Tsagaan Sar - The White Month of the Mongols
Tsagaan Sar, celebrated as the Mongolian New Year, has been celebrated since the 13th century. During the Soviet régime this holiday was suppressed and traditions were prohibited in all but the most remote areas of Mongolia. Since the declaration of democracy in the early '90s Mongolians have revived the old traditions and it is celebrated on a nationwide scale. Special foods are eaten and rituals are observed during this national holiday. The Mongolian staff at ISU planned a special excursion and celebration to share their Tsagaan Sar rituals with the expatriate staff; this was held about 2 weeks before the actual date for the Mongolian new year at a ger camp about a 45-minute drive from the city.
The large ger is said to be the largest in the world. The smaller gers look tiny by comparison but they are of a fairly standard size.
The scale of the size of the the regular-sized gers is evident with the staff arriving for their day of
Tsagaan Sar activities. Many of the expat staff, like their Mongolian colleagues, have dressed in
traditional clothing; Mongolians are honoured when expatriates embrace Mongolian customs.
lathing behind the seats of honour are snow leopard pelts, used for decoration and as insulation
against the cold. The snow leopard is an endangered species and individuals are not permitted to
own the pelts. These were confiscated from individuals who historically had hunted the snow
leopard and who no longer had the right to own them.
Some of the traditional foods are explained. The layers are created with loaves of bread and the white
squares are dried cheese curd. The bread is placed in an uneven number of layers, each layer representing the happiness and sadness of life, alternatively. Tsagaan Sar is very much a family
holiday and in the weeks leading to this holiday the stores display and sell the traditional foods that
are prepared and served.
One of the musicians who provided entertainment is seated holding a "morin
hurr" his traditional horse head fiddle. In addition to playing his fiddle this
Mongolian man is a talented throat singer.
A Mongolian elder standing in front of the ceremonial head table and chairs.
And then outside to play ... quite literally, everyone went outdoors to play traditional games together.
