Mongolia Local Customs

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SNIFF THE SNUFF

by swesn

Mongolian men carry with them a snuff bottle, filled with snuff, a sort of tobacco powder. A custom upon meeting friends is to exchange their snuff bottles with the other men. Unscrew the cap. Take the little ladel which is attached to the cap and scoop out a miniscule spoonful of the powder. Place it on your finger and sniff the powder. If you cough, you have taken too much but that is usually to the delight of the owner. While this is to be practised among men only, we female tourists somehow got away with sniffing it.

THE LITTLE FINGER

by swesn

A typical hand-sign is the little finger. They point to something and then hold up the little finger to mean that is bad, this is lousy, or you are not a nice person, I do not like her, etc… Our Mongolian Herdsman kept doing that gesture to his wife, the poor dear.

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INSIDE THE GER

by swesn

Entering the ger, one should walk clock-wise around it. There are standard places to put things. The stove is in the middle. On the left, upon entering, is where they put the horse saddles and other related items. In the back-ground is the family chest. To the right of the family chest is the bed. On the right side of the door is the kitchen area. The door is always low so a guest needs to bow his head upon entering. This means that the guest, even if he is the emperor, is still subservient to the host.

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Rules of behaviour in a ger

by aussie75

When you enter a ger there are some rules that you have to remember:1. As soon as you enter, go to the left side of the tent. The right side is for the family.2. They will offer you something to drink or to eat, you should accept everything and remember to bring it with your right hand.3. Take everything with your hand open and your palm turned up.

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CURRENCY

by kiwigal_1

The money used in Mongolia is the Tugrik. It is impossible to buy or sell Mongolian Tugriks anywhere other than Mongolia. The Tugrik comes in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,100,500,1000,5000 and 10000. The most common notes are 100 and up. There are a few coins but these are basically useless.In Mongolia the use of credit cards is minimal if at all. It is best to bring either cash or travellers checks in US Dollars. It is possible to change DeutchMarks but other currencies are difficult to change and the rate of exchange is worse.

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HADAG

by kiwigal_1

As I mentioned before a hadag is a sacred (usually blue) cloth that is hung in temples and on sacred Shaman ovoo's. This picture shows the roof of a ger with a hadag hanging there. The hadag is placed here to keep the family safe. A hadag will also be presented at wedding ceremonies to the newly-weds and will then be displayed in their house (usually surrounding pictures of family) for good luck.Never remove a hadag from a temple or ovoo. If you want one as a souvenir you can buy them near Gandan Monastery.

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The Mongolian people I met...

by Tom1971

The Mongolian people I met struck me as being scrupulously honest, including the taxi drivers who were at pains to make sure I understood how much I was paying. I left my North Face jacket in a club, and when I went back I found that a guy had put it away and even stood guard over it until I returned. Visiting a Mongolian family in a Ger was very interesting-my guide explained the procedure they went through of asking the host how he was, how his family was, his livestock and so on before moving on to introductions and tea/snacks. I got the impression that there are certain set ways of doing many things that it would take a long time to learn. You will also be offered snuff from carved stone bottles by Mongolian men-you don't have to take any, just sniff the bottle and give in back on the open palm of your right hand. The LP recommends taking practical gifts if you visit a Ger, so I took...

The Gandan Monastery in Ulan...

by PFS

The Gandan Monastery in Ulan Bator is the largest and most important monastery in Mongolia. You find it at the end of Ondor Geegen Zanabazaryn Gudamj and is open from 9am to 9pm every day. There is no entrance fee but you will be asked to make a donation of 1 $US for the entrance and $US 3 for taking pictures. There are many mongolians visiting the monastery and taking pictures.

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* Champions are treated as...

by o00o

* Champions are treated as national heroes, with wrestling ranks known as champion, lion, elephant, and bird * Nadaam opens with a huge parade, somewhat military styled with many soldiers dressing in Chinggis-era style clothing. The festival is raucous, lively and certainly the biggest celebration on the Mongolian calendar. By the third day, many of the locals have had a bit too much to drink, and day four is something of a national recovery day.

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< NADAAM FESTIVAL > Mongolia's...

by o00o

< NADAAM FESTIVAL > Mongolia's self styled Olympics is a three-day festival which takes place in early July and coincides with the anniversary of the 1921 revolution. Nadaam, short for 'the three manly sports', is a national holiday and celebration. Attendees watch competitions in archery, horse back riding and Mongolian's favorite sport, wrestling. >* Champions are treated as national heroes, with wrestling ranks known as champion, lion, elephant, and bird * Nadaam opens with a huge parade, somewhat military styled with many soldiers dressing in Chinggis-era style clothing. The festival is raucous, lively and certainly the biggest celebration on the Mongolian calendar. By the third day, many of the locals have had a bit too much to drink, and day four is something of a national recovery day.

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Local traditions and culture in Mongolia

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Local Customs: Cities in Mongolia
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  2. Gachuurt Local Customs

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  We have the opportunity of visiting Ulaanbaator for two days in December this year. Could anyone tell me how difficult it is to... 

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A: That depends, do you know what -20 to -30 C fells like? The locals are used to it. Just because it's cold, doesn't mean the whole city goes into hibernation. Things are... 

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