2024-05-25 10:57:06
‘What’s flawed with individuals in that nation?’ ‘How are they totally different from us?’ We’ll aid you adapt to a brand new perspective by mentioning questions in home and worldwide information.
What picture involves thoughts whenever you consider ‘Mongolia’? To start with, the pure surroundings of huge deserts and grasslands involves thoughts. It additionally depicts nomads using horses and sustaining a standard way of life. It is not a rustic that feels that far-off.
Then I lately had the chance to interview with the Mongolian Ministry of Tradition. I began making ready pondering that it would not be a troublesome interview. After fascinated by it, I spotted that the Mongolian tradition I knew was nothing greater than what I learn in historical past books or journey opinions.
From then on I turned anxious. What are different cultural heritages of Mongolia? How ought to I clarify this to Korean readers? In a scenario the place my doubts couldn’t be erased, I met with Mongolia’s Minister of Tradition, Chinbat Neuming, by way of Zoom. Though Mongolian tradition remains to be unfamiliar, I requested whether or not the cultural coverage was progressing properly. Minister Numing was adamant.
| “Mongolia’s nomadic tradition is exclusive. By including at present’s expertise to this cultural heritage, we are able to create utterly new content material that has by no means existed anyplace else on the earth.” |
As I ready to ask questions on whether or not there have been any difficulties, I needed to cease speaking a number of occasions. I additionally felt ashamed that I used to be solely pondering narrowly. So it was late, however I seemed it up. We determined to look into the place Minister Neoming’s will and confidence got here from and the present state of Mongolia’s cultural coverage.
There was some ‘hip’ content material that was gaining world recognition, and however, I used to be frightened about how far this type of content material may unfold. I’m wondering what you suppose.
◆ Was this additionally Mongolia? Mongolia is rising as a filming location for leisure and dramas.
Just lately, the quantity of people that have traveled to Mongolia has elevated considerably. The truth that will probably be attainable to enter the nation with no visa for as much as 90 days from June 2022 can also have performed a job. The favored leisure present ‘I Stay Alone’ featured celebrities happening package deal journeys to Mongolia, and curiosity in Mongolia appears to have elevated as a journey vacation spot to get pleasure from distinctive surroundings and tradition at a comparatively cheap price. It has turn out to be more and more widespread to see ‘Mongolian journey’ on TV packages or social media. Actually, you could have come throughout Mongolia in varied methods even earlier than that. It’s best identified that the filming location referred to as Pyongyang Station within the drama ‘Crash Touchdown on You’ was Ulaanbaatar Prepare Station in Mongolia. The drama ‘Robust Girl Gangnam-soon’, which aired final 12 months, begins with the setting that the principle character, Gangnam-soon, spent her childhood in Mongolia. As well as, in 2013, woman group T-ara, woman group Twice, singer Heize, and Hyukoh Band additionally selected Mongolia as a music video filming location.
Why has Mongolia turn out to be a most well-liked location for Korean vacationers and manufacturing crews? Though it’s a shut nation that may be reached in about 3 and a half hours, it could be as a result of you may expertise huge nature that can not be present in Korea. Mongolia’s Ministry of Tradition can be actively working to encourage international content material creators to go to Mongolia. Minister Neming cited the so-called ‘Movie Trade Growth Act’ handed in August 2021 as a associated assist measure. Based on the legislation, international manufacturing crews who produce movies in Mongolia can obtain 5% of the manufacturing prices again.
It’s comprehensible that the aim of naturally exposing Mongolia to extend curiosity in tourism and tradition is comprehensible. Nevertheless, moderately than simply consuming Mongolia’s ‘picture’ of huge grasslands or nomadic life, we must always be capable to entice world consideration to content material created in Mongolia. I’m wondering what distinctive content material from Mongolia is attracting consideration world wide.
◆ Have you ever heard of ‘Hsiungnu rock’… Discovering cool in nomadic traditions
In opposition to the background of majestic deserts and grasslands, an unknown string instrument performs together with the sound of drums. Quickly, singers dressed as warriors start to sing in cracking sounds, accompanied by fierce taking part in. It is clearly rock music, however the introduction of conventional devices is complicated, and the nomadic singing fashion of 1 particular person utilizing two voices can sound like a command to ‘come to your senses.’
“What did I simply see?” That is my evaluation of my first time seeing Mongolia’s consultant rock band, The HU.
The Who describes their music as ‘Hunnu rock’, combining conventional Mongolian music and heavy steel. The music video, which was first launched on YouTube in November 2018, induced fairly a stir, exceeding 45 million views in only one 12 months (at present 120 million).
Pop legend Elton John even launched them on the radio as “the freshest and most unique band I’ve ever heard.” In April 2019, their debut album ‘Wolf Totem’ additionally ranked #1 on the US Billboard ‘Arduous Rock Digital Tune’ gross sales record. The Who remains to be actively touring North America and Europe.
These music include content material that both promotes the historical past of the Mongol Empire or criticizes fashionable society for its lack of conventional values related to nature. Within the feedback part of the music video, there are fairly just a few responses praising the best way they hold custom alive, comparable to “I really feel pleased with Mongolia regardless that I’m not Mongolian,” and “I perceive why the Mongol Empire took over the world.” In recognition of her contribution to selling her nation’s cultural heritage, The Who additionally turned the primary rock singer to be chosen as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2022.
Trying on the reactions of rock music followers world wide, I can perceive why Minister Neming emphasised the distinctiveness of nomadic tradition. The appeal and asset of Mongolian tradition is that it combines nomadic tradition to create a “utterly new tradition.”
Behind Mongolia’s specific emphasis on custom and historical past, there’s additionally the affect of the nation’s previous beneath the rule of the previous Soviet Union. Below the previous Soviet Union, conventional nomadic tradition with shamanistic traits was suppressed. Afterwards, with the fast inflow of Western tradition, there was a necessity to revive Mongolia’s historical past and tradition, which had been forgotten with independence. The Genghis Khan Museum, which first involves thoughts when pondering of Mongolia, solely formally opened in 2022. Even now, with the inflow of tradition from neighboring international locations and fast urbanization, it is a vital activity to awaken Mongolia’s id by selling the consciousness of being a ‘descendant of Genghis Khan’ and the nomadic custom.
The picture above is ‘The Mongol Khan’, a musical based mostly on the historical past of historic Mongolia carried out in London, England. It was scheduled to be carried out in China, however Chinese language authorities reportedly banned it proper earlier than the screening. There’s an evaluation that there was concern that it will encourage separatist actions in China’s Inside Mongolia area, which isn’t impartial. Even when the cultural business seeks impartial growth, historic and political components appear to inevitably have an affect.
◆ To attain the dream of Mongolia changing into a ‘cultural powerhouse’
Nevertheless, to place it bluntly, ‘Mongolian custom and historical past’ alone might not be sufficient to draw individuals from everywhere in the world. Take into account the band The Who. The idea of ‘mixture of custom and modernity’ itself is just not particular. In Korea, Inalchi’s ‘Beom Coming Down’, which mixes conventional Korean music with band music in 2020, has attracted consideration each at house and overseas. In fact, Mongolia’s historical past and nomadic tradition, that are comparatively much less identified amongst Northeast Asian cultures, are fascinating and value studying about in themselves. However is not the best way we reinterpret the content material as essential because the supply of the content material?
If we need to protect our cultural traditions, we should additionally tackle the challenges confronted by nomadic communities because of the present local weather disaster and poverty. In Mongolia, a catastrophe phenomenon by which grass doesn’t develop attributable to excessive chilly temperatures exceeding -40 levels Celsius is named ‘zod’. It means catastrophe in Mongolian. Just lately, the prevalence cycle of Zod has turn out to be shorter and the depth of chilly and heavy snow has turn out to be extra extreme, and the nomads are stated to be shaking the muse of their lives. Based on Bloomberg Information, final 12 months, Zod occurred in 20 out of 21 states nationwide, and 5.9 million animals, or about 9% of the entire, died as of the top of final 12 months.
Personally, the latest cultural content material from Mongolia that left an impression on me is the film ‘Metropolis of Winds’ (2023). The title refers to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia and the middle of politics, financial system, society, and tradition. Ulaanbaatar has been remodeled into a contemporary metropolis and has grown quickly, however overcrowding is a major problem as greater than half of the inhabitants is concentrated there. Nomads are going through social and financial inequality and disaster as they wrestle to dwell in ‘ger villages’ on the outskirts of cities.
By means of the lifetime of the principle character, a highschool scholar who’s a shaman, ‘Metropolis of Wind’ reveals the confusion of id skilled by Mongolian youth and the traditions shaken by urbanization and industrialization. Whereas benefiting from the distinctiveness of Mongolian society, the rising pains skilled by the town’s younger era may be empathized with by any society. The movie turned the primary Mongolian movie to win the Finest Actor award within the ‘Orizzonti’ part of the Venice Worldwide Movie Competition in Italy. It was additionally screened within the ‘Window on Asian Cinema’ part on the Busan Worldwide Movie Competition and met with home audiences. I feel it is a consultant instance of the place content material that takes benefit of the Mongolian background can join with the world.
The long-term aim of Mongolia’s cultural coverage is to “develop the cultural business in order that it may possibly have its personal capabilities to contribute to the nationwide financial system.” Mongolia is without doubt one of the world’s prime 10 resource-rich international locations, wealthy in underground sources comparable to coal, copper, and uranium. Because of the mining business, Mongolia’s financial system is claimed to be rising quickly within the twenty first century. Nevertheless, it’s stated that diversification of the financial construction is important as it’s weak to fluctuations in world uncooked materials costs and the financial system of key importing international locations comparable to China.
The cultural business’s contribution to GDP in Mongolia remains to be estimated to be round 1%. Establishing an impartial basis would require long-term funding. The home and worldwide challenges that should be solved within the course of won’t be simple. Will Mongolia be capable to obtain its dream of changing into a ‘cultural powerhouse’? I hope you may watch it collectively.
Reporter Yunjin Kim kyj@donga.com
2024-05-25 10:57:06