On the fist Wednesday of the new year (tomorrow 5 January at 7PM) we have in Cafe Amsterdam the fourth and last episode of the documentary series "On the Trail of Genghis Khan" about Tim Cope's horseback journey from Mongolia to Hungary.
People who saw the first episodes in the cafe really enjoyed it, so come tomorrow to watch the last episode, which is also interesting and understandable when you haven't seen the first parts. 

About Tim Cope:
Australian Tim Cope is traveler, author and film-maker, who first came to Mongolia via Russia by bicycle in 2000. Since then he has developed friendship with Tseren and Rik from Cafe Amsterdam and Tseren Tours. Tim was part of a row boat journey along the Yenisey river from lake Baikal to the Arctic in 2001. In 2004 he started a 3-year 10.000km journey on horseback from Mongolia to Hungary. He was chosen the Australian Adventurer of the year 2006. This summer he visited Mongolia again and did with Tseren a trek in the west of Mongolia. In July Tim gave a lecture in CafeAmsterdam.

About the film:
Tim just finished making a documentary about his journey on horseback from Mongolia to Hungary. This documentary will be broadcast in a series of 4 parts of 45 minutes on the French/German network Arte and the German television channel ZDF next year. A few parts of the documentary he has shown already in Cafe Amsterdam during his lecture in July

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On December 17, 2009 at 7:00 PM in Cafe Amsterdam we would like to invite you to the Mongolia launch of “Mongolia – Nomad Empire of Blue Sky” written by Carl Robinson and produced jointly by the Mongolia National Tourism Organization, an NGO dedicated to marketing and promotion of Mongolia and Odyssey Publications. The book will be sold more than 7,000 copies in 23 countries around the world. The book is 536 pages containing 250 color photos and 14 maps.

 

The popular image of Mongolia is a vast and featureless landscape of grassy steppe and sandy deserts sprawled across the top of Asia between China and Russia. But the reality of this remote and landlocked country is much more diverse – and inviting. Mongolia also has soaring snow-capped mountains, forested ranges and bare outcrops plus hundreds of rivers and lakes, including one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes. Its rich animal life, both wild and domesticated, is totally absorbing. And its nomadic people are certainly among the most hospitable on earth.

 

Odyssey’s just-released Mongolia: Nomad Empire of Eternal Blue Sky(available 2/12/09) is a beautifully illustrated book providing a comprehensive and insightful guide to the diverse natural history and rich culture of this land of constant surprises.  But the 536-page publication is more than just a guide, but a mini-encyclopedia to this little-known nation that’s been fully-independent only since 1990.  Even those interested in simply knowing more about the land that once gave the world the Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan will be drawn into this magnificently-produced and highly-readable publication.

 

With a reporter’s eye and historian’s ear, veteran foreign correspondent Carl Robinson takes readers on a highly-descriptive, factual and sometimes quirkily personal journey around this vast nation of only 2.6 million people who are far outnumbered by their domesticated horses, goats, sheep, cattle and camels. Starting with the Trans-Mongolian Train journey in from Beijing, the book explores the capital Ulaanbaatar and then, fully-respecting Mongolian tradition, journeys clockwise around the entire country. Unlike others, this guide uses a more comprehensible approach that emphasis distinct geographic and historic regions instead of provinces. Most destinations are simply not on standard tour itineraries and will stimulate operators and tourists to discover new ones.

 

The book is the result of the author’s collaboration with many Mongolians from all walks of life that has nurtured itself into solid friendship. In recognition of this valuable friendship and despite below-freezing mid-winter temperatures, author Carl Robinson is taking the first copies of the book by train into Mongolia after its official launch at the China Club in Hong Kong on 9 December 2010. This guide to Mongolia is the latest from Odyssey Books & Guides (www.odysseypublications.com) which this year celebrates its 30^th Anniversary as the publisher of high-quality and detailed guides, many to quite exotic destinations.

 

 

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The Margaret Mead International film and video festival in Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator) Mongolia will be held during the weekend of 24-26 September 2009  (Thursday, Friday, Saturday), at the Tengis movie theater and M-Club cinema. The entrance is FREE for the public. The movies will be followed by discussions with the audience.

The Festival is distinguished by its outstanding selection of titles, which tackle diverse and challenging subjects, representing a range of issues and perspectives relevant today to Mongolian society.

The festival is named after Margaret Mead (1901-1978) a respected and controversial  American cultural anthropologist.  Her first book Coming of Age in Samoa about the healthy attitude towards SEX in South Pacific and Southeast Asian traditional cultures made her famous and influenced the western sexual revolution in the 1960s.

Three movies will represent the growing number of Mongolian movie makers: "Uncrowned" (50 min), "I am sorry" (15 min) and   "In search of Truth" (52 min). Other movies are from USA, Israel, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Cameroon, China, Great Britain and Tajikistan. Documentaries include those that touch on the world’s crucial issues such as national conflicts, population growth, child labor and domestic violence.

Download the festival program in Mongolian, in English WORD and English PDF.

See ToMongolia for complete details photos and some of the festival movie trailers.

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By: Dan and Otgo

"Gongoriin Bombani Hural" Ceremony
A spectacular ceremony named "Gongoriin Bombani Hural" will take place at Amarbayasgalant Khiid on August 13-14-15, 2009. Hundreds of worshipers and visitors are expected to attend. The monastery is located about 70km west of Darkhan in northern Mongolia. The unique costumes of the monks, the special rituals and above all the Tsam Dance make it one of the most elaborate ceremonies in Mongolian tradition.
Otgo  had the opportunity to interview the manager of the monastery.  Today 50 monks reside in the monastery.  The youngest monk is 11 years old and the oldest is 104. This old monk has lived through the modern history of Mongolia -  the Chinese rule in the 1900's , Russian rule in the 1920's, the socialist repression of Buddhism  in the 1930's and  today's democracy, which permits  free religious practices. The head of the monastery today is Luvsansonom (Olonbayar).

Tsam Dance

Otgo explains  that the highlight of the ceremony will be the Tsam Dance. The ritual Tsam dance is performed by skilled monks dressed in colorful costumes wearing  large expressive masks. The name "Gongoriin" in the ceremony name refers to the "Gongor" deity (God) also known as the "Tsagaan Makhgal".   Tsagaan in Mongolian is "white" because the mask representing Gongor is white. The equivalent Tibetan deity  is named "Mgon Dkar". The Gongor deity is one of the ten protector deities.  He is the distributor of wealth and eliminator of poverty.

The Tsam dance was performed at the monastery annually until 1937 when the monks were persecuted by the communist regime. The revival of the ceremony became possible as a result of the collapse of the communist regime in Mongolia in 1990.

 

The Monastery - Amarbayasgalant Khiid
The magnificent  monastery, once one of the three largest Buddhist centers in Mongolia is located in the remote Ivon Gol Valley at the foot of the Burenkhan Mountains. It was built over a period of 10 years from 1726 to 1736. A few thousand resident monks served and studied at the monastery.

The monastery was built to honor the memory of Zanabazar one of the great Buddhist leaders of Mongolia. After he died his remains where brought to be buried in this monastery.

Zanabazar
Undur Geghen Zanabazar (1635-1723) was a supreme spiritual teacher in Mongolia, and a world famous sculpture, painter, poet, and publisher. Zanabazar founded many temples and monasteries, spreading Buddha's teachings across Mongolia.

Among his many accomplishments, Zanabazar is probably best remembered for his bronze statues. During his lifetime, notes a modern-day art historian, he was the greatest Buddhist sculptor in Asia. His bronze statues are now the centerpieces of several museums in Ulaanbaatar. A school of Zanabazar has evolved in contemporary art, emulating Zanabazar's original sculptures.These "Zanabazar" sculptures have recently been sold in galleries in New York City, for several hundred thousand dollars. Zanabazar’s original works are undoubtedly “priceless.”

The legend of the Monastery name "Amarbayasgalant"
Don Corner tells about the origins of the name of the monastery: In his will Kangxi (Chinese Emperor) had bequeathed 3,860 kilograms of silver with instructions to his successor that it be used to construct a monastery to house Zanabazar’s remains. According to legend, he sent a team of researchers to Mongolia to seek out an appropriate location. In the valley of the Iven River, a tributary of the Orkhon, they found a little boy and girl playing together. When asked their names the boy said “Amar” (amar = happiness, peacefulness) and the girl “Bayasgalant” (bayasgalant = joy, pleasure, happiness). These meaningful names in this remote location made them decide to build the new monastery on this site and call it Amarbayasgalant. According to the legend, when Amar and Bayasgalant died they were buried in the front courtyard of the monastery.

Recent developments
The reconstruction of the monastery since 1990 has once again made it  one of the most popular monasteries in Mongolia. In 2004 the Canadian Gaden Relief Fund  contributed over 12 million Togrog for drilling a water well next to the monastery. After years of carrying  water from the nearby river,  the monastery and it's tourist Ger camp can enjoy fresh clean water.

Trek to the monastery
There is a very nice trek from the town of Darkhan, crossing the Orkhon river, through beautiful valleys to the monastery. A detailed description of the trek complete with maps can be found on ToMongolia.

 

Related article: Mongolian Gobi Treasure Hunt, August 1st 2009, Live Webcast - about unearthing the treasures of Danzanravjaa, hidden in the Gobi near the Kamariin Khiid monastery 70 years ago during the socialist purge.

 

 

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In 2004, 25 year old Australian Tim Cope set out to experience life on the great Eurasian steppes, his idea: to ride a horse 10,000km from Mongolia to Hungary among on the trail of Genghis Khan. Beginning as a novice who could not even ride a horse, this journey eventually took him beyond his dreams, through three and a half years that changed his life. Along the way he was challenged by horse stealing, wolves, extreme conditions that ranged from -50 degrees to +50 degrees, corrupt bureaucracy, and near the end the unfortunate death of his father in Australia in a car accident. Tim's aim was to understand the life of the Eurasian nomads- whose ancestors were the first in history to domesticate the horse and under Genghis Khan formed the largest empire in history. After having his horses stolen on just the fifth day of the journey, Tim realised that the only way to achieve his aim was to leave his baggage behind as a westerner and look at the world through the eyes of a nomad. More than 150 families took him into their homes, teaching him the way of the steppe and the value of friendship. Tim travelled through Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea, Ukraine, and Hungary. By the time he arrived on the Danube in the end of 2007, he had become a folk hero, honoured by locals who saw him as celebrating their cultural heritage.

 

Tim Cope is an author (Off the Rails Published by Penguin) and film-maker, who first came to Mongolia via Russia in 2000 by bicycle. Since then he has developed a close friendship with Tseren and Rik from Cafe Amsterdam/Tseren Tours. Tim has was also part of a row boat journey along theYenisey river from lake Baikal to the Arctic Ocean in 2001. He was the Australian Adventurer of the year 2006 and is currently in Mongolia running a trek with Tseren.

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by: Dan and Unuruu

On August 1st, 2009, Danzan Ravjaa's treasure chests buried in the Gobi will be unearthed. These treasures were hidden in the Gobi desert  seventy years ago, following the socialist purge in the 1930's.

The live Internet Webcast will show directly from the Gobi desert on the Treasure-Hunt website and on ToMongolia,  (1, August, 18:00 Mongolian time, 11:00 GMT)

The Webcast will reveal the unique story of  Danzan Ravjaa (1803 - 1856), a revered figure, little known in the West.
He was one of the greatest and most unusual intellectuals in Mongolian history, a skilled artist, talented composer, leader, educator, play write, reformist, astronomer, architect, healer, and founder of 11 institutions and monasteries across the Gobi. The full scope of Danzan Ravjaa's creativity can be truly appreciated at his home monastery, Khamariin Khiid, where the event will take place.

Danzan Ravjaa's charisma and vision influenced the development of Mongolian culture, and continues to inspire it today.

 

Danzan Ravjaa - a Genius is Born

Danzan Ravjaa's mother died shortly after his birth.  He was raised by his father, Dulduyitu, a wandering singer, with whom he went begging and singing. One night a pack of wolves attacked and ate their only horse. Danzan Ravjaa's father, in his despair, dedicated his 6 year old son to the monastery of Onggiyin Ghool. At the monastery Danzan Ravjaa displayed a gift for the spontaneous composition of meaningful songs and poems. This gift he acquired from his father during the time they sang and begged to survive.

Shortly after Danzan Ravjaa's arrival at the monastery, the fourth Lama of the Gobi was executed by the Manchurian rulers, following many scandals, including the murder of a member of the Chinese royal family. The Manchu Emperor banned the Lama's reincarnation.

A few years later, when Danzan Ravjaa reached the age of 8,  he was recognized as the Fifth Noyon Incarnate Lama of the Gobi, also known as "Lord of the Gobi". He was enthroned, although officially given a different title so as to hide his true identity from the Manchu Emperor.  Perhaps his young age aided in saving him from being executed by the Manchurian Emperor.

The Assassination of Danzan Ravjaa's
The 19th century was a time of great depression for Mongolia under the control of Manchurian China. The once powerful Mongols were reduced to a nation of petty bureaucrats. A voice was needed to condemn the wrongs of society and Danzan Ravjaa rose to assume this role.

A tense relationship developed between Danzan Ravjaa and the Manchu authorities.  Anti-Manchu elements were depicted in his art, drama and teachings.  It seems likely that the Manchu rulers sensed his anti-Manchu sentiments and his charismatic hold on the Gobi.  As a result, they presumably arranged for his assassination. Danzan Ravjaa was poisoned to death in 1856, at the age of 54.

As Danzan Ravjaa understood that he was being poisoned he wrote his last poem ‘The Way of the World’.
The poem criticizes the hypocritical nature of the society in which he lived. The first verse of the poem;

You’ve no right to be sober –
The world doesn’t agree with that.
You’ve no right to be decent –
The world is consumed with pride.

After his death, the Manchus ordered his theatre and art school closed and forbade any activity at Khamariin other than routine lamasery functions of prayer and teaching.

In an effort to preserve Danzan Ravjaa's heritage, his assistant Balshinchoijoo amassed the contents of the temples, Danzan Ravjaa's artworks, books, compositions, sets, costumes, gifts from abroad and all the religious items and his other personal possessions—into 1500 chests and secured them in two temples along with Danzan Ravjaa's body which he had mummified.

"Ten Thousand Knives" Statue
The story of the "Ten Thousand Knives" statue, as told by Monk Konchog Norbu, emphasizes Danzan Ravjaa's charisma and leadership. Norbu explains that the Khamariin Khiid, Danzan Ravjaa's home monastery was known for it's harmonious community. The unexpected stabbing to death of a Chinese person in 1825 following a dispute, came as a great surprise and shattered the peaceful community. Danzan Ravjaa grasped the opportunity. He asked that all knives that might be used as weapons from the surrounding area to be brought to him. The response was outstanding - 10,000 knives were brought to the Monastery doorstep.

Danzan Ravjaa had all the knives melted down and forged into an exquisite statue of Guru Rinpoche, founder of the Nyingma lineage, known as the Red Hat school of Buddhist thought. Although Khamariin Khiid was associated with the Tibetan Red Hat, Danzan Ravjaa built temples to honor both the Red Hat and the rivalry Yellow Hat lineage, resulting in conflict with the spiritual hierarchy of his time. Once displayed, the statue became an object of pilgrimage known as the Statue of "Ten Thousand Knives" and peace prevailed at Khamariin Khiid for the rest of Danzan Ravjaa's life.

 

 

Replacement of the Lost Crown

While the re-installation of the Statue of "Ten Thousand Knives" at Khamariin Khiid provided deep satisfaction for the people of the Gobi, it was incomplete. Somewhere on its journey through time, the statue  lost its metal crown. A search in all major museums holding Mongolian art did not reveal anything. Since  no image of the crown was available, a design was made based on a similar statue found in India. A few knives where collected - one from a Gobi prison which  had been confiscated after its use in fights; and one from a military base near the Chinese border where there had been violent conflicts among the soldiers. The knives were melted down and blended with silver. The silver was plated in gold  and studded with precious and semi-precious stones from India, Tibet, and the Gobi, including some taken from Danzan Ravjaa's own collection. Many faithful Gobi residents contributed small pieces of silver and gold to be used in the crown. The ceremony replacing the missing crown on the statue took place on August of 2005.

A recent twist to the story appeared on a Swedish news website on July 5th 2009 (Swedish, and English). The news item tells of a precious Mongolian silver crown stolen in 1984 from a Stockholm museum  that was recently found on the premises of the Swedish Police Service, where it had been accidentally stored for more than twenty years.

Is this the original lost crown? We do not know. Further investigation  is needed.

 

 

Schools, Library, Museum, and the First Mongolian Theatre.

The activities at the Khamariin Khiid monastery were not limited to religious rituals. Danzan Ravjaa turned the monastery into a vital  cultural and academic center.  In a valley near the temple complex, Danzan Ravjaa built Mongolia’s first theater and set up its first theater company. He designed the sets and costumes, wrote the scripts and music and supervised and taught the actors how to perform. His best known drama, "The Moon Cuckoo", took 120 performers several weeks to stage. The story,  "Moon Cuckoo" was originally written in 1737 by Dagpu Lobsan Danbi Djalcan, a Tibetan monk from the Drepung monastery. Danzan Ravjaa created an extravagant opera based on this story.  The performances were not only presented to those living and visiting the monastery, Danzan Ravjaa traveled with his acting troupe to the periphery on camel caravans.

He was also an enthusiastic collector of valuable objects and opened Mongolia's first museum at his main monastery, Khamariin Khiid. In addition, he had knowledge of medicinal plants and treated his disciples as well as the Bogd Gegeen of Khuree.

At the peak of this period, the monastery housed 500 permanent residents. The compound consisted of four colleges, which taught general studies, astronomy, art, and theater. He opened a popular children’s school training children as artists, sculptors, singers and dancers as well as giving basic and vocational training.

Danzan Ravjaa established a large library in the monastery with books he collected during his extensive travels across Mongolia, China and Tibet.

"Pretty Woman" - Danzan Ravjaa - Poet, Lover and Reformist
Danzan Ravjaa followed the Red Hat school of Buddhist thought which was more liberal than others were and permitted marriage for priests. Men and women are permitted to pray together in the temple. Ravjaa's erotic drawings, which were drawn using live models, often depict men and women bathing naked together displaying a humanistic touch.

Danzan Ravjaa respected women and made love to many. Against the advice of his superiors, he gave women equal rights and meaningful roles during Buddhist ceremonies. Danzan Ravjaa was the first to enroll women in his school, preaching that women are entitled to an equal education. He gave women central  roles in the plays he wrote and performed.

One of the most loved songs by Mongolians today is Ulemjiin Chanar translated as "Your Perfect Qualities" meaning "Pretty Woman", written and composed by Danzan Ravjaa.

 

..

The Treasure Chests - Ravjaa's Heritage

 

After Danzan Ravjaa's death his treasures were collected. Some artifacts were put on display and some were put into chests. Over a thousand chests where stored in Khamariin Khiid for many years. The treasures included statues, hundreds of poems and plays written on paper by Danzan Ravjaa, coated images on paper, documents, prayer books and ritual objects, His private library, opera costumes (predominantly silk and cotton) including masks, hats, boots, metal and wood artifacts, precious glass, silver and gold presents Danzan Ravjaa received from noble visiting leaders were also amassed.

 

 

The Socialist Purge in the 1930's

Following the communist revolution in Russia, Mongolia became a satellite socialist country under the influence of Russia. The Buddhists were organized, wealthy and powerful, and their elimination as a political counter force was thought necessary in order to build a socialist society. The Soviet-directed purges began in the 1930's and culminated in 1938 with the Mongolian and Soviet armies ransacking and destroying more than 700 monasteries, killing 27,000 people including 17,000 Buddhist monks. In 1938 the army set up camp near Khamariin Khiid, which was at the time one of the most powerful monasteries in Mongolia.

Saving Danzan Ravjaa's Heritage
Tudev, the caretaker (Takhilch) of the monastery treasures, knew that it was his duty to save the treasures. Night after night he loaded one chest  at a time on his horse and disappeared into the Gobi desert where he buried the chests in locations only he knew. He managed to bury 64 chests.  On the sixty-fifth night, the troops came to the monastery and destroyed all the remaining chests. The temples', theatre, and other buildings were completely destroyed, and even the trees planted by Danzan Ravjaa were cut down because they believed Danzan Ravjaa’s hold on local people was so strong that every vestige of his presence had to be obliterated. Three hundred monks were arrested and never seen again. Only a few managed to disappear into the countryside.

 

Passing on the Secrete Location

The location of the hidden chests was kept in secrecy for many years. Tudev did not tell anyone about his secret and kept no notes of their location. He was the only one who knew exactly where he had dug the holes to bury the treasure chests. When a nomadic herder stumbled by chance on a cavern where two chests were hidden, he dutifully turned them over to the authorities.  They were burned by members of the socialist regime. Tudev himself was arrested for some time on the accusation of secretly practicing Buddhist rituals, after he was found wondering in the Gobi desert. He was actually on his way to check the safety of the treasures.

Tudev understood that he must revile to someone his secret. In 1960 Tudev's daughter in Ulaanbaatar gave birth to Altangerel (Mongolian

for “Golden Light”). The mother noticed a birthmark on the child in the shape of a moon crescent; Special significant was attributed to this shape. Tudev, the grandfather, had the same significant birthmark.  Tudev understood that his grandson must be the one to be carry on the secret, as to the site of the hidden treasure chests.  Tudev trained Altangerel for his future role as the next Takhilch.

Altangerel acquired his academic degree and returned to Sainshand in 1989 to work as a school teacher. When the communist government fell in 1990, he decided it was time to reveal some of the secrets of Danzan Ravjaa. The two restored temples at Khamariin were reconstructed and in 1991 he dug up eight chests of religious objects,  Also in 1991 local officials gave him a building in Sainshand to set up the Danzan Ravjaa Museum, in which are displayed objects from another twenty-four chests.  Included in the exhibits, are the best drawings, paintings, costumes and other beautiful items. Since then he has continued his Takhilch responsibilities as Museum Director. Tudev died on December 9, 1990, without seeing the new temples or the museum.

Buddhist Rituals Related to Danzan Ravjaa
I asked Unuruu, the research manager of ToMongolia to explain the various rituals related to Danzan Ravjaa at Khamariin Khiid. Unuruu is a devoted Buddhist and visited Khamariin Khiid in July 2009 during Naadam the national festival of Mongolia.

She expressed her feelings towards Danzan Ravjaa:

I am very proud of him as a Mongolian; he influenced the change of attitude towards women in Mongolian society. Before the time of Danzan Ravjaa women did not have a significant role in society, Danzan Ravjaa enrolled women for the first time into the educational system. He insisted that women receive the same education as men. Today Mongolian women are educated and have an important role in society.

What about the allegations that he was obsessed in making love to many women, I asked.

It is very simple to explain, she said, he missed his mother's love. His mother died shortly after he was born; consequently, his poor father had to take care of him, and eventually placed him in a monastery. His unsatisfied love to women was just trying to compensate for the love of a mother he never had.

Danzan Ravjaa created a large Ovoo one passes before entering the monastery. This Ovoo is an unusual one, it is in the shape of a large woman's breast. Only women are allowed to participate in the ceremony around the breast Ovoo. The ceremony takes place at sunrise, as the sun rises the women spray milk at the Ovoo breast, and surround it three times. This ceremony is believed to bring feminine energy to women, enabling them to carry out their feminine roles.

 

 

After the Ovoo I went to the bell, says Unuruu. The bell is on a small mount where Danzan Ravjaa used to meditate and pray for a peaceful society. To emphasize Danzan Ravjaa's prayer, you are supposed to ring the bell as loud as you can to let the world know of Danzan Ravjaa's prayers. After I rang the bell, I circled the bell three times.

 

 

 

Then I went to Shambhala. At the entrance, you will see the eyes of Buddha with a third eye in the center this is the energy eye. I stood in the stone circle in front of the eyes. I stared at the center energy eye for some time until I felt the energy crawling into me, only then could I enter Shambhala.

Danzan Ravjaa taught his disciples the "burning of the sins" ritual an idea I like very much, said Unuruu. You write all your sins on paper, and burn the paper in a hole in the rocks, at the entrance to Shambhala. Danzan Ravjaa educated his monks to get rid of pride, Jealousye and greed, through this ritual, before entering the holy Shambhala, which is a place of peace/tranquility/happiness.

After burning my sins I went to the rock of "Ulemjin Chaanar" ("Your Perfect Qualities"). The words and lyrics of this famous song are inscribed in a rock. Mongolians come with offerings to this place and sing together this wonderful song, admiring the perfect qualities of women.

From there I went to the meditation caves where Danzan Ravjaa used to meditate for 108 days at a time; 108 is a holy number in Buddhism. Monks meditate in complete isolation, with little food, in an effort to ignore hunger, as did Danzan Ravjaa.  Visitors to these caves go through what is known as the birth hole. To go through one must hold the hands of other visitors, and go through without letting go, thereby expressing the unity of humanity.

The creators of "Treasure Hunt"
The Gobi "Treasure Hunt" is a project run by Austrian MediaClan in cooperation with Global Communications and "80+1 - A Journey Around the World" and supported by many generous sponsors.

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References, Videos, Map, and Time Line for this story on ToMongolia.

 

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 An afternoon of Poetry with Ruth O'Callaghan

On June 30th, 2009, several of the foremost members of Mongolia's literary community gathered (following a typically last-minute venue change from the Zanzabar Gallery) in the Xanadu Gallery north of the State Department store for an afternoon of poetry with renowned British poet Ruth O'Callaghan.  

 Ruth O'Callaghan, Mongolian poet Sh. Dulmaa, Translator Simon Whickham-Smith, Mongolian poet Kh. Suglegmaa, and Gumbajav Mend-Oyoo

The event was an appropriate follow-up to the event that had taken place almost exactly a year before at the Khan Bank theater with American poet David Lehman, which several of the same people (U.S. Ambassador Mark Minton; literary translator Simon Whickham-Smith; Mugi Oyoo and Gombajav Mend-Oyoo of the Mongolian Academy of Culture and Poetry) had attended.  The Academy of Culture and Poetry was largely responsible for Ms O'Callaghan's presence, and the Mongolian Writers Union also helped though its director, my old boss Khaidav Chilaajav, is currently in Seoul on a writer's residency.

 The wine was warm, the dixie cups leaked, and the Gallery was hosting us on such short notice that someone forgot to turn off the music and the blenders at the bar, but it's a testament to Ms O'Callaghan's compassionate and lyrical reading that all that ceased to matter by the end.  Ms O'Callaghan wasn't a poet I knew about before I turned up at the event, but both her poems themselves, with a great attention to detail and internal rhyme, and her comments about them, with such comforting and universal acknowledgement of the experience of the process of loss, had me feeling like I wanted to know much more about her and her work.  It was a Mongolian event, after all, so it turned into a series of readings bogarted by poets lesser- and well-known, the males of which gesticulated and enunciated to the point of spraying spittle with their enthusiasm for speaking their poetic truths.  It was a Tuesday, it was 3pm, and it was a great deal of fun.   

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On the evening of July 2nd, over a hundred people from UB's expat and local communities, both short-term and long-term residents, Ambassadors, LGBT activists, civil society and NGO workers, full-time artists and Ivanhoe Mines executives all wandered in back of the building charred by the fiery protests following Parliamentary elections exactly a year before and through arches into the National Modern Art Gallery northeast of Sukhbaatar Square.  Inside, Mongolia's most famous singers alternated with modern dancers and a video monitor while those in attendance caught up with one another over wine, beer, and mini-hamburgers.

At the heart of such a gathering?  Brandt Miller, Fulbright fellow and artist extraordinaire, who had after several months here become such a cross-genre man-about-town with such a good idea that he'd raised--from Khan Bank and private donors--enough money to mount a photography exhibition.  The exhibition, called "Beyond the Blue Sky", opened last week at Mongolia's foremost modern art gallery, an expression of sophistication and elegance that at the same time addressed an incredibly salient issue for modern Mongolia: LGBT citizens and their struggles.  The work was mainly portraits of Mongolians, single, couples, and groups of friends, who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer.  Cultural sensitivity and symbolism was demonstrated through the use of khadags covering the heads of the subjects; khadags cover the heads of the dead according to Mongolian custom, and they covered the heads of the subjects to convey the way LGBT citizens feel they aren't fully living--while in practical terms concealing their identities, since the reason LGBT Mongolians must continue to "half-live" is the terrible violence that has and still does occur when they choose to come out.  Indeed, one of the most stirring aspects of the exhibit was the timeline that accompanied the photos listing incidents of violence befalling Mongolians who chose to come out to their friends, family, or workplace.  

Mongolia is not a safe place to be an LGBT-identified person; while politically and creatively it is a place of unprecedented freedom and maturity, attitudes towards same-sex love are still rife with hatred that becomes violent all too often.  Even a quick look at a Lonely Planet will tell you that it's not even safe for there to be an established gay club in Mongolia; there are rather underground networks of LGBT-identified and -friendly individuals who gather at a different place every so often so as to avoid the ostracism and outright lethal violence that would befall them should they gather more publicly.  For this reason many of Mongolia's more educated LGBT citizens who have the means to get out do, being granted asylum in countries like the USA and Australia.  

There is no way to exaggerate the seriousness of the violence that befalls LGBT citizens of Mongolia: rape, murder, beatings, firings; constant harassment by colleagues, and superiors; disownership by family...Brandt Miller and his bravery could not be more important to the changing landscape of modern Mongolia as its urbanizing population enables  an increase both in gay community formation and the abuse and violence that occurs when LGBT individuals and gatherings are found out.  (The security downstairs at the Gallery that evening was not an accident.)  I spoke with one LGBT individual there who tearfully told me they'd never seen an outpouring of public support for LGBT like this one.

The simple fact is that while this conversation had begun, it was waiting to be taken to the next level, and Brandt Miller and his team were the people for the job.  It takes artwork and events like these to up the volume on salient topics.  Social change is a noisy process, though happily, sometimes the noise is that of joy, like that which filled the Gallery that evening as Altan Urag lent its well-loved sounds to the fight for social equality in one of Asia's otherwise most forward-looking countries.  

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Mongol Derby - the world's longest horse race - opening ceremony on 22 August 2009.

The 1,000km race begins in Karakorum, Kharkhorin in Mongolian, the ancient capital of the Mongol empire established by Genghis Khan. Chinggis Khaan in Mongolian.

Twenty-six experienced riders, from 8 countries were selected to participate in the race. (pictures of 3 participants on this page).

The race will promote tourism to Mongolia, highlighting it as a leading country for adventure tourism. Adventurous travelers perceive the Mongolian steppe as an exceptional horseback riding destination.

 

Inspired by Genghis' Messenger System
The Mongol Derby follows in the footsteps of Genghis Khan's messaging system. To establish an efficient ruling system, Genghis developed a superior messenger system. A messengers would gallop from one station to the next one, change horses and continue to the next station.

Genghis's orders would travel to the far corners of his empire in Europe, within 14 days, faster than it sometimes takes a postcard to reach Europe nowadays. Marco Polo in his 13th century travel book marveled at the splendor and efficiency of the Genghis messenger system: "At every twenty-five miles, as I said, or anyhow at every thirty miles, you find one of these stations" (page 1248, click on book image to read the full page).

The Mongol derby follows Marco Polo's description. Accordingly, horse stations will be set up at 30 to 40 km intervals along the 1,000 km course. Each horse will be ridden only one leg of about 40km to the next horse station called in Mongolian Morin Urtuus (Mori=Horse, Urtuus=station). The riders will change horses and continue to the next station. Twenty-five horse stations will be set up for the race by Mongolian nomadic horse herders.

Marco Polo continued: "For it is a fact that on all these posts taken together there are more than 300,000 horses kept up, especially for the use of the messengers". The Mongol Derby will have only a fraction of this number, approximately 800 horses for the race. Horses in Mongolia outnumber people by a 7 to 1 ratio, so that should not present a problem.

Veterinarian Care
Genghis is remembered in the western world for his cruelty to man. That is not the case with respect to horses. In the Mongolian nomadic tradition, Genghis is valued for establishing the "Mongolian law" which includes specific laws on caring for horses.

In the Genghis Secrete History known in Mongolia as the Nuuts Tovchoo it says: “Take care of the horses before they lose condition. For once they have lost it, you may spare them as much as you will, they will never recover it on the march. Don’t overload the riding horses".

Genghis continued to set the punishment for disobeying this law: "If these orders are disobeyed commanders are authorized to behead offenders on the spot, so as to protect the welfare of the horses”

The organizers of the race "The Adventurists" tour company, managed by Tom Morgan wish to abide by Genghis's rules.
Tom Morgan says: "The Mongol Derby is being staged in collaboration with some of Mongolia's most renowned and respected horsemen and equine veterinarians. Their expert knowledge combined with the logistics put in place by the Adventurists will ensure that the horses are properly looked after throughout the adventure"

The Adventurist along with an American veterinary NGO based in Mongolia have established a program of care for the horses before, during and after the race.
Mongolia's head equine vet and a Scottish vet with 32 years of experience will supervise.

Water Resources
Water for the horse and rider is a critical issue on a 1,000 km horse race. To ensure that the riders find water for the horses during the race, the course has been designed with access to water in mind. Each rider will receive accurate GPS locations of all the water sources along the course of the race route.

Satellite Beacons
Each rider will be equipped with an emergency satellite-tracking device. In the case of emergency or injury to the rider or horse, the rider will activate a satellite beacon and thereby notify the emergency rescue team of his exact location.

The Mongol Derby is the longest race in the world. The route stretches along the Mongolian steppe, crossing rivers, and climbing mountains. The exact route of the race has not been disclosed. A GPS navigation system with the route details will be given to the riders on the starting line.

Richard Dunwoody a world champion in horse jumping, involved in preparing the participants says of the Derby: 'The Mongol Derby is going to be the sort of experience that many people can only dream of, although the jockeys had better not underestimate how incredibly tough it's going to be. Riding 1,000 km is not for the faint of heart or weak of limb'.

Benefits for Rural Mongolia
To be eligible for the race each rider has had to raise funds for charity organizations working in Mongolia. The funds raised by the Mongol Derby riders will be donated to Mercy Corps' projects that support herding families and communities in remote rural areas. Over the past five years, Mercy Corps has established a strong reputation across the vast Gobi region, and has worked with business associations and local organizations to ensure a robust economy that preserves ancient traditions. Mercy Corps supports rural communities in Mongolia in an effort to meet their economic and social needs, helping individuals, families and communities to become more self-sufficient, diversified in their production, and better linked to local, regional and national markets.

Khentii Mountains - End Of Race
The Mongol Derby will finish in the Khentii mountains on the banks of the Onon river, on 5 September 2009; paying tribute to the birthplace of Chinggis Khaan.

Race Opposition
In spite of the professional expertise and careful planning, some opposition to the race has been voiced. The opposition has been led by the Long Rider Guild - the association of equestrian explorers.
The guild has warned the organizers: The Adventurists is preparing to embark on an ill-advised equestrian misadventure, one in which your company does not appreciate the many equestrian hardships and dangers being presented to the horses and riders.

The Guild claims their mounted explorers recently encountered in Mongolia wolf attacks, the bubonic plague, rabies, flash floods, foul water, poisoned food, horse theft and personal assault, during trips in Mongolia.

Australian Neale Irons - who is planning his own cross-Mongolia horse ride adventure in 2010 - says: "People that have a true appreciation of horses have great respect for them and are always concerned about their welfare. On this basis alone, the organizers have a responsibility to look after their customers".

The Adventurists Response to the Opposition
In a reaction The Adventurists stated that these comments are wholly unfounded and none of the facts were checked with the organisers before publication. They went on to assert that horse welfare has been of paramount importance at every stage of the Derby and will remain top of the agenda at all times. And that the extensive veterinary program, route planning, the emergency back up system and expert team involved will result in a successful first edition of the World's Longest Horse Race. Mongolia will be the prime benefactor they say - according to the ethos of the organisers the host country will be publicised around the world as a top adventure tourism destination, and more than £25,000 will be donated to charity projects by the riders to help some of the most vulnerable rural communities.

Source: To Mongolia: Mongol Derby

Dan

 

Related Links

The official Mongol Derby Website

Mongolia Tourism - Mongol Derby

Race Map (not official) To see details: change to satellite mode and zoom-in

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