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Since the early 1950s, the Institute of Language and Literature at the Academy of Science (ILL) has been sending survey teams one to three times a year to research and gather data on oral literature and local dialectics. These activities set the groundwork for officially establishing a new archive with written documents and magnetic audio tapes that could be used for research purposes and be maintained. Preserved on magnetic tapes are languages and dialects that have gone extinct, have lost their distinctiveness, or have been adsorbed into other languages or dialects. However, most of the magnetic tapes being kept at the ILL are more than sixty years old, and the expiration date on many tapes has already lapsed. Also, improper storage conditions have caused some tapes to dry out, cling to one another, or fracture. For these reason, it would be hard to transmit to next generation. Accordingly, since 2008, efforts have been made towards restoring and digitizing superannuated magnetic tapes within the internal capability and capacity of the ILL. The lack of training, finance, and proper tools and technical equipment has, nevertheless, created several obstacles and the digitizing results have not been very successful. At this crucial state, the ILL introduced a cooperative request to the Foundation for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage (FPNCH), and the FPNCH proposed that ICHCAP continue the joint project and take measures for restoring and digitizing superannuated magnetic tapes and distributing and disseminating the data among the general public. According to the above decision, the FPNCH and ICHCAP implemented the Joint Cooperation Project of Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage by Using Information Technology from October 2011 to April 2012. As the first stage of the project, the Expert Meeting for Safeguarding ICH by Using Information Technology was held in the Republic of Korea to exchange information with experts for digitizing and restoring the analogue data. The experts of Mongolian National Public Radio, the ILL, and the FPNCH started the project after sharing restoration and digitization knowledge with the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) of Korea, the National Archives of Korea, and the Korea Film Council. As the main outcome of the project, a total of 715 hours of superannuated magnetic tapes including epics, folk tales, tales accompanied by the morin khuur, traditional arts, khuumei, chor, long and short folksongs, and traditional customs were restored, digitized, and categorized. Among them, 128 audio clips were selected and reproduced in a ten-CD collection called Sounds from the Mongolian Grasslands. The collection also includes a twenty-page handbook in English or Korean. Through this project, the general public’s, involved organizations’, and domestic and international experts’ awareness about Mongolian ICH increased, and the archive and music contents of regional ICH were strengthened.
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An ode is an expression of noble feelings of some events and it is linked to certain ceremonies. There are many common characteristics among benedictions and odes. People who recite odes can perform them to a very specific tune. Benedictions are rich in expressing future dreams and fantastical thinking. But odes express present events, as well as people’s pride, admiration, and enthusiasm. There were just over ten hours of restored and digitised odes.
Audios
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No. Title Performer Country Manage No Running Time 1 Odes Mongolia AA00000028 Ode from a Camel, Temeenii Tsol G. Orgoi (47-year-old male, Khalkha ethnicity) from Mandal-Ovoo, Umnugovi Mongolia AI00000203 0:01:35
Ode from a Victorious Horse, Turuu Morinii Tsol K. Davaasambuu (46-year-old male, Khalkha ethnicity) from Undurkhaan, Khentii. Mongolia AI00000185 0:02:41
Tursun Hometown Ode, Tursun Nutgiin Magtaal T. Enkhbalsan (37-year-old male, Zakhchin ethnicity) from Mankhan, Khovd. Mongolia AI00000194 0:01:06
Ode of Five Livestocks, Tavan Khoshuu Maliin Magtaal T. Enkhbalsan (37-year-old male, Zakhchin ethnicity) from Mankhan, Khovd Mongolia AI00000209 0:02:27
Undur Shireetiin Ode, Undur Shireetiin Magtaal Dulmaa and Ochirpurev from Undurshireet, Tuv Mongolia AI00000165 0:04:28
Ode of Undur Khukhiin Mountain, Undur Khukhiin Magtaal D. Sungarav (male, Durvud ethnicity) from Durgun, Khovd Mongolia AI00000202 0:02:43
Buriad Archery Ode, Buriad Suriin Magtaal A. Bazargur (71-year-old male, Buriad ethnicity) from Bayandun, Dornod Mongolia AI00000175 0:03:07
Ode by Bulnai Summiin, Bulnai Sumiin Magtaal Zagdragchaa and Tserennadmid from Bulnai, Zavkhan. Mongolia AI00000161 0:02:32
Ode by a Horse Bayan Khodoodnii, Bayan Khodoodnii Morinii Tsol B. Manaljav (49-year-old male, Khalkha ethnicity) from Darkhan, Khentii Mongolia AI00000197 0:01:39
Ode by a Foal Bayan Khodoodnii, Bayan Khodoodnii Daaganii Tsol B. Manaljav (54-year-old male, Khalkha ethnicity) from Darkhan, Khentii Mongolia AI00000204 0:03:44
Twelve God’s Ode, Arvan Khoyor Jiliin Magtaal G. Avirmed (78-year-old male, Bayad ethnicity) from Tarialan, Uvs Mongolia AI00000206 0:02:36
Altan Govin Ode, Altan Goviin Magtaal T. Purvee (41-year-old male, Bayad ethnicity) from Zuungovi, Uvs Mongolia AI00000188 0:02:18
Altain Ode, Altain Magtaal D. Sungarav (male, Durvud ethnicity) from Durgun, Khovd Mongolia AI00000198 0:03:15