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***Yurt Thread***
A Yurt (Mongolian: Ger) is the home of the Eurasian nomads of the steppe and desert: the Mongols, the Turkic Tribes, the Hungarians, the Scythians, and the Huns. It is perfectly suited to nomadism and the life of people who have no need to build houses.
A Yurt (Mongolian: Ger) is the home of the Eurasian nomads of the steppe and desert: the Mongols, the Turkic Tribes, the Hungarians, the Scythians, and the Huns. It is perfectly suited to nomadism and the life of people who have no need to build houses.
1.) Ungerni, what is a yurt exactly?
A yurt is simply a tent that meets the needs of the herder. Its bones are made of wood and its flesh of felt and canvas. There is enough space for every task but not too much. In a yurt, there can be no secrets and no avoidance.
A yurt is simply a tent that meets the needs of the herder. Its bones are made of wood and its flesh of felt and canvas. There is enough space for every task but not too much. In a yurt, there can be no secrets and no avoidance.
2.) The yurt is able to withstand the strongest storms and fiercest blizzards in lands where -40F is normal. Outside, hell may be emerging, but one would never know. For this reason, every traveller is welcomed in and given food and drink and a warm bed, no matter who he may be.
3.) In exchange though, the traveller must bring news from the city and answer three questions: what is your name, where are you from, and what do you and your parents do? He must also follow the many rules of the yurt and bring gifts, or at least good stories.
4.) In the yurt, everything and anything that cannot be done outside is done. Sheep are butchered, food is cooked, and sacrifices are offered to the hearth. Baths are taken and anything and everything is discussed. Because the yurt is arranged in a circle, everyone has a say.
5.) Inside, one can truly relax. Everyone is centered around the fire and it’s very hard to not start talking one way or another, whether over vodka or sheep knuckle dice games or churning airag together. For these reasons, the yurt is the perfect place to meet a nice girl.
6.) In the summer, when there are few tasks to be done besides milking, the yurt is a place of tranquility. The felt sides are raised up, and soft breezes blow through, broken only by the sound of urum stirring. Falling asleep on a hide seems like a journey to heaven.
7.) It should be said that there is no home easier to build than a yurt. After the lattice walls are put up and tied to the door, poles are fastened to them and inserted into the Toono (wheel on top). Then two support beams are put under the Toono and it is all covered in felt.
8.) Ungerni, how should I act in one?
Relax. Step over the threshold (never, ever on top) and walk around to the left. Sit on the floor with your feet away from other people. Then you will be given milk tea, aaruul, biscuits, and urum. Enjoy enjoy enjoy.
Relax. Step over the threshold (never, ever on top) and walk around to the left. Sit on the floor with your feet away from other people. Then you will be given milk tea, aaruul, biscuits, and urum. Enjoy enjoy enjoy.
9.) Ungerni, we’re ready to move to summer pastures! How do I move this thing?
Take it down and wrap all the pieces up. Camels are the best way to move a yurt, but you can also use an ox cart or car. Remember that it takes a few days, and don’t forget about your herds.
Take it down and wrap all the pieces up. Camels are the best way to move a yurt, but you can also use an ox cart or car. Remember that it takes a few days, and don’t forget about your herds.
10.) On the steppe, fortunes rise and fall with the herds. If plague or dzud hits, the richest herder in the district can become a beggar. Because of this, yurts are decorated with elaborate paintings and carvings.
11.) The arrangement of the yurt reflects the values of the people of the steppe. On the right, the superior direction, is the mother and father’s bed. On the left, the children sleep. They eat in between because sharing meals is a time to grow close.
I now have other things to do, I will continue later and discuss the metaphysical significance of the yurt. May you be blessed by Eternal Blue Heaven!
12.) The doorway of the yurt holds great symbolic meaning. The yurt always faces south because it means that sunlight falls on beds to wake people up and because winds blow from the north. Only once one has entered do they greet people because the yurt protects from bad forces.
13.) The threshold of the yurt is also highly significant. Because it guards from the ravages of nature, it must not be disturbed. One never steps on the threshold and steps in with the right foot forward, unless they want to argue or collect a debt.
14.) At the front of the yurt, the family also keeps water and a basin to wash off before entering in order to clean off from the dust of the steppe. It is also worth mentioning that the south is the horse’s direction in Mongolia. The horse is the most noble animal.
15.) The focal point of the yurt is the hearth. In old times, this was an open fire, not a stove. For the youngest son, the hearth is a great responsibility. It is a symbol of the spirit of the family and of divine forces which he must never forget. Where the hearth is, home is.
16.) The fire that dwells in the hearth is also sacred. Nothing is ever thrown into the fire. Fire is a small glimpse of forces that can only be seen by shamans. Genghis Khan was told as a boy “there is a fire in your eyes. There is light in your face.”
17.) The patriarch of the yurt sits directly in front of the family altar at the back of the yurt. On the right the men sit and on the left the women. Men sit in front of their tools: rifles and lassos, and women sit in front of theirs: milk pails and food.
18.) The most sacred area of the yurt is the family altar. There, the images of ancestors, family, and gods are kept. Food is placed there for the ancestors and incense is burned in their honor. Below the altar, valuable jewelry and old relics are often stored.
19.) The yurt is the reflection of a higher order. The top mirrors the dome of the sky, the wheel on top matches the Dharmachakra, the wheel of fate in the Buddha’s teaching, and the earth and sky are both always present. There is no where to live in that is more serene.
20.) I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think!
