Traditional Nomadic Mongolian Culture

Did you know that our cashmere comes from the grasslands of Mongolia collected by the Nomadic people who roam the countryside? For over 3,000 years Mongolians have been utilizing the traditional Nomadic lifestyle in search of the best campsites and pastures across the nation. Today, almost half of Mongolia still uses this practice.

The traditional Mongolian ger is the portable home that makes the Nomadic life possible. These homes are easy to assemble yet are still sturdy in order to withstand harsh weather conditions. Predominantly made out of animal skin and felt, the gers stay well insulated in the colder seasons.

The gers are also easy to take apart. When the Nomadic people venture to their next location they transport the housing components on the backs of horses camels. As the season change, the Nomadic people follow the warm weather which has the best grasslands for their livestock.

The door of the gers always faces south to allow the most amount of sunlight into the home. In the center of each ger is a wood burning stove with a small chimney hole in the roof. Surprisingly, many of the gers have items you would find in a modern home. Solar panels are not uncommon, and generate household appliances such as lights, refrigerators, and televisions.

Traditional Mongolian Nomads raise six different types of livestock; horses, cows, yaks. sheep, goats, and camels. Each animal has their own benefits and contributions to the Nomadic lifestyle. Whether it is milk and leather from the cow, or silk and wool from the sheep, all of the animals are used for many purposes. The most difficult animal to raise is the goat. They are greatly appreciated for their high valued natural fibers. These fibers are used to create precious cashmere. Mongolia is one of the largest exporters and producers of the finest cashmere in the world.

Although this way of life is is essential to Mongolian culture, the number of Nomadic people is significantly decreasing. The harsh conditions and long winters have driven many people to the capitols suburbs for a more urban way of living. However, those who still practice this Nomadic way of life are constantly perfecting their resilience in order to properly navigate across their cherished homeland.