The Urtiin duu or “long song” is one of the two major forms of Mongolian songs, the other being the short song” (bogino duu). The Urtiin duu is a lyrical chant, which is characterized by an abundance of ornamentation, falsetto, an extremely wide vocal range and a free compositional form. The rising melody is slow and steady while the falling melody is often intercepted with a lively rhythm. Performances and compositions of Urtiin duu are closely linked to the pastoral way of life of the Mongolian nomads on their ancestral grasslands.

China,Mongolia 2008

Mongolians make a tea in various ways. We boil the water for tea and add powdered tea to the boiling water and keep it on the soft fire for two minutes. Then we blend the boiling tea with milk and salt. We ladle up and pour back the blended tea in a flurry. We call tea as five dainties. They are water, salt, milk, ghee and tea. We melt ghee or fat of sheep's tail and add millet in the cast-iron pot and fry them. Then we pour hot plain tea without dregs, blend it with milk, put the lid on the pot and keep it for a while. Then we season the boiling with salt and soda. Then we pour it into a kettle. This is called hiitstei tsai or tea with various mixtures. This is thicker and oily tea. It can remove one's fatigue and satisfy one's hunger. Mongolian tea is called as, tiisen tsai (tea in corky tub), bortstoi tsai (tea with pemmican), torguud tea, tea with ravioli, tea with nettle and so on. We have many traditions to make a tea.

The art of knifemaking is old and ancient, and because knives are made by hand, they are a sought-after product in all countries of the world. Among the most ancient forms of knives, Kazakh, kagyi, tolbargi, panvandli, koshkhovuz and several other types have come down to us. Today's types of these, such as horn sop, yorma sop, suqma sop, kalai sar, mis sarbasta, sadafli, chilmekha, suyaksop, sadafsop, have been formed. The side of the needle is mainly made of hardened steel and steel. Currently, there are about twenty knife-making centers in Uzbekistan, which differ from each other in their work technology, shape and decoration.

Uzbekistan

Uzbek cuisine (cookery) today is a special national brand. It is no coincidence that every year it is gaining increasing popularity in the countries of near and far abroad. The great culinary heritage of the Uzbek people has passed the test of time. Each new era brought new products and new technologies. Accepting new things and developing, Uzbek cuisine has invariably remained national, bright and original. It is the highest dignity, wealth and special harmony of Uzbek cuisine that attract an increasing number of fans around the world to it. With a three-thousand-year history, the gastronomy of Uzbekistan is distinguished by its diversity, calorie content, healing properties, as well as its aesthetic qualities. At the same time, the traditions and culture of cooking, characteristic of our region, form a nationwide culinary art.

When the summer ends and the cold days of autumn starts, Mongolians do this custom as weanling or release the baby foals and mares to their flock of horses. Mongolians release the foals from their tethers on the Dog Day of autumn and do the ceremony of folding the ropes and tethers or foal branding ceremony in that day. In order to do this ceremony, they make a fire near the tether of foal for firing the horse brand, and start branding foals. After branding they put the brand into airag in vessel and come to the ger and have an airag. They do an airag libation to the blue sky and mother earth. Depending on the weather and landscape, the weanling ceremony is done differently in Mongolia. After the libation, the feast starts with general proceeding of other feast.

Mongols have a tradition to tether their foals in on the Tiger day at the beginning of summer and to set the mares and foals free of their halter and hobbles on a Dog Day in autumn and to celebrate the feast of “Foal branding”. In order to perform this ceremony a fire is set in the vicinity of the tethering-line and an iron brand is made red hot in it. Each foal is then branded, after which the brand is dipped into a pail of fermented mare’s milk. The pail is brought into the ger to be served. Accordingly, the libation with airag (mare’s fermented milk) is made for the sky, mountains and water. Thereafter, the feast for the “Custom of foal branding” continues according to established rules.

Horse branding is a one of the most respected household items made by a balcksmith. Mongolian horse-brand are shaped into symbols that are associated with the tribes or ethnic groups to which the nomadic herder belongs. The culture of the brand of nomadic Mongol was written on the historical sources and evidences over 4000 and 5000 years ago. Every brand is different and never duplicated. The livestock brand is classified into 3 different categories as brand on hair, brand on surface of skin, brand on body. Mongols brand the horses and camels, and mostly do branding to young horses (in age of foul) in autumn and do branding feast within families. Horse brand is very important marks to herders to recognize their animals, therefore herders say this word “Altan biyend aman gerch, aduu mald tamga gerch” as “Tongue is expression of our body, and the brand is the evidence of horse and livestock”.