Happy (Asian) New Year!

So far one of the biggest benefits of being here in winter has been celebrating Mongolia's new year holiday, called Tsagaan Sar - literally, "White Month" holiday. It's celebrated at the same time as the Chinese new year, but with completely different customs and traditions. I thought I would share a little about it, and an album link with some photos from the last few days.

Officially, Tsagaan Sar is a 3-day holiday, however, many people celebrate for up to a week. The main purpose is for families and friends to visit each others' homes and greet one another. The basic procedural customs are the same everywhere you go. First, you must greet each person in a specific manner, using a specific greeting. The eldest are always the hosts, and the most honored. After the greetings are finished, it's common for people to pass around their snuff bottles, which must be received with the right hand in a specific way. It's just for show - you sniff the opening of the bottle, but there's usually no snuff in it. Here's a great example of an older lady holding out her bottle as described:

Then the eating commences - there are specific Tsagaan Sar foods that everyone serves (kind of like turkey at Thanksgiving). You start with milk tea; then potato, beet or carrot salads; then you slice off a piece of meat from the sheep sitting on the table; then the main item is steamed meat dumplings called buuz (pronounced like "boats"). There will be a variety of other things offered, like candies, soda, and fruit.

My favorite part is the traditional Mongolian singing. After eating for a little while, the hosts and guests are free to sing. Mongolians love to sing, and I love to listen to them. If my internet connection weren't so dadblasted slow, I would attach a video so you could hear some of it. Our church celebrated together (without food) on Sunday night with an open mic. A lot of the traditional songs are about their mothers, or the country.

Perhaps the most unusual part of the whole deal is that the hosts give the guests gifts. The guests can also bring money or gifts to the hosts, but it's not necessarily expected. Families spend a lot of money on this holiday, because they are essentially feeding and gifting people for a week. Many families take out loans just to pay for it (sound like Christmas in America??). I felt guilty accepting gifts from the Mongolians, but they enjoy it and it's part of their tradition. I wore my one Mongolian-looking item, my leather jacket with a traditional pattern. Most people dress up in dels.

I love the hospitality of this country - it is a strong custom for Mongolians to invite people into their homes, without question, even if you're a stranger. Celebrating Tsagaan Sar in individual homes was like participating in the intimate family gatherings at our Thanksgiving. If you want to see a few more photos, here's a link: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=m1glqs2.bcrzah8q&x=0&y=f36iyd