Preservation of Tradition and Culture of Indigenous People
Indigenous People
''Uriankhai Epics (Tuuli)’’ and ‘’Uriankhai Tsuur’’ Preservation
Implemented projects to help preserve the Uriankhai Tuuli (in 2010 the Tuuli was registered with UNESCO as a tradition in urgent need of protection to prevent it from dying out) and Uriankhai Tsuuri (in 2009 the Tsuuri was registered with UNESCO as a tradition in urgent need of protection to prevent it from dying out) save it from disappearing. The project consisted of teaching the Tuuli and Tsuuri to 50 students in Duut Sum, Khovd province; filmed a documentary about the Tuuli and Tsuuri broadcasted to the community members of Khovd via local television stations; and facilitated awareness-raising activities among community members.
Preservation of Tradition and Culture of Indigenous People
Uriankhai Tuuli (Epic)
Uriankhai Tuuli (Epic)
In 2010, the Uriankhai Tuuli (Epic) was registered with UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding to prevent it from dying out. The Uriankhai Tuuli is the tradition that is facing the most pressure and danger. Tuuli is an epic, a song that retells the history of the ethnic group. These songs are not written down; rather, they are passed on as an oral tradition and stay alive through the people. These songs recount stories and history dating back numerous centuries and are therefore quite long, requiring a long time to learn, memorise, and master. Additionally, the song is sung in the Uriankhai dialect, which is different from the dominant Khalkh dialect found throughout most of Mongolia. The danger of losing this tradition stems from numerous problems. First, the Uriankhai dialect is rarely spoken these days; even Uriankhai children grow up speaking the Khalkh dialect of Mongolian. This inhibits the Tuuli from being passed down to younger generations, thus increasing the risk of losing this tradition. Secondly, globalisation and the spread of Western culture are drawing children away from traditional Uriankhai culture. As interest in the Tuuli wanes, the danger posed to the tradition heightens. Thirdly, very few people know the Tuuli, so the need for the Tuuli to be passed down to the younger generation is dire.
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Uriankhai Tsuur
In 2009, the Uriankhai Tsuur was registered with UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding to prevent it from dying out. The Uriankhai Tsuur is one of the ancient traditional musics of the Mongolians and is a rare and near-extinct one preserved by the end of the 20th century only among a few people of the Mongolian Uriankhai descent in Altai Region. Tsuur has its origins in an ancient practice of worshipping the Earth, mountains, rivers, and their respective guardian spirits by resembling sounds unnatural for human beings. Tsuur music belongs to the category of Mongolian folk music based on the combination of instrumental and vocal performance—a unique and rare phenomenon of blending the sounds simultaneously created by both the musical instrument and the human throat. The Uriankhai Tsuur is the tradition that is facing the most pressure and danger. The danger of losing this tradition stems from numerous problems. First, globalisation and the spread of Western culture are drawing children away from traditional Uriankhai culture. Secondly, very few people know the Tsuur, so the need for the Tsuur to be passed down to the younger generation is dire.
Mongol Biyelgee, Mongolian traditional folk dance
In 2009, the Mongol Biyelgee, Mongolian traditional folk dance, was registered with UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding to prevent it from dying out. The Mongol Biyelgee, or Mongolian Traditional Folk Dance, is performed by dancers from different ethnic groups in the Khovd and Uvs provinces of Mongolia. Regarded as the original forebear of Mongolian national dances, Biyelgee dances embody and originate from the nomadic way of life. Biyelgee dances are typically confined to the small space inside the ger (nomadic dwelling) and are performed while half-sitting or cross-legged. Hand, shoulder, and leg movements express aspects of Mongol lifestyle, including household labour, customs, and traditions, as well as spiritual characteristics tied to different ethnic groups. Biyelgee dancers wear clothing and accessories featuring colour combinations, artistic patterns, embroidery, knitting, quilting, leather techniques, and gold and silver jewellery specific to their ethnic group and community. The dances play a significant role in family and community events such as feasts, celebrations, weddings, and labour-related practices, simultaneously expressing distinct ethnic identities and promoting family unity and mutual understanding among different Mongolian ethnic groups. Traditionally, Mongol Biyelgee is transmitted to younger generations through apprenticeships or home tutoring within the family, clan, or neighbourhood. Today, the majority of transmitters of Biyelgee dance are elderly, and their numbers are decreasing. The inherent diversity of Mongol Biyelgee is also under threat, as there are very few representatives of the distinct forms of Biyelgee from different ethnic groups.
Khuumei
In 2010, the Khuumei was registered with UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Khöömei is a form of singing originating in western Mongolia, in the Altai Mountains. The performer imitates sounds of nature while simultaneously emitting two distinct vocal sounds: along with a continuous drone, the singer produces a melody of harmonics. Khöömei literally means pharynx, and it is believed to have been learned from birds, whose spirits are central to shamanic practices. The multitude of Khöömei techniques in Mongolia are grouped into two main styles: the kharkhiraa (deep Khöömei) and the isgeree Khöömei (whistled Khöömei). In kharkhiraa, the singer sings a drone in a normal voice while emphasising the undertone or subharmonic one octave below. In isgeree Khöömei, it is the overtones above the fundamental note of the drone that are emphasized, creating a higher-pitched whistle. In both cases, the drone is produced with very taut vocal cords, and the melody is created by modulating the size and shape of the mouth cavity, opening and closing the lips, and moving the tongue. Khöömei is performed by Mongolian nomads on a variety of social occasions, from grand state ceremonies to festive household events. Khöömei is also sung during herding and inside the yurt to lull babies to sleep. Traditionally, Khöömei is transmitted orally from bearer to learner or via master-to-apprentice.
Traditional Music of the Morin Khuur
In 2008, the traditional music of the Morin Khuur was registered with UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The two-stringed fiddle morin khuur has figured prominently in Mongolia’s nomad culture. String instruments adorned with horse heads are attested to by written sources dating from the Mongol empire of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The fiddle’s significance extends beyond its function as a musical instrument, for it was traditionally an integral part of the rituals and everyday activities of the Mongolian nomads. The design of the morin khuur is closely linked to the all-important cult of the horse. The instrument’s hollow trapezoid-shaped body is attached to a long fretless neck bearing a carved horse head at its extremity. Just below the head, two tuning pegs jut out like ears from either side of the neck. The soundboard is covered with animal skin, and the strings and bow are made of horsehair.The instrument’s characteristic sound is produced by sliding or stroking the bow against the two strings. Common techniques include multiple stroking with the right hand and a variety of left-hand fingering. It is mainly played in solo fashion but sometimes accompanies dances, long songs (urtiin duu), mythical tales, ceremonies, and everyday tasks related to horses. To this day, the morin khuur repertory has retained some tunes (tatlaga) specifically intended to tame animals. Owing to the simultaneous presence of a main tone and overtones, morin khuur music has always been difficult to transcribe using standard notation. It has been transmitted orally from master to apprentice for many generations. Over the past forty years, most Mongolians have settled in urban centres, far from the morin khuur’s historical and spiritual context. Moreover, the tuning of the instrument is often adapted to the technical requirements of stage performance, resulting in higher and louder sounds that erase many timbral subtleties. Fortunately, surviving herding communities in southern Mongolia have managed to preserve many aspects of morin khuur playing, along with related rituals and customs.
Urtiin Duu: Traditional Folk Long Song
In 2008, the Urtiin Duu: Traditional Folk Long Song was registered with UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Urtiin duu, or “long song,” is one of the two major forms of Mongolian songs, the other being the short song” (bogino duu). As a ritual form of expression associated with important celebrations and festivities, Urtiin duu plays a distinct and honoured role in Mongolian society. The Urtiin duu, or “long song,” is one of the two major forms of Mongolian songs, the other being the short song” (bogino duu). As a ritual form of expression associated with important celebrations and festivities, Urtiin duu plays a distinct and honoured role in Mongolian society. It is performed at weddings, the inauguration of a new home, the birth of a child, the branding of foals, and other social events celebrated by Mongolia’s nomadic communities. The Urtiin duu can also be heard at the naadam, a festivity featuring wrestling, archery, and horseracing competitions.
The Urtiin duu is a lyrical chant that is characterised by an abundance of ornamentation, falsetto, an extremely wide vocal range, and a free compositional form. The rising melody is slow and steady, while the falling melody is often intercepted with a lively rhythm. Performances and compositions of Urtiin duu are closely linked to the pastoral way of life of the Mongolian nomads on their ancestral grasslands. Widely believed to have originated 2,000 years ago, the Urtiin duu has been recorded in literary works since the thirteenth century. Since the 1950s, urbanisation and industrialization have increasingly superseded traditional nomadic lifestyles, leading to the loss of many traditional practices and expressions. Parts of the grasslands where tradition-bearers used to live as nomads have fallen victim to desertification, causing many families to shift to a sedentary way of life where many classical themes of Urtiin duu, such as the praise of typical nomads’ virtues and experiences, lose their relevance.
Kazakh traditional performing art dance and music
In 2022, the Kazakh traditional performing art dance and music was registered with UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Orteke is an indigenous Kazakh performing art that combines theatre, music, and puppetry. This folk art entails a music performance with a dombyra, a traditional two-stringed instrument, and a dance performed by a wooden puppet. Attached to the surface of a traditional drum with a metal rod, a wooden puppet in the shape of a mountain goat is connected to the fingers of a musician by one or several strings. As the musician strikes their fingers to play the dombyra, the puppet comes to life, hopping in sync with the music while tapping a rhythmic beat on the drum. Some experts can play with three or more puppets at a time. This performance, fascinating for its simplicity, is enjoyed by children and adults alike. Orteke, an important part of the region’s folk heritage and identity, also serves as a communication tool between adults and children.
