Music of Mongolia's Darhad Valley

Farther Up the Valley

2008-10-15T23:38:00.002-04:00

February 3.

We are in a ger, isolated in a far corner of the valley. At the mic is a teenage gal who has one of the sweetest, purest voices. She normally performs at the cultural center in the nearby town, Tsagaan Nuur. Today, she launches into a long song. It is about a rider who rides his horse through a big valley... it's windy, the mane of the horse blows, in the really big, spongy-soil valley. Afterwards, people start to use tractors. Then people who sell goods drive trucks in the valley and get stuck in the namag (spongy soil), and sing about the really big valley... everyone is stuck there.

Her father also sings for us that evening. While he was singing at first, the mic picked up the most curious gurgling sound. Turns out it was a big blue vat in which the family

was making yogurt, and it was seeping out...

What one learns along the way

2008-05-03T00:06:00.002-04:00

February 2.

We are at Mishig's sister-in-law's house, and as the evening sets in, Mishig begins to talk about many of the issues confronting the Darhad Valley. So my education is branching beyond music. I had been wondering if that would happen.

Natural resources are at the forefront of his thought. Mine too, especially since everyone here heats their homes with wood-burning fires. Where is all that wood coming from? How long will it last? Mishig says the average family will burn 48 cubic meters of wood per year.

There is a program in this area now, in which each time a family cuts down a tree they must plant three seedlings in its place. They are being encouraged to clean the forest of dead wood first, even though this might require hiking farther. Mishig says if everyone burned only dead wood - the families in the valley could go for three years without cutting down a live tree.

Mishig then segues to another concern - the ecosystem of the Darhad - which he says is getting very dry. Desertification is going on. No one ever argued over pastureland 15 years ago. But now, it is sandy, with different (unhelpful) grasses. There are sand dunes growing in the Darhad... it's beginning to look like the Gobi.

The Montana University Bioregions project conducted research on this phenomenon, and managed to come up with a way to introduce helpful grasses to prevent the sand from taking over. Unfortunately, Mishig explained, these grasses are extremely popular with the animals, and shepherds have allowed grazing to occur even in the fenced-off experimental areas. So the solution was not sustainable.

We moved on to a third topic. Apparently the Darhad provides a large resource of medicinal herbs. They grow wild here. Mishig notes that during the Soviet times, European medicine was used, but now some Mongolian companies are returning to traditional medicine and are harvesting herbs from the Darhad.

Our host then compares the Darhad Valley, or Darhad Depression, to the heart of the world.

This was one evening in which I was deeply grateful for Badmaa's interpretation skills.

The Horsehead Fiddle

2008-03-18T00:47:00.002-04:00

We've been carrying a horsehead fiddle with us, with the expectation that one of the people on our journey will play it. We have arrived at his ger.

He is a famous blacksmith in the area. His was the one and only ger I saw that was equipped with a bellows by the stove.

We brought in the fiddle, then had to wait for it to come up to ambient temperature. The blacksmith then went out in search of tree sap, which he would later put on the strings.

(Is this normal? I have never played a stringed instrument. But I have tried to clean sap off of my car upon occasion.) The sap - according to Badmaa - is used so that the strings make a good sound.

The blacksmith played a marvellous song on the horsehead fiddle. It was a combination of bow use and plucking, and deeply rhythmic. I could almost hear horses trotting through the melody...

While he played, more and more people gathered in the ger to see what was going on. At one point I counted 14 people huddled inside. And the ger was smaller than most. This would be one recording where removing extraneous sounds would be critical...

The Wedding Ger: Reprise!

2008-03-15T11:51:00.005-04:00

In September '07, our Boojum horseback trekking group stopped at the ger of a newlywed couple. We (all 14 of us) piled inside their new ger, asked all sorts of questions, and took photos.

In February '08, I visited the same ger while out recording -- but the ger was in a completely different location (the winter camp). This was a rather special visit for me, and it brought home just what a small world this really is. How was I to know in September that I would ever see any of these wonderful people again? I do know I was incredibly grateful to have brought along pictures taken last year to give to the people in the photographs.

They were thrilled to have the pictures. "Everyone takes pictures. No one ever gives us copies," said this couple. Well, almost no one. I was glad to be different from most travelers in that regard. Because I was distributing photos, people were more than willing to pose for more pictures.

I did learn that pictures are important to the Mongolians. They love to have pictures of themselves and their families. As we continued the journey, each recording session also became a family portrait session as well.

Along the Jargalan River

2008-03-15T11:30:00.004-04:00

February 2.

The Jargalan River takes a lazy course across part of the Darhad Valley. All along there are places where families camp during the winter. We are at the home of one such family.

7:30 a.m. - There is something very comforting about the sound of milk tea being made in the morning. The rhythmic stirring is almost poetic. I have heard it every morning in the countryside. There are other sounds of the morning... an a.m. radio, electric razor on the man, a child's voice. And someone was up at 4:30 am to stoke the fire.

10:30 a.m. - Brilliant move on Mishig's part. He told us we should hike to the top of the hill behind the house (while waiting for singers to arrive). As we ascended, I was immediately reminded that we are at altitude (over 5,000 feet). This was the first time I broke a sweat on the trip, other than each morning as I struggled to stuff my sleeping bag into its XL stuff sack (it barely fit). The hike was wonderful and refreshing. It also gave a glimpse of the beautiful valley.

I learned that February 2nd is Sukhbaatar's birthday. He was a Soviet hero. Mongolians used to celebrate birthdays of all the Soviet heroes, but no longer do. Many adults remember the tradition, however.

The Virtual Party

2008-03-02T18:42:00.007-05:00

Mishig took video of the singers in each of our recording sessions. This provided a means for establishing rapport with each new family and singer.

In fact, everyone was more than eager to see and hear those who had already sung for us. The elderly lady who showed up with such enthusiasm in Bayanzurkh unwittingly performed for her friends throughout the valley, by way of Mishig's videocamera. Of all those we had recorded, people requested her by name more than any other! It was an especially heartwarming moment when we showed that video to the author/poet who had actually written one of the songs she sang. Her many friends scattered about the region all saw her... by the end of the trip I was wishing we could return to share their songs with her, but that would have to wait.

Thus we had an increasingly large entourage of singers - a virtual party - traveling digitally with us in this remote region.

It became clear to me that the Darhad people are a well-defined community, even if they live in small towns or even smaller clusters of camps in various corners of this valley. The Darhad number approximately 13,000. They are not the smallest ethnic group in Mongolia; the 400 Dukha, or reindeer herders (who also share the northern part of this valley), may claim that distinction. The Darhad know each other. They know who the poets are, who sings, and who lives where during the winter and summer. Some of the songs pay tribute to (or tease about) people they know, characters who have lived among them and ultimately joined the collective consciousness.

Renchinlhumbe and Along the Jargalan River

2008-02-29T21:56:00.000-05:00

January 31.

We are at Mishig's house. There is a lot of activity, because his wife is going to the countryside with a truck full of merchandise from her store. Much ado about getting ready. We will also leave today, but first we will do more recording, right there.

So the accordion player shows up. And two ladies, dressed to sing. And sing they do.

Then we embark on the next phase of the adventure... we load the van with all of our stuff: duffels, food, and the five of us. Once we are all in the van, there are a few more stops. In fact, it takes a full hour before we actually leave Renchinlhumbe! Gas station #1. Turns out it is closed, but we find out only after waiting there awhile for an attendant. Gas station #2. Bataa gets out to help - the pump is manual. Then a stop at a store for chips and drinks... the store is right behind Mishig's house! Then a stop at a house to borrow a horsehead fiddle that we will take to someone who knows how to play but does not have an instrument of his own. We finally roll out of town into the sun-in-our-eye 4pm light. I wonder how far we will get before dark.

We head across the valley. Looking at the mountains brings a deep sigh as I drink in their majesty.

We stop at three homes - two houses and one ger - to record. In the latter, their enthusiasm for the project is wonderful - they really get into it and appreciate what we are doing, since some of the songs are disappearing. In fact, it is not unusual for singers to take a moment or two to remember all the words.

The homes are along the Jargalan River. I recognize one area where we rode horses last fall, including a rickety bridge. But this time we turn north instead of south at that crossing (and we cross on the ice, not the bridge).

From one place to the next, the families just waved in a general direction: go that way. (Some refer to this as the Mongolian G.P.S. or "ger positioning system.") Most of the time we follow a two-track path - I hesitate to call it a road (in the Mongolian language, there is just one word for both "road" and "path"). At one point we cross a frozen river and aim at a bank that appears to go straight up to the height of the van! Yet Mishig drives straight up and over! I exclaim out loud with surprise (glad I'm not driving).

It gets dark as we go from home to ger. I begin to wonder where we will stay tonight, with some unsuspecting family. I have learned not to ask questions for which Badmaa has no answer, like, where will we stay. She doesn't know. As Mishig drives in the dark, he easily chooses several forks in the road without batting an eye. There are absolutely no street signs! Somehow he just knows. (At one point he turns off the headlights to check the contour of the surrounding mountains to get his bearings.) Days later, it occurs to me that I would feel equally comfortable navigating the back roads of Leelanau County; Mishig is a veterinarian and in this region, vets travel to all the remote corners of the valley... he has been here before...

But that does not occur to me as we unload the van at 8:30 pm. We stay in the house of a family - when we arrive, there are eight people there, making mutton dumplings and watching a Korean soap opera that has been dubbed into Mongolian.

Getting here ranks right up there in terms of adventure! We are officially far away from towns, running water, the power grid, you name it. If it were any warmer, I would linger outside to gaze at the amazing array of stars. But I save that for another time.

Renchinlhumbe - Cultural Center

2008-02-29T11:11:00.000-05:00

January 30.

We spent the evening at the Cultural Center - a large building with an auditorium that easily holds 200 people or more - it even has a balcony in the back, and chandeliers! Tonight was in honor of teachers - many were recognized with various awards - following that was a music and dance show.

I found the music jarringly loud. Singers were accompanied by a keyboard and apparently some preprogrammed tunes and beats. The thing is, to my ear, often the singing and background music didn't quite mesh or the background had overwhelming bass. Perhaps it's more noticeable to me because I'm here recording music?

The hit of the evening was five dancers on stage: two in traditional dress, two in jeans and black tops, and a break dancer. It was wild to see such a display, and it was cleverly choreographed.

At the end of the planned show, Mishig commanded the microphone and talked about our project. He then showed some of the videos he had taken of the singers. People stuck around. Badmaa told me people were saying how good it is to hear the old music - it is not something that happens very often. Hearing that warms my heart!

Renchinlhumbe

2008-02-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

January 30.

As we draw near to the town of Renchinlhumbe, I begin to recognize certain mountains and stands of trees from the horseback trek last fall. It feels oddly comforting. We pull in to Mishig's yard, and I have the vague sensation of coming home. True, it is his home. But I still marvel at how my four traveling companions seem to accept me in their midst. As the only foreigner, this kinship is really cool.

In the yard, I immediately recognize the big white truck in which I spent 15 bouncy hours some 4 months ago. The ger where my dad and step-brother stayed last fall is also in this yard, locked and cold. We will stay in Mishig's house - it has two ample rooms.

We spend the afternoon recording at the local high school. It is marvelous to see the kids so poised and also all dressed up to perform. But here, at this school, I also take time to thank the music teacher for what he is doing. I make the point that you never know the impact your students will have; their performance last fall helped to inspire this recording project!

Culinary and other adventures

2008-02-25T00:20:00.001-05:00

January 29.

It's 11 p.m. and the electricity just went out, so we're over to battery power and one fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling. The five of us have finished our dinner, and our hosts, a kind couple, are starting in on theirs. Mishig is joining them as well. He said, "mor," (horse) indicating the sausage-looking thing in the big plastic bowl. "Mash goy!" (delicious!) he added, with a big grin, urging me to try some.

At that moment, Badmaa was somewhere else. So I said, "Amerig mor khool ugui..." (in America horse is not food). But they already know that. I mustered what it took to try a jigjig (little) piece. It was sausage - I couldn't down the skin, but the meat was okay. I couldn't help but recall hearing that it tends to be older horses that suffer this fate...

Earlier in the day, I found the container of Old Bay seasoning I had brought as a gift for the cook, Magi. So I gave it to her, and asked Badmaa to describe it as a blend of seasonings kind of like American curry, for use on meats and seafood. So when I smelled Old Bay on the stove that evening, it momentarily transported me back to the Chesapeake region. The mutton tasted really good at dinner. However, the rice had been seasoned with equal parts Old Bay and Indian curry, with a curious, yellow-colored result. Eminently edible, however.

In the evening everyone sat around watching a Russian soap opera on tv that had been dubbed into Mongolian. The lady was sewing a new deel for her daughter, using a hand-crank machine. The man cut kindling for starting the fire the next morning. These people are amazingly accommodating in hosting five souls for two nights in a row, and they didn't even know we were coming.

Before letting the dog loose in the yard for the night, our hostess made sure I had one last safe run to the outhouse. She stood in the yard to keep the dog calm. That dog was one of the more vicious creatures I've met - certainly an effective deterrent from entering the yard - and could potentially traumatize her foreign guest. I certainly gained an appreciation for why all the Mongolian guidebooks have prominently listed the phrase, "hold your dogs!"

They let me have the cot this evening, on the same wall I had slept along the night before on the floor. So I rolled out my sleeping bag with the head towards the corner - same orientation as the night before. Then some conversation ensued. Badmaa told me I had to put my head in the other direction. Why? I asked. Because the god is in the opposite corner and you cannot sleep with your feet toward the god. When I mentioned that I had done so the night before she said, no, your feet were under the god, so it was okay. I flipped the sleeping bag around. But I also acknowledged to myself that I'm not accustomed to thinking of a deity that is in a certain physical location, but rather, thinking of God as a loving, ever-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, unlimited infinite Being. With that thought, I drift off to sleep.

More recording in Ulaan Uul

2008-02-25T00:06:00.000-05:00

January 29.

We went to three houses and one ger this morning. The elders in the ger were just great - octogenarians. She sang first. He sat nearby with a charmed grin on his face and twinkle in his eye. He then announced he would sing a song that he sang for a Tsaatan girl before he met his wife. His wife then said, "you're over 80 so it's okay."

This same man said when he sings a Darhad duu, a Darhad song, he sings about whatever he wants to - it's all Darhad duu because he is Darhad...

At the Cultural Center in Ulaan Uul

2008-02-20T06:20:00.000-05:00

January 28.

The Cultural Center is a modest building, with a large room for gatherings (like a mini-auditorium, but all one level and with moveable seats) and an office attached to it. The Director has a computer loaded with all his favorite music and digital photos from a recent trip to the nearby mountains. Computer runs off power from a portable generator outside.

The music is blaring when we arrive. I do a double-take - the only thing missing is a connection to the Internet; I learn that Internet should arrive in the next year or two. The Director, a man in his mid- to late-twenties, is clearly eager for Ulaan Uul to be "plugged in." But rather than go to the big city himself, he is staying and waiting for the electronic/digital world to come to his sleepy town in the Darhad Valley.

We set up the recording equipment at the Cultural Center, and people begin to show up to sing. Malgar and a younger singer then try to convince the rest of us that the Darhad people actually invented hip-hop before the West did! They sing a rousing duet that alternately moves through traditional Darhad tunes and a more rhythmic expression of the same. The younger singer turns his hat sideways with some attitude. I get a kick out of both of them!

When the battery died in Mishig's video camera, everyone hung out while it recharged. I offered a bit of entertainment, and sang an American folk song, a melody from Appalachia ("He's Gone Away"). Afterwards Badmaa translated the meaning, which everyone appreciated since it's about one's love, a theme also common in Darhad lyrics.

The Big Ovoo

2008-02-17T04:14:00.000-05:00

It's a pilgrimage of sorts. Everyone who goes over this mountain pass stops to honor the gods that protect it. There is a very large ovoo plus a dozen smaller ones, all in a row. These mark the high pass between Ulaan Uul and points to the south. I recall stopping here toward the end of our trip in September. It is beautifully covered with snow in late January. We walk around the large ovoo three times, and Badmaa leaves a handful of cookies on one of the stones. Years' accumulation of offerings are also there, running from a ten-tugrug note to a horse's skull. Many blue prayer sashes adorn it as well.

I am, at this point, happy to get out and stretch. I take in the scenery - we are surrounded by snow-capped mountains - and note the raven soaring nearby. It and another species of white and black bird (I don't have a picture - it has a long tail and is about the size of a raven) are somehow impervious to the cold temps.

While we are driving, I sit in the cab with Mishig. I noticed from the outset that he is singing while he drives. It's not the kind of singing one does for an audience, but rather, because one simply likes the tunes. I can tell he's singing but I can't quite hear the songs in their entirety and I certainly can't make out the words. So I ask, in my halting Mongolian, if he would teach me one of these songs. This brings on a round of laughter and good-natured delight. The topic resurfaced the next day when Malgar sang a simple song for me to learn, which I recorded. All these songs are Darhad songs.

A note on the boots. Yesterday, Mishig pointed to my high-tech, molded-rubber-soled boots and said they weren't good. I assured him that the boots were indeed good enough (at $125, why wouldn't they be?) and rated to -50F. This morning, however, I conceded the point. The boots don't breathe. Water doesn't go in, but neither does it go out. I only realized this in the morning, when the boots were definitely not as warm as they had been the day before. Count this part of the learning curve - I had to dry them out at the end each day, or there would be water condensed on the inside which, once outside, would produce the effect of wearing little refrigerators on my feet.

So I borrowed a pair of felt boots for a few days which Mishig had brought along, just in case anyone needed them. Hmmm... I also showed some resistance to wearing something that, shall we say, is unglamorous? Badmaa then explains a key point. In the Mongolian countryside during the winter, if you look like you are warm, then you are attractive.

Onward to Ulaan Uul

2008-02-16T03:22:00.000-05:00

January 28.

A couple of interesting observations for today: how to start the van in extreme cold temps, and the first and second attempts to find the path out of here.

This morning I'm startled to see Mishig in his winter del and warm hat. Now I know it's cold out. But I wasn't prepared for what I saw him doing to the van that morning. He had three different heat sources - two torches (yep, with about 8-inch flames) and a fire - underneath the van. Now, I'm no mechanic, but I have to believe that most cars on the road in my hometown wouldn't tolerate such treatment - some computerized piece would malfunction. But this Russian-designed van is intended to be started this way, and everything is manual - transmission, steering, etc. So there's Mishig, lying on the ground, legs sticking out from under the van, directing heat at the axle and parts of the engine. This goes on for about 30 minutes. I'm thoroughly entertained. He seems amused at my amusement.

Then he sticks a hand crank on the front of the van and turns over the engine. Then he starts and runs the engine for a few minutes and switches it off until we're ready to leave over an hour later, at which time it again starts reliably.

By the way, Mishig stores the van battery inside overnight. When it's time to re-insert the battery, it fits behind the driver's seat which, conveniently, is not fastened down and can be removed in seconds. Come to think of it, almost nothing inside is fastened down, including my seat. (There was no discussion of seat belts, but also no concern, no traffic, and rarely did the van exceed 20 mph in that terrain.)

Oh, and the van is not heated, so we ride wearing multiple heavy layers.

So there we were, guided by Malgar, heading northward out of town and up into the mountains in a ravine that got dangerously narrow. I began to have concerns about the van staying upright (but kept these to myself). Suddenly Mishig is turning around in the first available open space, way above the town. This is the wrong way...

We bounce down the ravine, drive almost all the way back into town (have we left yet?) and drop down onto the frozen river. Now this is beginning to make sense. We follow the river northward for awhile, and make our way up through the mountains.

It is beautiful. We have consistently sunny skies. On the way, this is the first time we see a herd of horses, grazing through the snow. We stop to take a look.

Typical Day - This One's in Bayanzurkh

2008-02-14T01:54:00.000-05:00

January 27.

I reach from deep inside my sleeping bag for my tiny thermometer - the kind you attach to a zipper pull. It reads 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Water in my Nalgene bottle is frozen. It's 9:00 am. The fire has been going since 6:50. I roll out, and into insulated pants and down jacket, all in one motion. Then while eating breakfast, somehow it gets too warm inside.

Our hostess, Duujii, is telling the stories behind the songs to Badmaa and Bataa. As I watch "B2" with her, I can't help but think this is some sort of miracle. Everyone that Mishig is choosing to include is very helpful and enthusiastic. It's in the quiet moments of waiting (such as this one, while Mishig is out somewhere with the van), that I realize everything is going just as it should. No schedule to which to adhere, and everything is unfolding. Later in the day, Badmaa echoes this sentiment, telling me she is really happy with how things are going.

This is no surprise, really, having done the recording that day at the Bayanzurkh school. The head of the town's cultural center showed up with his accordion. Upon donning his dress clothes in the teachers' lounge where we recorded, he glanced at the mirror and declared triumphantly, "Bi huu Chinggis Khaan!" ("I'm the son of Chinggis Khan!"). He was great with the kids.

The kids were great! Poised, enthusiastic, and in full voice.

Before recording at the school, B2 and I were led to the gym, where on that Sunday, a number of parents were playing volleyball. We barely sat down before it was time to go to the teachers' lounge to record. But while in the hallways, I caused quite a stir. The younger kids would run up to me, catch a glimpse of my eyes and nose, and run off. Perhaps I'm the first foreigner they've seen? I smile at each of them.

After lunch, we went to an elder singer's house. Lots of milk tea... and Mishig explained what we are doing. Then another elder singer, a lady, walked in. She was beaming with delight. I could tell by the way she sang, that she was visualizing, not just singing. I'm especially grateful that she showed up, and with such sparkle.

The day wraps up, and we are still in Bayanzurkh, even though we completely packed that morning. Mishig assures us that it's wiser to travel during the day. I couldn't agree more. (He spent part of the day hunting around for a part to fix the van.) Dinner involves mutton.

I decide at the end of the day that I'm tired, but enormously satisfied with how things are going. I also decide I've already eaten too much mutton. And way too much mutton fat. I roll out my sleeping bag on the floor next to B2, and fall asleep.

En Route To Bayanzurkh

2008-02-10T23:42:00.000-05:00

January 26, heading by van to the northwest of Murun.

Duujii and Malgar are singing in the back of the van. They are catching a ride with us to Bayanzurkh. Both sang for us in Murun. Malgar has become an advisor to the music project.

We drive up into the mountains, pausing at least once at a ger to talk about the path we are on. Path (not road) is a two-track. It's getting dark - we left Murun in the evening.

The snow sparkles like diamonds under our headlights. It's the kind of snow-ice that forms immediately into crystals, pulling the least bit of moisture out of the air. Temps hover between -25 and -40.

We arrive at Duujii's house at 10:30 pm and the team springs into action. The fire gets stoked, tea is made, dinner is chopped and cooked, all in a flurry of activity which is explained when, at 11:00 pm while we are eating, the electricity goes out. Apparently in Bayanzurkh electricity is generated only between 7 pm and 11 pm. Grab your headlamp...

The First Recording Session

2008-02-10T08:35:00.000-05:00

January 26. Murun.

We are in the ger of a medicine man who is also a musician. While waiting for music-related action, we talk with the medicine man, who proudly shows us some of the homeopathic herbs he keeps in reindeer-skin pouches that his grandfather used.

Several singers and musicians show up, ready to sing. It is at this moment that I learn something: the Darhad people don't just sing. Well, I should qualify this. They don't just sing when they're being recorded. They sing once they have donned the traditional clothing - fancy deels and hats. Then, once they've stepped into the role of singer or musician, the music flows. And beautifully!

This first session is a treat. The musicians play the horsehead fiddle, another smaller fiddle, a small instrument akin to the jews' harp, and a percussion "instrument" made with sheep bones. One man does throat singing while playing the horsehead fiddle. Throat singing is a sound unlike any other, and this is the only time we will record it during our journey. The other songs in this session are melodies we will hear repeated in the other towns.

The Deel: Double-takes and Grins

2008-02-09T21:48:00.000-05:00

En route to Murun, January 25th. Since they weigh ALL pieces of luggage here, including carry-ons, Badmaa, Bataa and I decided to wear the heavy clothes, including our deels (pronounced "dells"). (Deel, as I've mentioned, is a traditional Mongolian outer garment, in winter often made with quilted fabric or wool fleece. It buttons under the arm and is cinched at the waist with a sash or belt.)

When the three of us walk together, this draws no unusual attention, until people look at the faces, or catch a glimpse of my lighter hair from under the big furry hat. Bataa grins with his whole being when he sees me put my passport in the deel, in the "pocket" formed above the sash. While we are waiting in the airport in UB, several people walk up to us, give me a "thumbs up," and explain to Badmaa how good it is to see a foreigner dressed like that.

What a fun way to break the ice, so to speak.

I have too many layers on to be inside. I am warm, and trying not to exert too much energy.

On the flight, I am the only American. Actually on this full flight, everyone else is Mongolian. A hint of the weeks to come...

Over 150 Songs Later...

2008-02-09T05:50:00.000-05:00

I have returned to UB, in the middle of Tsagaan Sar - White Moon celebration. It's lunar new year, and a time to honor the elders. It's also time to visit family and eat lots of bots (mutton dumplings).

The trip exceeded expectations! Traveling together, we (Mishig, Maggi, Badmaa, Bataa and I) functioned as a closely-knit team... no sense of separation based on nationality. It was as if we all adopted each other as family for 2 weeks.

We recorded over 150 different songs, sung by Darhad people ages 7 to 85. They were very supportive of the project. How often do you get to do something that everyone wants to help with? Their eyes danced with delight at the prospect of handing these songs down to future generations and sharing them with the rest of the planet.

We stayed in homes of 9 different families, and visited quite a few more families and several schools during the days. We covered over 600 miles of often rough but frozen terrain (not all passable by vehicle when it's warm out - ground softens and "swallows" vehicles).

Of course, there were those unexpected things along the way... Like the newborn goat kid that was in the one-room house all night (for warmth), howling every two hours for its mamma. Or the shaman's ceremony that began at midnight in his ger and went for 4-1/2 hours. Or the impromptu speech I gave to a room full of octogenarians. Or watching Mishig light a fire under the van (literally) to get it started in the 30-below mornings.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks. I will be posting stories and impressions from this amazing two-week journey through the Darhad valley in northern Mongolia.

To the countryside!

2008-01-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

This is it! We - Badmaa, Bataa, and I - are heading to the airport shortly for the flight to Murun.

In Murun, we will meet up with Mishig, a former governor in the Khovsgol region, who will drive and also make the critically important introductions along the way. He knows where the Darhad live, and who among them sing the songs we aim to record.

Also joining us in Murun is Magi, our cook. We'll be taking our provisions with us, and Magi will make sure no one goes hungry.

We have the very portable recording studio (in my backpack), and a series of questions to guide the interviews with the singers about where they learned the songs, from whom, and when the songs are sung (festivals, when herding, when milking, etc.).

Everyone is excited to move into the fieldwork phase of this project!

I'll most likely add the next posting to this blog after Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, February 8 (when we return to UB and to ready internet access).

UB, Thursday

2008-01-24T20:54:00.000-05:00

Today I went to the outdoor market with Badmaa and her parents for a few last-minute items, including a fur hat. Before the trip, friends who have traveled in winter in Central Asia told me that fur is really the best way to keep one's head warm. So with Badmaa's help, in the space of 20 minutes, I acquired a white furry top. I also acquired ten numb fingers in the process. The fact that this is a year-round market boggles the mind.

In the afternoon, I decided to take a long walk to test out the layers. Well, most of the layers. What I discovered in the process is that this combination of gear might look a little bit unusual on the streets of Ulaan Baatar. It is impossible to tell where someone is from under all those layers unless you can see their eyes. So passers-by would do a subtle (but not-so-subtle) "UB onceover" which inevitably ended in making eye contact: either starting with the black rubber boots that have a tiny bit of reflective piping, or with the big white furry hat, they'd check out both, then search for the eyes, as if to reassure themselves that this person is from somewhere else. Just wait until I'm wearing a deel instead of my black wool coat...

Much to my delight, I saw that Sukhbaatar Square - the main big plaza downtown) has an ice rink on one end (by the street). Also, there's a six-foot-high structure made out of ice; it has stairs to the top, and slides coming down either side. Children were playing on it with much laughter. There were also several other ice sculptures nearby. How cool is that!

Speaking of ice, and hard-packed snow, I have noticed that people around here tend to slide across hard-packed snow. For example, when coming upon a patch - I'm not calling it ice, because it isn't, but it is equally slippery - people do sort of a horizontal glissade across it, as if skateboarding. On purpose. (I do this only involuntarily, at moments when the surface becomes slippery with no notice.)

UB, Wednesday

2008-01-23T21:24:00.000-05:00

We met with the Arts Council of Mongolia (thanks to a contact and networking in the States) - and I'm tickled that this project met with enthusiasm and support. We will be in touch with the Council after the recording trip to start reporting locally about the project, generating interest, and making further contacts among the cultural heritage and the language translation communities.

Meanwhile, I also spent some time wrapping my mind around being on the road in Khovsgol for 2 weeks.

Apparently the multiple clothing layers are key for time spent en route in the van. Hmm...
(Van = think Russian equivalent of VW bus... don't know if I mentioned that eariler.)

Another observation about UB: in this city of approximately 1 to 1.5 million, air pollution is surprisingly noticeable. Between the coal-fired power plants and the thousands of homes on the outskirts of town that are heated by wood fires, and the mountains that surround the city, the air settles in to stay. In that regard, it is not like the comparison with North Dakota, where I recall blue skies.

UB, Tuesday

2008-01-22T21:41:00.000-05:00

We had a couple of major tasks today: review my clothes, cash travelers checks, and meet to discuss various aspects of the trip ahead.

Clothes. Badmaa's parents said if my layers looked OK for her to wear, it wouldn't be enough, because I'm not used to the weather in Khovsgol. Well, after a quick review, Badmaa thought things looked OK. I will probably be wearing a winter deel over everything I brought with me. A deel is an ankle-length over-robe that buttons on the side and has a sash that ties around the middle.

T-checks. A recent problem here with some $10k in fraudulent checks caused the cashier to be overly cautious. Then when verifying the numbers on my checks, this gal read "S" instead of "C" (reading momentarily in Mongolian), and told me the serial numbers were invalid. We then trooped over to the main bank branch, got the checks (now all signed) duly verified, but not without waiting for a while. Once all was settled, Bataa (Badmaa's fiance) went to buy our air tickets and wire funds to Magi in Murun for food.

The Trip. It is quite clear that there's genuine enthusiasm for this trip and fieldwork among the Mongolians involved in the project. We will be visiting families in the Darhad valley, to record their songs and the history of those songs. This will involve driving from Murun north-northwest toward Bayanzurkh, then north toward Ulaan Uul, Renchinlhumbe, and Tsaagan Nuur. We will take 2 weeks to do this.

My big aha! moment was in realizing that we will return via Lake Khovsgol to Hatgal and from there back to Murun. In the summer, that route would require a boat. In winter, the lake becomes a road. (For those on the horseback trek last summer/fall, this is essentially the same route we followed, but in reverse.)

Visiting. Badmaa's parents invited me over for lunch, which was very kind. Her mom served dumplings (yum!) and milk tea. I got to see the new deel her mom is making for the new year - an incredible blue.

Tsagaan Sar - White Moon - is the lunar new year celebration, coming up the weekend of February 8. It's a huge celebration here, a time to visit with family. Somehow everyone is already getting geared up, making thousands of dumplings, sewing new clothes, and genuinely upbeat about life. It's a happy time here. This ought to make for some wonderful music recordings...

Ulaan Baatar

2008-01-22T21:22:00.001-05:00

I arrived Monday evening, and waited until the final piece of luggage came off the carousel: mine. I was very happy to see Badmaa and her dad waiting for me outside of immigration. Smiles and hugs all around :-)

They took me to Zaya's Guesthouse (fab location downtown), with promises to pick me up the next day.

UB in winter is not unlike Grand Forks, North Dakota. A dusting of snow, but no big drifts. Standing temp is around -10F, not bad with appropriate layers. Inside the guesthouse, radiators have one position: ON. Which makes for open windows to achieve a comfortable zone (otherwise it would be over 80F inside).

Huge enthusiasm for the project! I couldn't wait to talk more. But first, a real, solid sleep overnight.

En route

2008-01-20T06:56:00.000-05:00

I'm on a long layover in Incheon, South Korea... some 20 hours, courtesy of odd scheduling of flights into central Asia. But it is nice to pause and reflect. And it's actually very quiet in the airport transit hotel, away from the constant announcements of the next flight. The flight from Dulles was pleasant; I was next to a window with an empty seat beside me.

Learning curve with some of the new gear: I can officially report that the boots (Baffin Icefield) will work just fine. What possessed me to wear them on the plane, I'm not so sure, except that they take up lots of space in the luggage. Feet were warm while standing outside in Arlington waiting for the bus to the airport. And once inside, feet were way warm...

While were on that topic, I'd like to thank Kent Madin (head of Boojum Expeditions, the company my family and I traveled with last fall) for talking through what to wear in the Mongolian countryside in the winter. He recommended a cross between a mitten and a glove - kind of like a Spock outer glove, or "claw," with fingers in 2 pockets, for some modest dexterity. To be used with fleece glove liners.

Actually, while I feel very excited to be heading out to do this recording, what I feel right now is hugely grateful to so many people who have offered helpful advice and encouragement. Their enthusiasm is wonderful!

It's the kind of enthusiasm that showed up in the practice recording session last Sunday with Brendan and Julie (thanks!). They sang and played guitars, and I played with the mic to see where it best picks up sound. Then all 3 of us sang a kind of round. Who knew that singing 3 well-known tunes at the same time could be so much fun? (It was fun to share this -- one of my favorite traditions from the Community Sings in Leland, Michigan during the summers! Try it sometime: "Three Blind Mice," "Are You Sleeping," and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat.")

Technical Gear, Recording Equipment

2008-01-16T00:06:00.000-05:00

The sleeping bag arrived today! It's enormous and heavy, not like what a backpacker would choose. It's a Wiggy's Superlight (synthetic) system of 2 bags, individually rated at +35 and 0 degrees F. Putting the heavier one inside the lighter makes the bag rated to -40 degrees (F or C, you choose). It's an unimaginative black but looks like it will do the trick. Will let you know!

About the recording equipment: Greg Lukens at Washington Professional Systems set me up with an Edirol R-09 and an audio-technica stereo mic, a 15-foot whirlwind cord to connect the two, and a specially-turned brass fitting that allows me to put the mic on top of my old camera tripod. It's a truly portable system, so I won't need a laptop, and it should survive transport at subzero temperatures. At least, that was one of the unusual specs I mentioned to Greg when he was putting this together. I could always keep it in an inner pocket...

Why go now?

2008-01-15T07:26:00.000-05:00

That's a favorite question - one I hear a lot. We're going to record the music of the nomads of this region. The only time of year they're not migrating, scattered throughout the countryside, or taking care of their animals' young, is in winter. That's also when more people are co-located in towns.

Getting ready for fieldwork

2008-01-14T23:00:00.000-05:00

"Ger gets almost as cold as outside in winter inside." Badmaa was telling me I'd need a sleeping bag rated to -40. I've been in a ger during winter, and when the fire is burning, it's toasty warm inside. But when everyone's snoozing and the fire cools down, well, that's when the good sleeping bag becomes vital.

I decided to call Cam, who worked at the South Pole research station, to check whether my clothing layering system sounded about right. The funny part was, Cam said to pay attention to the feet - wear good boots, and don't cinch the top so tight that it cuts off circulation. And be ready to adjust whenever your level of activity changes. That, and if you get too hot, take your hat off. (I somehow suspect that won't be a problem!) Cam also had rave reviews for the Buff - kind of a continuous stretchy bandana to wear around the neck and face.

I'm 5 days away from departing for Mongolia! Knowing I'll be prepared to stay warm puts my mind at ease. That way, when I'm out with Badmaa, Mishig, Bataa, and Magi recording music in the Darhad Valley, the temperature won't be too much of a distraction!