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Mongolia: Nomadic Culture

Life on the steppes and a deep connection to the land in a changing world.

Ayelet Idelberg — anthropologist and researcher of East Asian and Pacific cultures; lecturer, journalist, photographer, and tour guide.

A lecture about culture, landscapes, and people, inspired by an unforgettable documentary film. What happens when a mother camel rejects her calf? How do the desert people respond—people who live so closely connected to the land and their animals?

In this lecture, we will delve into the nomadic culture of Mongolia—a vast country pulsing to the rhythm of the wind and nature.

Through the eyes of nomads living in ger tents on the Mongolian steppes, we will discover how a rich, deeply rooted culture copes with delicate existential situations.

We will discuss nomadic culture, family ties, relationships between people and animals, and the journeys and migrations that are an inseparable part of life there.

Alongside the camels, herds of horses, yaks, sheep, and goats also play a central role in their lives. Each animal fulfills an important function in livelihood, transportation, nutrition, and local culture.

We will explore traditional husbandry methods and moving customs such as Mongolian throat singing, which is used to touch the souls of the animals. We will reflect on the balance between a simple, basic existence and a profound respect for nature.

The lecture includes impressive, colorful photographs taken during a journey to Mongolia by Ayelet Idelberg, as well as first-hand stories and cultural interpretation that will shed light on one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating pastoral societies.

Full-Length Film Screening: The Story of the Weeping Camel

A moving and surprising documentary film. It follows a nomadic family leading a herd of camels through the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia. During the journey, one of the she-camels gives birth. The birth is difficult, and at the end, a small white camel calf is born. Despite the family’s efforts, the mother refuses to accept her offspring, denying it her maternal affection and milk. The calf’s only remaining hope is a musical purification ritual that will soften the she-camel’s heart. Two of the family’s children set out into the desert in search of a distinguished musician who can perform the required ritual to bring them together.

Duration: 87 minutes
Directors: Byambasuren Davaa, Luigi Falorni