Saeghan Chinleree!
Wishing you a Happy New Year! It’s the beginning of spring here in Mongolia, with the temperatures well below freezing. But, the sun is shining, and if you can find a spot in the sun with no wind, you might just think that spring is really here.
The picture of us is with our neighbors, Batbold and Gerlee and his parents in a small town a little away from Darhan. The New Year in Mongolia is called Tsagaan Sar, which translates as White Month or White Moon. Some say tsagaan sar comes from the word Tsagaa (milk foods) as it is customary for Mongolians to eat a lot of milk products during this time. Others think it is because of the color white which is a symbol of all that is beneficial, of happiness, purity and frankness. In 1206, Temujin was proclaimed Great Khaan of all the Mongols. To celebrate, he arranged a great feast at the beginning of spring, and so creating a tradition.
Families start preparing for the holiday at least a month in advance, beginning with the preparation of plenty of gifts and foods. Homes must be cleaned out. Every family makes hundreds of buuz and makes or buys new clothes. The fattest sheep is killed and the lower back and tail are steamed to become the centerpiece of the table for the holiday.
The table are set with sheep’s back, ul boov (pastry), berees (rice cooked with butter and raisins) and traditional milk products. Ul boov are put in tiers on a big plate, with three, five or nine layers. The number nine for Mongolians is very symbolic, so nine layers of ul boov are served for very important state ceremonies. Elders usually make seven layers of ul boov (as in our picture). A family in which the grandfather is alive makes five layers. Young newlyweds make a three-layer ul boov, as the number three is associated with the beginning of everything. The top of the ul boov heap has to be decorated with sweets, pieces of sugar, cream and Mongolian butter.
This year tsagaan sar fell on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday then became also a public holiday, Sunday turned into a normal working day. Schools, government offices, and banks were all open. There were not many people in church on that Sunday morning.
