| Description |
Worshipping practices of sacred sites in Mongolia have been developed in specific cultural space of nomadic lifestyle in the vast grassland steppe of Central Asia. One of the main characteristics of nomadic culture is its close relationship and harmony with nature and environment.
These practices, according to ancient shamanism, are based on belief in the existence of invisible deities of sky, earth, mountains, and all natural surroundings. Furthermore, Mongolians believe that these deities exist on the top of the mountain or any hill between sky and earth and choose these places as sacred sites for the worshipping for and offerings to these deities. They pile up Ovoos (stone mound) in these places and perform worshipping rituals and ceremonies. All participants at the worshipping rituals ask a deity to bring a timely rain, to protect humans and livestock from natural disasters, and to bestow prosperity and blessings on the participants and local people of given areas.
In early times, sacred sites were worshipped with shamanic rituals and these wonderful traditions were later enriched with Buddhist teachings and rites. In a sense of respect and symbol and in geographical importance, sacred mountains, hills or the head of rivers in general have become as a cradle (centre) of the natural and cultural areas concerned and create a specific socio-cultural space and a unique cultural heritage landscape.
These sacred sites are the symbol of cultural identity and spiritual cohesion of local people concerned and a sacred site for performing worshipping rituals and organizing important social events and ceremonies of given communities.
Researchers regard the worshipping practices of sacred sites as multi-functional and multi-content cultural heritage element.
The worshipping rituals in Mongolia have originally been conducted by the kin group and later by the local and indigenous people of a specific areas and further by specific representatives of State authorities and interested people at national level.
The procedures and ritual order of worship ceremony are usually similar but some differences can be observed in regards to local customs and traditions. In different places, the people who lead worship ceremony are variously called as the owner of Ovoo or head of Ovoo. Those experienced people should be native and respectful people. In rare occasions, if a ritual is conducted in the way of shamanic tradition, a shaman leads this ritual ceremony. If it is a Buddhist ritual, a monk leads a worship ceremony.
The key organizer consults with respectful elders, the head of the Buddhist monastery or shaman about the time for conducting ceremony. Timing is determined in accordance with traditional astrology. Once the time is set up, the day of worship is publicly announced.
A worship ceremony is often conducted during the summer and/or autumn of the year.
In the early morning before sunrise, all participants, in their best dresses, carrying offering food and items, start to head towards the Ovoo together with their young children. Bringing young children to the worship ceremony allows the youngsters to learn the customs and traditions of the community.
Before starting the worship ceremony, varied coloured ceremonial scarves are tied to the main wood that is placed in an Ovoo and a hand-made figure of the deity is placed on white cotton in front of the Ovoo. Offering food and items are also placed in front of the Ovoo.
Honourable guests, usually elders, sit in the north west direction of the Ovoo. If the State worship ceremony is performed, a state official opens the ceremony by reading an official decree issued for particular worship ceremony. Buddhist monks sit in the north east direction of the Ovoo. There should be more than three monks. Monks should possess knowledge of how to recite (sutra) offering texts with the use of various musical instruments. Sometimes the elders recite offering texts.
Offerings including dairy products or cooked meats are placed in the east of the Ovoo. Various aromatic substances such as juniper’s needle, wormwood and wild thyme are burned as a sanctification of the sacred site. The procedure of the ritual ceremony starts with invoking deities and nymphs to come to the offering site then followed by presenting various offerings to them. After making offerings, participants of the ceremony make requests to deities and nymphs to grant richness in livestock and bestow success and prosperity on them. Monks chant sutras dedicated to this mountain and Ovoo. Meanwhile, an arrow called as bringer of auspiciousness is shot towards the sky and mark out any livestock animal as being consecrated to a divinity.
Following the ceremony, a festival of horse racing, wrestling and archery competition as well as singing and dancing take place immediately.
This tradition is highly considered as one of unique and humane intangible cultural heritage of Mongolia.
- Locals participate at sacred site worship ceremony on a voluntarily basis. The local elders personally teach younger people how to attend and behave at the worship ceremony. A sacred site worship ceremony brings all community members together and builds a sense of community and solidarity.
- The worshipping natural environment creates more awareness among the people about interdependence between human beings and the environment and creates more respect for the nature. This is one of the best environmental protection methods that has been preserved by the Mongols since ancient time.
- The ritual procession is based on Mongolian folk beliefs, literature, poetry, song, dance, rituals, festive events and as well as handicrafts.
Thus, the sacred site worship ceremony preserves those ICH elements through time. In sum, it is clear that worshipping practices of sacred sites have immeasurable value both in transmission of ICH and as a source of public education, identity and pride.
At the practical level, these practices play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and the preservation and protection of biological and cultural diversity. This heritage significantly contributes to the protection of our natural environment and wildlife as sacred and pristine. |
| Social and cultural significance |
In early times, sacred sites were worshipped with shamanic rituals and these wonderful traditions were later enriched with Buddhist teachings and rites. In a sense of respect and symbol and in geographical importance, sacred mountains, hills or the head of rivers in general have become as a cradle (centre) of the natural and cultural areas concerned and create a specific socio-cultural space and a unique cultural heritage landscape.
These sacred sites are the symbol of cultural identity and spiritual cohesion of local people concerned and a sacred site for performing worshipping rituals and organizing important social events and ceremonies of given communities.
- Locals participate at sacred site worship ceremony on a voluntarily basis. The local elders personally teach younger people how to attend and behave at the worship ceremony. A sacred site worship ceremony brings all community members together and builds a sense of community and solidarity.
- The worshipping natural environment creates more awareness among the people about interdependence between human beings and the environment and creates more respect for the nature. This is one of the best environmental protection methods that has been preserved by the Mongols since ancient time.
- The ritual procession is based on Mongolian folk beliefs, literature, poetry, song, dance, rituals, festive events and as well as handicrafts. Thus, the sacred site worship ceremony preserves those ICH elements through time. In sum, it is clear that worshipping practices of sacred sites have immeasurable value both in transmission of ICH and as a source of public education, identity and pride.
At the practical level, these practices play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and the preservation and protection of biological and cultural diversity. This heritage significantly contributes to the protection of our natural environment and wildlife as sacred and pristine. |
| Transmission method |
The worshipping rituals in Mongolia have originally been conducted by the kin group and later by the local and indigenous people of a specific areas and further by specific representatives of State authorities and interested people at national level. In the early morning before sunrise, all participants, in their best dresses, carrying offering food and items, start to head towards the Ovoo together with their young children. Bringing young children to the worship ceremony allows the youngsters to learn the customs and traditions of the community.
During the communist regime (1930-1990) in Mongolia, under the motto to build up “Proletarian and socialist new culture”, the traditional and indigenous culture, customs and national identity’s expressions were suppressed as old, backward, obsolescent and superstitious. Furthermore, several elements that are related to national sentiments and religious teachings and rituals in particular, were prohibited to be learned, transmitted and performed. It was a great tragedy for Mongolians. The worship of sacred sites was one of these elements to be banned and destroyed. By this very reason, the tradition of worshipping sacred site was almost forgotten by the people and had faced the danger of being lost. However, with the collapse of communism in Mongolia in 1990 and introduction of democratic society provided a good opportunity to revive this traditional heritage element. A revival process is based on the living memory of the elders who used to participate at sacred site worship ceremonies, and recite offering texts that describes how to conduct the ceremony. The government and local communities have been taken active role in reviving the tradition, but, there are several challenges facing to the revival of this traditional element.
The below are some major challenges:
• Mongolia has experienced rapid globalization and urbanization and the flow of herdsmen population from those sacred sites areas to the cities diminishing the scope of the traditional cultural space of worshipping practices in this situation. The locals, though they wish to revive and continue these practices, are lack of knowledge and possibilities to conduct worship rituals;
• The process of urbanization affecting young people to be more isolated from direct relations with sacred sites is having a bad influence upon the rising generations;
• The number of practitioners and masters who are knowledgeable to properly conduct the traditional worshipping rituals and ceremonies has decreased dramatically due to the aforementioned historical reasons. The traditional procedures of worshipping rituals and their symbolic meanings and expressions are almost lost in many local communities;
• As Mongolia is rich in minerals such as coal, gold and copper, a large number of mining companies have been operating. A large area of Mongolian territory is under exploration and mining license. Some sacred sites are located within the territories under such licenses that threatens the viability of the element and its continued transmission.
In sum, there is an urgent need to raise awareness among general public and especially among young people about the importance of sacred sites, to create a favourable legal environment for conducting worshipping practices and train special masters and organizers of worshipping rituals to transmit these practices to younger generations. |
| Community |
Although, all Mongolians are concerned with this element in general, there are certain areas where specific individuals organize and conduct the worshipping rituals. For example, people mentioned below are some of them.
- Ts.Battulga, a member of Gonzgoi kinship of Uriankhai ethnic group, native person of Sagsai soum (county) of Bayan-Ulgii province, leader of practitioners of worshipping rituals of sacred mountains of Altai
- G.Ernee, a key organizer of worshipping ceremony of Sain mountain in Tub province;
- A.Duurenjargal, President of Research and Information Centre for the Sacred Sites of Mongolia - NGO, main representative organization of sacred sites' communities and associations
- Sh.Soninbayar, Senior trainer of the Centre for training a leader - practitioners of worshipping rituals of sacred sites; and
- Other Buddhist leaders and monks of local monasteries in different provinces |
| Type of UNESCO List |
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2017 |
