Tsaagan Sar visits

Every family puts on a Tsaagan Sar spread 

Each layer of bread represents happiness or sorrow - the age of the oldest person determines the number of layers. There is always an odd number so happiness is always the final outcome.

A typical visit. We were invited to eight homes during Tsaagan Sar. Each family was prepared with food, hospitality and gifts to give us as we left.

Men, young and old, do it too

Greetings. We first engage in a traditional Tsaagan Sar greeting in our hats and deels with the older person’s arms supported by the younger person’s arms. The older person is seated for the greeting. 

Sister missionary greeting Puresuren

We exchange New Year’s greetings and buss each others' cheeks or approximate a kiss in mid-air.  

In deels, hats on, older person seated, younger person's arm under the older person's arms

A part of the greeting is to slip the elderly each a 5,000 toogrud bill (approximately worth $4.00). They accept it graciously without any fanfare or protest. If we, as visitors, are the oldest, no money is gifted. 

Battsey - one of our co-workers greeting Darlene

Food. The food is displayed and served in a traditional pattern with lots of meaning associated with presentation. Then we are seated by the food and offered “harem”, a fairly tasty drink of hot milk, salt and other flavorings. We are offered a snuff bottle to admire and smell and then return to the host in a traditional manner. 

Getting full yet?

We are offered several different kinds of salads (potato, carrot, cucumber and tomato, fruit) and other side dishes we can put on our saucers. Before we eat, we are to eat something white – white candy, a milk curd or white rice with raisins.  There are copious amounts of candies and sweets within easy reach. 

 Harothsuren's husband is Chinese so there Tsaagan Sar presentation has more of a Chinese influence

We make conversation and have a leisurely visit. The food is served in courses. Each visit is  1/2  to two hours in length. Once "boze" have been served or when new guests arrive, it is generally time to go. Guests are invited at certain times so that everyone doesn’t arrive at once.

The elderly have the seat of honor

Aireg is mare’s milk that has been fermented. Aireg is generally passed sometime while you are eating. You are to take a small sip (or a generous one) and pass it on to the next guest or back to the host who offers it to someone else.  It is bad manners to be squeamish about the food. We bravely taste everything that is offered. The amount of what you eat isn’t as important as accepting their hospitality.

If you are offered vodka – this doesn’t happen much in church member’s homes – you can dip your right ring finger into the vodka and flick it in three directions and then give the vodka back to the host without drinking any. Drinkers, of course, imbibe.

Grilled sheep tail - served traditionally - "boze" pinched in the shape of roses decorate the sheep

Meat dishes. Meat is carved from the sheep and served to the guests. It surprised us with how tasty and palatable the meat was. The meal ends with a serving of “boze” (meat and vegetable dumplings that have been steamed and are served hot.). There is a strong expectation to eat generously and appreciatively of this offering. After several Tsaagan Sar visits in the same day, this becomes more of an ordeal than a pleasure so you have to moderate your appetite from the beginning of the day.

Visiting Battsey's family

 Moderation in all things. Darlene was hungry during her first visit and enjoyed the food. She paid for it during the second and third visits of the day. 

Easy does it

We both became quick learners on what to eat and how much so we could demonstrate graciousness and admiration of the food without massive indigestion later. Several of the Elders or young missionaries learned the hard way that overeating has consequences.

Odgerel's family

Farewell gifts. When we leave, we are given gifts, something practical and generally expensive. Otherwise, it is box of expensive chocolates or candies. We both are given gifts that have been thoughtfully preselected for each one of us. The generous offerings of food and then gifts at the end of a visit far exceed anything brought to them. We, too, are expected to graciously accept the gifts without protest or fanfare.

Darlene and Gansukh

Enjoyable and special. Each of our visits was special. Tsaagan Sar is a time for building relationships and strengthening bonds. We learned and showed respect for Mongolian culture and were honored to be included in their circle of family and friends.

Flower (in blue) and friends

It was fun but in the end, it was also an ordeal. Eight visits spaced out over 3 days was about the right amount. One senior couple made six visits in one day and their memories are not as pleasant as ours. I am looking forward to next year but not any sooner. I am sure the host families feel the same way. 

Farmers in the deel

Tsaagan Sar sunrise

Greeting the new year

On the morning of Tsaagan, Mongolians climb to the peaks of the mountains and hilltops surrounding Ulaanbaatar and greet the New Year when the sun rises over the horizon. They raise their arms to the rising sun. Culturally it is frowned on for women to do this climb. There were a few women, very few, doing this Tsaagan Sar ritual. 


Friendly host at the top - notice the traditional shoes

Elder Stewart and a few missionaries made this climb on Tsaagan Sar. He took some phenomenal pictures.

Sunrise - notice the cluster of viewers on the lower peaks

We were recovering from our bout with pneumonia and didn't make the climb. Maybe next year I will join the festivities.

A group of LDS missionaries also greeting the sunrise

There were people who hauled wood to the top of the hills and mountains and made small fires to keep warm while they waited for sunrise. 

A Buddhist shrine on Tsaagan Sar

Buddhists also build shrines on tops of mountains as a focal point for rituals. On Tsaagan Sar, some worshipers leave food and cast milk on the shrine. 

Three Mongolians in their deels waiting for sunrise

From times of old, Mongols honor Mother Earth and Father Sky by giving thanks by casting small amounts of milk (Mother gives her gifts to the young) to the four corners of the sky.   

Raising their outstretched arms to the sun

Mongols believe that milk is pure as it is white and without blemish. They offer it as a blessing to God. When someone is going on a long journey, their mother will usually cast milk to the sky and pray for a safe trip, to keep them safe and to bring him or her back home safely.

A ger district at dawn

The same is is true for special occasions like weddings or other special times. That is why Mongolians call this holiday Tsaagan Sar (white month). 

Coal fires from the Ger Districts near Ulaanbaatar

The communists tried to ban Tsaagan Sar and replace it by renaming the holiday, "Collective Herder's Day". Rural Mongolians, nomads, would relish this holiday as a way of reuniting their families and making sure that cousins, aunts and uncles would meet at least once a year and get to know each other. It was also to show respect and honor their elderly. 

City residents, mostly under the watchful eye of the communists, would be punished if they took time off from work to travel and meet their relatives. The rural tradition continued to flourish under the guise of "Collective Herder's Day." After the 1990 Democratic Revolution in Mongolia, the new government reinstated Tsaagan Sar and it is Mongolia's number one holiday.  



A couple greeting the new year together - she was one of the very few women on the mountain

Missionary Talent Show

The choreography in this dance number was outstanding

During the Tsaagan Sar holiday, the mission scheduled a talent show for the missionaries. There is no missionary work during the 3 day national  holiday when families are visiting each other. The talent show the missionaries something to think about and do instead of getting homesick for their families. 

Some of the talent show participants

The missionaries loved it - planned for it, rehearsed for it, performed in it and enjoyed it thoroughly. What a memory of the incredibly talented group of missionaries we have here. There was comedy, skits, church songs, popular songs, and traditional songs and dance. There were a couple of senior missionaries who also contributed. 

They started the talent show off with a traditional Tsaagan Sar greeting for President and Sister Clark and all the senior couples.

The older persons hands are on top while the younger greeter hands are under showing support and respect for the elders

The missionaries and senior couples who had traditional Mongolian deels and jackets wore them. It was flashy and fun. 

Mongolians make their Tsaagan Sar visits dressed in traditional deels

Half of our appreciative audience

We were also treated with a video tape of the Sister missionaries in Choibalsan performing a traditional dance via videotape. 

Waiting for the show to start

The other half of our audience

Elders Robbins and Neuberger

Mongolian throat singers - an amazing skill and a thrilling, unreal musical experience

What great missionaries we have here. Here are pictures of the more photogenic numbers - interspersed with some vocals that were wonderful.

Elder Woodward standing tall for truth and justice 

Mongolian patriotic number

President Clark performing "I tat I thaw a pudditat"

Doing the twist

Sister Schiffler performing a solo. 

Senior skit - Sister Richardson about to collapse from thirst

Classical pianist 

Elder Naef and companion doing their thing

Traditional dance



This young Elder was in the hospital the day before the talent show - out of the hospital and on to the stage. 

 

Elder Naef in a traditional dance

Sister England, with Elder Stranski translating, recited a Robert Service rendition of the "Burial of Blasphemous Bill".

Elders Quinton and Lloyd doing a duet

Fandango - an unbelievable number 

Spelling out the "D" in LDS

Elder Neuberger had a little extra zest

Doing the wave - their rehearsing and performance paid off 

Elder Titensor reaching great heights.

The finale showed a choreographed "LDS"