing more than a few heads to look our way.  It appeared that we were the only expats to grace this festival.

During the circumnavigation of the area, we witnessed people flicking milk or vodka into the air, onto the ground and towards the people.  This is to pay tribute to the sky, earth and people.  We also saw numerous male and female shamans dressed in costume in various stages of trances that involved beating drums, being cared for by non-shamans, smoking cigarettes made up with what we were not sure, and speaking in strange voices.  Some people were being beaten ( not harmfully) by shamans which we later found out was to drive evil spirits out either for themselves or for family members.  

As we stood mesmerized, a young man spoke to us in English and asked if we'd like to talk with his sister, a shaman.  Tolga, also a shaman, shared with us that he'd recently returned from the U. of Wash. where he'd been studying for the last 2 years.  An invitation like this was impossible to pass up.  Tolga's sister was in a trance when he had me sit next to her.  He explained that at the moment her body was occupied by an 800 year old spirit.  When I related my surprise upon seeing women shamans, he said that the women are much more powerful shamans than men.  He also shared that different shamans have particular expertise.  Some can address physical maladies while others can tell fortunes.  While I sat with Tolga's sister asking questions about future events, I became aware that a large group of Mongolians had encircled us.  Perhaps it was a sight to see an expat conversing with a shaman through an interpreter.

After finishing speaking with his sister, Tolga asked if we'd like to speak with the teacher of shamans.  The response was a no brainer.  He said that he would ask if she'd be willing to speak with us, which she agreed to.  During a trance no eye contact is made.  Tolga translated a few questions that the shaman had about my nationality and work.  It was then my turn for the questions, and she said that I'd be staying in Mongolia longer than my contract, that my kids would appreciate their visit here this summer more so after their return home, and that I'd be getting involved in a lucrative business.  Pam was told she has Mongolian blood in her through her maternal lineage and has a connection with Chinggis Khan.

Time will tell about these predictions but, in the meantime, this experience has both of us wanting to learn more about shamanism and keep working at improving our Mongolian language.      

Ken, Andy, Pam and I on the Tuul River

Prayer flag draped ovoos.

One would never believe that this is near to UB.

Ken reflecting on the experience.

One of the many shamans in costume.

Folks consulting with a shaman.

Consulting with Tolga's sister.

Speaking with the shaman teacher.

Tolga, his sister and enriched expats.

Tsagaan Sar (White Moon), Mongolian Lunar New Year

According to the Mongolian Dictionary & Phrasebook, this holiday has been going on for more than 2000 years.  The color white is associated with purity and happiness.  This holiday originally marked "the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring thaw" for the herders.  It usually occurs in February and has become associated in the non-nomad homes with the new lunar year, which is now the dragon.  It is a three day holiday similar to Thanksgiving because of visiting friends and family, eating and drinking.  Fatty sheep butt replaces the turkey, buhz (steamed dumplings filled with meat and onions) act as the hors d'ouvres, and the vodka flows freely.

There are many customs that Pam and I were coached on including how to enter a ger (always enter and move in a clockwise direction), bringing a khadag, a blue Buddhist piece of silk, to present to the oldest person in the ger, and on how to greet elders or younger folk.  Greetings involve cheek kissing and hand placement.  A younger person always places his or her hands facing upwards under the elbows of an elder.  This shows respect.  Another custom is to drink the entire first offering of vodka but, after that, one can place the ring finger of one's right hand in the vodka and flick some upwards, straight out in front and to the ground honoring the sky, people and Earth.  If you've had your fill of vodka, you then touch the ring finger to your forehead, indicating that you've had enough.  (I kept missing that part as we sat with a herder's family in the country.)  When receiving or giving some food or drink, it is always handled with the right hand while the left hand is under the right elbow, or it is given and received with both hands.  In both cases, the shirt sleeves are pulled down.  This is definitely a challenging place for left handers and a great place to retire for old school nuns that believe everything should be done right handed.  There is also a center piece of specially made oblong, cookie type biscuits that are stacked in odd numbers of layers.  The odd-numbered layers represent 'happiness' and the even-numbered layers represent 'suffering'.  The top layer should end in 'happiness'. The older the head of the ger is, the higher the stack of biscuits.

We were introduced to the horses the herder raised for racing and shown the number of medals that his kids had won.  The racers are young boys up to, I believe, 10 years of age but can begin at 4 or 5.  On our way back to UB, we stopped at an ovoo, a pile of sacred rocks which often have a stick in the center and prayer flags or silks attached to the stick.  For good luck while traveling, one circles the rocks clockwise three times before continuing on the journey.  Fortunately this does not have to be done at each ovoo that is passed, or it could take weeks to go 20 kilometers.

Since the holiday we've had many days of temps in single negative digits which has now almost become balmy to us.  The other surprise is the disappearance of a significant amount of snow and ice even though we've yet to go above freezing.  Since this winter didn't kill us, we're feeling stronger and have new definitions of cold, warm and hot.  We've also developed better timing of when to place that right ring finger to our foreheads.

Just trying to fit in.

The buhz are in the small dish to the right, and the small silver bowl just in front of the buhz is for the vodka.  In the background is the fatty sheep butt.  The tower is made of layers of biscuits, and the top is covered with dried cheese/yogurt pieces.

Our host is the one in the baseball cap.

One of our host's daughters in their "yard"

Touring the stables and a brief respite from celebrating. 

This is a Mongolian dog known as 'four eyes' because of the brown spots above the eyes.

Sergei, displaying good vodka drinking form.

Sheep butt (and tail) airag (mare's milk) and some kimchi.  How did that get there??

Horse riders and daughters of the ger.

Remind you of Thanksgiving??

The trainer and one of his champs.  I don't have a clue what he's talking about.  

Cheers!