Archive

Elements

Custom to castrate young animals
  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00001167
    Country Mongolia
    ICH Domain Social practices, rituals, festive events
    Address
    throughout the Mongolia
    Year of Designation 1962
Description Young animals are castrated at the beginning of summer. The methods to castrate animals differ depending upon the flock or herd. The general ceremony of castration is the same. For instance, in order to castrate flocks, a felt rug or piece of quilted felt is stretched out at the western part of a ger. There is a support piece of the ger that is placed at the right of felt rug facing to the north. On the western side of the man doing the castration, a small sack of millet and a pail of water blended with a bit of milk are also placed. An arrow is set lengthwise on the top of pail. Beside them juniper needles are burnt in an incense-burner. After man did castration, he says as “be lighter than feather and faster than arrow, blood must be dried in time and healing comes in time, khurai khurai khurai, dur dur suukhaa”.
Social and cultural significance This is a traditional method to maintain the balance of male and female domestic animals since half of all offspring are male.
Transmission method by participation in the custom
Community Most herders across the country
Keyword
Information source
National Center for Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of Mongolia
http://www.ncch.gov.mn

Materials related to

Photos