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How to Behave in Mongolia |
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 Mongolia is a fascinating country with a deep and varied culture. The Mongols are often considered to be one of the founding ancient civilizations of the world and many of the traditions, customs and etiquette true at the time of Gengghis Khan are still true today. As with any other civilizations, customs and beliefs are different then your own, it is important that as a visitor to Mongolia you abide or at least try to understand the local customs, traditions and beliefs so that you may better understand the country as a whole. This section contains a list of some of the traditions and beliefs of the Mongolian People. They are far too numerous to list all in here but its a start we will keep work on. Here we make some suggestions, but Mongolians are a tolerant and friendly people and they will not expect you to be familiar with all their customs.
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Mongolians are sensitive to outward appearances and a neat appearance is much appreciated. This can of course be problematic if you have travelled over huge distances and are feeling a little drained, but it is worth remembering
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As Mongolians were all originally nomads, hospitality is seen as extremely important and there are some points to remember in connection with this. The first concerns food and drink: When you are offered something to eat or drink, always accept. If in reality you are not keen on eating or drinking that particular thing, take a nibble or sip, then put it down. It is considered rude to refuse outright. Similarly try not to show any negative feelings too openly if what has been offered is not to your taste. This also applies to being offered a shot of vodka: a touch to the lips will suffice if you do not want to drink.
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Be careful when visiting people's tents: Mongolians are keenly aware of their traditions, and there are many traditions concerning gers. Try to familiarise yourself with some of these traditions. The first of these is that it is considered unlucky to step on the door-step of the door-frame to the ger. The second is that guests should move to the left of the fireplace on entering the tent, and the host will indicate a suitable place to sit. If you have rented your own ger, then you are of course free to do as you wish.
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Customs and Traditions |
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 Since the beginning of time, the Mongols considered the upbringing and
education of their children in a civilized manner to be an obligation
before the state and the people. This is why the linguistic association
of the Mongolian word "humuujil" (educate, bring up) is related to the
idea of "humuun" (human) or "humuuniig hun bolgoh" (to bring up, make
up a man). Along with a healthy and normal physical upbringing, much
attention was paid to the intellectual, moral and ethical development
of a child, even when unborn. Mongolian traditions strictly forbid
frightening a pregnant woman, making her unhappy or employing her to do
difficult jobs.
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Religious Practices |
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 Tibetan (Mahayana) Buddhism has long been the religion of the Mongols. Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan (1216-94), selected Buddhism from all the religions represented in his empire to be adopted by his imperial court in Beijing. However it was several centuries before Buddhism really took hold in Mongolia. In 1578 the country reconverted to Tibetan Buddhism when a Tibetan monk, Sonam Gyatsho, recognised as a reincarnation of Kublai Khan, received the title, Dalai Lama, from the Mongol Altan Khan.
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Ger Etiquette |
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 The large, white felt tent, known as a ger (pronounced 'gair') and seen all over Mongolia, is probably the most identifiable symbol of Mongolia. (The word yurt was introduced by the Russians. If you don't want to offend the nationalistic sensibilities of the Mongolians, use the word 'ger'.)The outer and innermost material of the ger is usually canvas, with an insulating layer of felt sandwiched in between, all supported by a collapsible wooden frame. They appear flimsy, but gers hold up amazingly well to Mongolia's fierce winds. Ancient gers were more solidly built: when it was necessary to move them, they had to be placed on carts and pulled by horses. This proved very cumbersome, so the invention of collapsible models was a great advance in Mongolian technology.
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Travellers Information 
