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The Muslim Kazakhs of Western Mongolia
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The Muslim Kazakhs of Western Mongolia
Majestically the eagles circle while sometimes powerfully beating their wings high above the gathered crowd. At the signal of the falconer an eagle suddenly swoops down, glides over the heads of the spectators and lands with a loud shriek on the thick padded gloves of its master. The "Festival of the Golden Eagle" in Bayan-Olgii in the western most province of Mongolia is attended by the best falconers with their prize birds. At high speeds and with unbelievable agility the eagles gracefully show off their flying abilities. The event beginning in mid-October signals the opening of the hunting season. The birds are trained to hunt for groundhogs, frogs and even wolves. The "Feast of the Golden Eagle" is a zealously guarded part of local Kazakh culture. In recent decades, the Mongolian Kazakhs have even been able to hang on to their traditions and skills much more so than their brothers in neighbouring Kazakhstan.
110,000 Kazakh's
Kazakh nomads have roamed the mountains and valleys of western Mongolia with their herds since the 19th century. The area has many peaks ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 meters. Up until 1930 the nomads could freely move between Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Chinese province of Xinjiang. However after the founding of the Mongolian People's Republic in 1924 many of them left their semi-nomadic lifestyle and began settling down in the western Mongolian highlands. Today the Kazakhs in the province of Bayan-Olgii number around 87,000 or about 88.7% of the provincial population while across the country they represent some 4% of the total Mongol population (about 110,000 people).
A Different Culture
The Kazakh culture differs in several ways from the Mongol culture. Traditionally the Mongolian Kazakhs are Sunni Muslims whereas the rest of the population are associated with Tibetan Buddhism. In daily life, Islam actually only plays a minor part in the lives of most Mongolian Kazakhs. Years of governmental atheistic indoctrination and communist upbringing has left its mark on the people. Until the end of the 1990's there were practically no mosques at all in Bayan-Olgii. Places of Islamic worship only sprang up a few years ago in the villages and settlements. Some of these were paid for by foreign Islamic organisations. It remains to be seen if such efforts will actually win their hearts deeply to Islam again.
Since the 1990's 35,000 to 50,000 ethnic Mongolians have submitted themselves to Christ. Previously only a few dozen were known to be Christians. The Kazakhs in Bayan-Olgii have so far remained untouched by these events.
Mongolia
5
The Muslim Kazakhs of Western MongoliaMajestically the eagles circle while sometimes powerfully beating their wings high above the gathered crowd. At the signal of the falconer an eagle suddenly swoops down, glides over the heads of the spectators and lands with a loud shriek on the thick padded gloves of its master. The "Festival of the Golden Eagle" in Bayan-Olgii in the western most province of Mongolia is attended by the best falconers with their prize birds. At high speeds and with unbelievable agility the eagles gracefully show off their flying abilities. The event beginning in mid-October signals the opening of the hunting season. The birds are trained to hunt for groundhogs, frogs and even wolves. The "Feast of the Golden Eagle" is a zealously guarded part of local Kazakh culture. In recent decades, the Mongolian Kazakhs have even been able to hang on to their traditions and skills much more so than their brothers in neighbouring Kazakhstan.
110,000 Kazakh's
Kazakh nomads have roamed the mountains and valleys of western Mongolia with their herds since the 19th century. The area has many peaks ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 meters. Up until 1930 the nomads could freely move between Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Chinese province of Xinjiang. However after the founding of the Mongolian People's Republic in 1924 many of them left their semi-nomadic lifestyle and began settling down in the western Mongolian highlands. Today the Kazakhs in the province of Bayan-Olgii number around 87,000 or about 88.7% of the provincial population while across the country they represent some 4% of the total Mongol population (about 110,000 people).
A Different Culture
The Kazakh culture differs in several ways from the Mongol culture. Traditionally the Mongolian Kazakhs are Sunni Muslims whereas the rest of the population are associated with Tibetan Buddhism. In daily life, Islam actually only plays a minor part in the lives of most Mongolian Kazakhs. Years of governmental atheistic indoctrination and communist upbringing has left its mark on the people. Until the end of the 1990's there were practically no mosques at all in Bayan-Olgii. Places of Islamic worship only sprang up a few years ago in the villages and settlements. Some of these were paid for by foreign Islamic organisations. It remains to be seen if such efforts will actually win their hearts deeply to Islam again.
Since the 1990's 35,000 to 50,000 ethnic Mongolians have submitted themselves to Christ. Previously only a few dozen were known to be Christians. The Kazakhs in Bayan-Olgii have so far remained untouched by these events.
Mongolia
dont want to return to their 'stan very soon and have managed to acquire afghan passports.
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