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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo.
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And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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May your bucket be full with milk.
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May it be as you say.
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May your wool be soft as silk.
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May it be as you say.
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These are common greetings, or welcomes from Mongolia. Mongolia is a country of hospitality - the people warmly welcome visitors and guests. Like other parts of Mongolian culture, these greetings are based on their traditional nomadic way of life. Nomadic people do not live in just one place. Instead, they are always travelling. The community can easily take their homes and lives to a different place. It is said that a Mongolian will always help a guest or visitor. That is because he knows that he may be travelling soon. Then, he may need another person's hospitality.
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On today's Spotlight we will look at parts of the Mongolian culture. We will see how the nomadic way of life has influenced their food, homes, and music.
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2,500,000 people live in Mongolia. The Mongolians living in the countryside are part of a long-lasting nomadic culture. They travel from place to place looking for food for their animals. In fact, animals are a main part of the Mongolian culture. Mongolians depend on their animals for almost every part of their lives. Animals provide food, clothing, and even parts of their shelter.
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One of the most important animals is the horse. It is a symbol of Mongolia. Mongolians have many songs and stories about famous horses. They are known for their horse-riding skills. And children learn to ride horses at a very young age. But there are other important animals that Mongolians depend on too - like sheep, goats, cows, camels, and yaks.
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Animals are also an important part of the Mongolian diet. A big part of their diet is meat. Often the people will boil the meat or roast it over a fire. They drink the milk of the animals. And they also use it to make cheeses and yogurt.
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One very popular drink is fermented mare's milk. Mongolians believe that this drink can bring good health to a person. This drink is made from horse milk. The milk ages in an animal skin bag. This ferments it. Fermenting the milk produces a small amount of alcohol in it and makes it taste different. Mongolians enjoy the drink. And they share it with people who visit their homes. Often Mongolians will share the drink out of a common bowl. If a Mongolian ever offers you the drink from a bowl, you should try it! If you do not, it might be rude.
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Another important part of Mongolian culture also depends on animals - the ger. A ger is the traditional Mongolian home. Most Mongolians living outside cities live in a ger. Nomadic families depend on the ger. It is easy to take down and set back up. So, it is easy to move when it is time to find more food for the animals.
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Gers look like round tents. The structure is made of long, thin wood poles. The outside of the ger is covered with felt. Felt is a material made from sheep's wool. Mongolians beat the wool many times. They beat it until it is tight and smooth. They stretch the wool over the wood structure. They attach the felt to the wood structure with rope. A ger does not have any windows. But, the felt can move to let in cool air in the summer, or to keep out the winter cold. The door of every ger faces south, away from the strongest wind.
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Inside the ger, in the center, is the fire. It is a very important part of the ger. It represents ties to ancestors. Destroying the fire is an insult to the master of the house. It could also be an insult to spill water or milk in the fire, throw waste into the fire, touch the fire with a knife, or step over the fire. Traditionally, the inside of a ger is divided into different areas around the fire. Each area has a purpose.
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Men and women each have an area of the ger. The men keep their things to the left of the fire, on the western side. The women keep their things to the right of the fire, on the eastern side. When a man enters the ger he walks to the left of the fire. And a woman walks to the right.
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The third part of the ger is the khoimor. This is the area of the ger that is across from the door. It is the most honored place in the ger. It is where the master of the house keeps his treasures. These may include his weapons, his musical instruments and pictures of his family and friends. This is also the place where visitors sit when they visit the ger.
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Each family's ger looks very much the same. Everything is put in an exact place around the fire. The beds of the husband and wife are to the right of the fire. Their children sleep at their feet. When visitors come, they sleep to the left of the fire. Gers are very warm and inviting homes. Even in the cities, some Mongolians choose to live in a ger instead of a modern home.
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Another important part of Mongolian culture is music. Families and friends often sing songs and play music together in the ger. Guests will sing too! There are Mongolian songs about many things. Monglians may sing about their way of life, their beautiful country, or the environment around them. They may even sing to their animals.
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Two kinds of singing are especially popular in Mongolia. The first is Khoomi singing. This is a traditional kind of singing. The sound comes from deep in a person's throat. A well-trained Khoomi singer can make two different sounds come from his throat at the same time. Some people say that the different sounds represent the different parts of Mongolia's countryside.
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The second kind of singing is called the Long Song. They are called long songs because they are very long. Some skilled singers know songs that have up to 20,000 verses! Many Mongolians believe that the best way to sing a Long Song is while riding a horse.
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The country of Mongolia is rich in tradition. The Mongolian culture respects the land, the environment, and their animals. But most of all, they respect each other. They understand that their lives depend on protecting those things.
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