Building a Ger
The traditional home of Mongolians is the ger, a round dwelling or tent constructed mainly of wood and felt. The name comes from the Turkish word yurt. Gers may go back as far as 800 years and city dwellers also use them; however, Western homes and apartments are somewhat common in cities.
In the North Gobi I was able to watch and help an extended family reconstruct their ger. Many Mongolians are pastoralists. They rely on herd animals for food products, fur and pelts. In order to feed their animals properly and care for themselves as well, it is necessary for families and small groups to move seasonally- 2-4 times a year. It was not clear if this family had recently moved or if they were just repairing and then reconstructing their ger. The average ger weighs about 500 pounds and can be easily transported by animals. These days, even some of the remotest of gers are often moved by trailer and truck for a fee.
Putting a ger together only takes 60-90 minutes, and is nearly impossible to do alone. When we arrived, the site looked a mess, as if the thing had exploded into a million parts. Both the family matriarch and her daughter were repairing broken seams and small holes in the ger's outer shell.
It was a beautiful scene. The women worked in the dwindling sun sewing, the third generation played with sticks and rocks (and, later, with me), and the grandfather arranged the pieces for construction later on as baby camels returned home to their mothers.
The woman on the left here was the grandmother of the little girl, and I am not sure of the relationship they had with the woman on the right. The girl's mother was also involved with the repair work and construction.
As they cleaned and prepared I started to become friends with this little girl. As mentioned in my previous post, she started to call me sister, and I called her little sister in response.
These are their belongings, in a circle, on the floor of what will be the home. A flat surface with appropriate soil are goo prerequisites for an appropriate location. Floors of gers may have wood planks or a combination of plastic sheets (near the beds and chest) and dirt/grass floor (near the entrance).
Gers have a latticework frame of birch wood that is tied together with tiny leather ropes. The size of a ger is based on how many of these khana are used, usually fours to five, but sometimes as many as ten! Stretched out, each one is about 7.7 feet long and 5-6 feet high. Bound together with rope, they form a circular structure.
After the khana is stretched and in place, the door frame is attached and roped securely.
In this next photo, the unis (poles) are positioned around the ger so they will be ready when needed.
One person is needed to put together, hoist and hold the baganas (pillars) and toono (crown), while others insert and secure each uni. The There are between 72 and 212 poles (this ger used 72). All of the have one squared side which alloes them to fit in a notch in the center of the ceiling pillar and the other end has a small hole with a rope that secures it to the latticework. The pieces that fit over the door frame have no holes/rope at the and are instead wedged behind the top of the frame. The toono is important because it allows for ventilation and sunlight.
This is a view of the completed skeleton of the ger.
At this point, a layer of felt (sometimes two or three) is added to the roof and a series of ropes and sticks are used to both position and secure the felt.
Felt is then added to the sides. Someone has to hold up the thick and heavy sheets as another encircles the ger with strong ropes. One thick rope secures the felt from just above the walls.
Once the walls are secured, another layer is added to further protect from the elements, along with an outer set of ropes. A small triangle of felt is positioned on the top of the toono and it is attached to ropes that allow someone to cover and uncover it easily.
The last step is adding the door.
Gers face South or Southeast, as the dwellings represent microcosms of the Mongolian universe. The arch of the interior represents the vault of the heavens. The North side, hoimor is located behind the fire. The layout inside a ger is standard. When you walk in, immediately on the right, or East side, you will see cooking utensils and food cabinets or shelves. Immediately to the West, or left you will see herding and riding gear. Ahead, to the North, storage cabinets painted in beautiful bright orange with complimentary hues of blue, red, white, yellow details. In the middle of the left an right walls there are beds. Sometimes there may just be stacks of neatly arranged pillows and wrapped blankets.
In the North Gobi I was able to watch and help an extended family reconstruct their ger. Many Mongolians are pastoralists. They rely on herd animals for food products, fur and pelts. In order to feed their animals properly and care for themselves as well, it is necessary for families and small groups to move seasonally- 2-4 times a year. It was not clear if this family had recently moved or if they were just repairing and then reconstructing their ger. The average ger weighs about 500 pounds and can be easily transported by animals. These days, even some of the remotest of gers are often moved by trailer and truck for a fee.
Putting a ger together only takes 60-90 minutes, and is nearly impossible to do alone. When we arrived, the site looked a mess, as if the thing had exploded into a million parts. Both the family matriarch and her daughter were repairing broken seams and small holes in the ger's outer shell.
It was a beautiful scene. The women worked in the dwindling sun sewing, the third generation played with sticks and rocks (and, later, with me), and the grandfather arranged the pieces for construction later on as baby camels returned home to their mothers.
The woman on the left here was the grandmother of the little girl, and I am not sure of the relationship they had with the woman on the right. The girl's mother was also involved with the repair work and construction.
As they cleaned and prepared I started to become friends with this little girl. As mentioned in my previous post, she started to call me sister, and I called her little sister in response.
These are their belongings, in a circle, on the floor of what will be the home. A flat surface with appropriate soil are goo prerequisites for an appropriate location. Floors of gers may have wood planks or a combination of plastic sheets (near the beds and chest) and dirt/grass floor (near the entrance).
Gers have a latticework frame of birch wood that is tied together with tiny leather ropes. The size of a ger is based on how many of these khana are used, usually fours to five, but sometimes as many as ten! Stretched out, each one is about 7.7 feet long and 5-6 feet high. Bound together with rope, they form a circular structure.
After the khana is stretched and in place, the door frame is attached and roped securely.
In this next photo, the unis (poles) are positioned around the ger so they will be ready when needed.
One person is needed to put together, hoist and hold the baganas (pillars) and toono (crown), while others insert and secure each uni. The There are between 72 and 212 poles (this ger used 72). All of the have one squared side which alloes them to fit in a notch in the center of the ceiling pillar and the other end has a small hole with a rope that secures it to the latticework. The pieces that fit over the door frame have no holes/rope at the and are instead wedged behind the top of the frame. The toono is important because it allows for ventilation and sunlight.
This is a view of the completed skeleton of the ger.
At this point, a layer of felt (sometimes two or three) is added to the roof and a series of ropes and sticks are used to both position and secure the felt.
Felt is then added to the sides. Someone has to hold up the thick and heavy sheets as another encircles the ger with strong ropes. One thick rope secures the felt from just above the walls.
Once the walls are secured, another layer is added to further protect from the elements, along with an outer set of ropes. A small triangle of felt is positioned on the top of the toono and it is attached to ropes that allow someone to cover and uncover it easily.
The last step is adding the door.
Gers face South or Southeast, as the dwellings represent microcosms of the Mongolian universe. The arch of the interior represents the vault of the heavens. The North side, hoimor is located behind the fire. The layout inside a ger is standard. When you walk in, immediately on the right, or East side, you will see cooking utensils and food cabinets or shelves. Immediately to the West, or left you will see herding and riding gear. Ahead, to the North, storage cabinets painted in beautiful bright orange with complimentary hues of blue, red, white, yellow details. In the middle of the left an right walls there are beds. Sometimes there may just be stacks of neatly arranged pillows and wrapped blankets.
10 Comments:
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this is great. That girl is very very cute. Looks like they liked you!
1) So what's the deal, here? Were you and the crazy goat-faced jarhead dutch folks driving along with your guide and he's like "hey, wanna see this family make a ger?" and you were like "yes!"? What were the rest of yr travelling partners doing while you were documenting the process? What did the ger-making family think of your appearance/intrusion/photography? Did they expect something from you? Did they just think of you as crazy tourists who were getting a kick out of something normal-and-boring?
Your description of the construction is fascinating, but what interests me most is the interfacing of these people (poor, mongolian, pastoralists, fairly isolated, mostly elderly) and you (strange, fascinated, rich, taking-photos, hanging-around, friendly, nice, write small, etc).
2) What is that camel doing?
3) I read that there was a sack of fermenting milk hung in a stomach or something inside the door of every ger. Please tell me this is true!
1. We stayed with our driver's brother who lives within a very small group of gers (4-5). I am quite sure the ger-putting-together family had seen/been around Westerners before. I was as polite as possible and asked them before taking any photos. When the process started, everyone else was enjoying a local treat milk tea (often served salted, but mostly in the North), inside the brother's ger. They were angry that I did not alert them to the construction, but I was pretty wrapped up in what was happening and playing with the girl. All of them witnessed at least some of the end construction. I am sure that they just think of [us] as crazy tourists who were getting a kick out of something normal-and-boring? It is kind and important to not take advantage of people in the countryside, but there was no reason to offer this family anything. They get by quite well, and need little. It was necessary for us to offer the owner of the ger we stayed in something at dinner to go with the meal, etc. Exchanges should be reciprocal and I felt like it would have been demeaning to give them some money or ketchup or something. They have no idea how small I write. :)
2. The older/larger female camel was simultaneously being milked and giving milk to her baby.
3. Milk is fermented in many ways/containers. I am sorry to say that I did not see any hanging stomachs. Actually, I am surprised that I saw such little animal bloodshed. However, I did see pigs eat goat guts by the side of the road.
Each entry is better than the last.
very very interesting
wow maya, amazing entry.
that little girl is SO adorable.
Once again you leave me wanting more. How wonderful, you meet up with the most tremendously interesting people. It's your aura!
I await the next fabulous entry.
You'll tell me about this "bumping" later?...I am confused and looking for enlightenment...*S*
I am definitely bookmarking your site! This post was lovely and informative about stuff I have no idea about.
Do they limbo dancing?
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