U laanbataar, capital of Mongolia is a scruffy, pitted city with an Eastern European centre of concrete, blocky, government build- ings and sky rise apartments, ringed by sprawling, dusty, white canvas ger suburbs. A ger (the word for home) is a large white canvas tent seen all over Mongolia. Although building materials such as wood, concrete and steel are available, many Mongols choose to live in traditional gers because natural materials are more easily found and are cheaper. Mongolia is largely populated by nomadic people who need a household structure that can easily be moved and can withstand harsh cold and windy desert conditions. It is quite an amazing sight to stumble across a family disassembling their ger , which typically takes anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on the size. An average ger weighs approximately 250kg and traditionally was transported by camel or yak. The ger design follows the same guidelines throughout the country. The main insulating factor of the ger is made up of felt ( esgi ) which is made by several layers of sheep’s wool sprinkled with water by grass and continuously rolled back and forth until a thick insulating layer is formed. This is then sandwiched between canvas. The insulating wall is supported by a collapsible willow birch wooden frame of painted orange lattice walls ( khan ). The frame, ranging from 16 to 20 feet in diameter, has anywhere from 4 to12 walls and 10 to 15 wooden roof poles ( uni ). The walls and poles are held together by leather straps and supported by two large posts in the center of the ger . The posts are not structural but they add stability in high winds. The top and center ( toono ) has a small cartwheel shaped opening that allows smoke from the dung fed stove located in the middle to leave and fresh air to enter. Most gers have no electricity; people rely on candles for light and the fire for heat. The ger rests on the ground and hides and colorful wool carpets are used on the floor and as added insulation and decoration for the interior walls. The unique structure of the ger is not only designed well for the nomadic needs and environmental conditions but it also carries great traditions and holds proper etiquette rules. The floor layout is practi - cally non-existent but everything has its proper place, the same in every ger I visited. The traditionally decorated door always faces south to allow the sunrise and light in and to avoid north winds. Stepping on the door threshold is considered a taboo, something like stepping on someone’s neck. The back wall is a sacred area where the elders sit and all treasured possessions are displayed. To the left of the door entrance (the male side) is where the saddles, tools, ropes and leather bags are strung through the exposed lattice. The right side (the female side) is where the dresser is filled with cooking implements, water buckets and food. The remaining circumference is where two or three orange flower decorated beds are, as well as a miniature table and several child-size chairs. A typical ger houses two adults and three to five children.
Mobility in Mongolia Lisa Der
La ger Oulan-Bator, capitale de la Mongolie, est une ville d’apparence pauvre et misérable, entourée de fau- bourgs qui s’étendent dans tous les sens. Une ger est la grande tente blanche faite de toile que l’on aperçoit en milieu rural, peuplé en grande partie de nomades ayant besoin d’une habitation qui peut se trans-
porter aisément et qui peut résister à la fois au froid rigou- reux et aux vents du désert. Une ger de taille moyenne peut abriter deux adultes et de trois à cinq enfants. Elle pèse environ 250 kilos et se trans- porte à dos de chameau ou de yak. Le principal matériau d’isolement des murs est con-
stitué de plaques de feutre ( esgi ) tendues entre deux toiles et posées sur une armature de bois démontable ( khan ) faite de saule et qui mesure de seize à vingt pieds de diamètre. Les murs et les perches en bois du toit sont liés ensemble avec des lanières de cuir et soutenus par deux grands pieux qui ser- vent à assurer la stabilité de
l’habitation par grand vent. La ger repose sur le sol. Des peaux et des tapis de laine aux cou- leurs vives couvrent le plancher et ornent les murs intérieurs de la tente, tout en servant également d’isolant.
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O n S ite review
T ransformations
I ssue 7 2002
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