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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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Mongolian folk songs are divided in three different categories, such as long songs, short songs and the authors’ songs. Folk songs are shorter than other forms of expressions with average durations of one to five minutes, but there is a high volume of them. Thus, restoring, categorising, and digitising folk songs were the most time-consuming tasks compared to others. Within the framework of the project, just under forty-eight hours of songs were restored and digitised.
Audios
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No. Title Performer Country Manage No Running Time 1 Folk Short Songs Mongolia AA00000031 A Light Pink Flower that Doesn’t Bloom in a Valley, Khooloid Urgadaggui Khondon Yagaan Tsetseg N. Baljir (62-year-old female, Khalkha ethnicity) from Telmen, Zavkhan Mongolia AI00000301 0:01:03
Ongoo Bolov Uu Yagaa Bol G. Dorj (43-year-old male, Darkhad ethnicity) from Bayanzurkh, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000281 0:00:25
The Sun Like Pure Gold, Altan Shar Nar (ring song) M. Dulmaa (60-year-old female, Buriad ethnicity) and M. Jigmed (57-year-old female, Buriad ethnicity) from Tsagaan-Ovoo, Dornod Mongolia AI00000302 0:01:10
Song of Uutsiin, Uutsiin Duu (part) S. Nyam (78-year-old female, Buriad ethnicity) from Bayandun, Dornod Mongolia AI00000288 0:10:04
Songs from Nirgelgiin, Nirgelgiin Duunuud M. Dulmaa (60-year-old female, Buriad ethnicity) and M. Jigmed (57-year-old female, Buriad ethnicity) from Tsagaan-Ovoo, Dornod Mongolia AI00000294 0:03:07
Agariin Gurvan Suljee S. Darisuren (35-year-old female, Khotgoid ethnicity) from Tsagaan-Ovoo, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000295 0:00:48
What Should I Do? Yagadgiin Bolov Uu (Bayad song) Kh. Bat-Ulzii (42-year-old male) from Zuungovi, Uvs Mongolia AI00000222 0:00:53
Kugshchuul Golduu Zon L. Norov (61-year-old female, Darkhad ethnicity) from Rinchenlkhumbe, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000256 0:00:59
Khazaar Zuuzai S. Lamjav (62-year-old male, Darkhad ethnicity) from Ulaan-Uul, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000249 0:01:25
Khanitai Bolokh Sanaatai (humorous song) A group of girls from Bayanzurkh, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000242 0:01:13
Toosooroo Shuursan Tovog G. Dorj (47-year-old male, Darkhad ethnicity) from Bayanzurkh, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000245 0:01:30
Toostoi Tolgoin Yoroold L. Norov (61-year-old female, Darkhad ethnicity) from Rinchenlkhumbe, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000221 0:00:28
Nulgarmaa B. Tsagaankhad (39-year-old male, Uzemchin ethnicity) from Luus, Dundgovi Mongolia AI00000228 0:03:59
Deltai Tsenkher R. Lkhamjav (31-year-old female, Khotgoid ethnicity) from Tsagaan-Uul, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000236 0:01:15
Peppermint, Gaatai Chikher D. Bukhchuluun (48-year-old male, Durvud ethnicity) from Mankhan, Khovd Mongolia AI00000219 0:01:04
Calm and Genrle Wind, Budarmaar Budartmaar Salkhi R. Lkhamjav (31-year-old female, Khotgoid ethnicity) from Tsagaan-Uul, Khuvsgul Mongolia AI00000253 0:01:26
Buguitai Khaltar (song of Bayad ethnic groups) Z. Tsend-Ayush (31-year-old male, Bayad ethnicity) from Khyargas, Uvs Mongolia AI00000247 0:01:21
Flutter Snow in Taigiin, Taigiin Tsasand Sargia Yu L. Norov (61-year-old female, Darkhad ethnicity) from Rinchenlkhumbe, Khuvsgul. Mongolia AI00000240 0:00:42
Khotgoidiin Foal, Khotgoidiin Unaga U. Munkhbat (38-year-old male, Khalkha ethnicity) from Numrug, Zavkhan Mongolia AI00000216 0:05:36
Get Married, Be Happy, Khurimaa Kheegeed Jargaya T. Duujaa (female, Darkhad ethnicity) from Rinchenlkhumbe, Khuvsgul. Mongolia AI00000211 0:00:28
Great Tsogt, Undur Tsogt G. Davaajii (male, Darkhad ethnicity) from Ulaan-Uul, Khuvsgul. Mongolia AI00000531 0:00:31