Mongolia

Ever tried making your own Mongolian boots?

Modern day Mongolians may be steadily migrating towards the cities, following similar trends in developing countries around the world, but in the past they belonged in the Central Asian steppes and spent much time on horseback.

Traditional Mongolian clothing reflects this lifestyle. It is simple, practical, comfortable and uses materials like wool, silk, felt and sheepskin for keeping warm in winter. Discover Mongolia has this article about traditional Mongolian clothing.

An interesting essay from Designing Art Studio’s website explores the way Mongolian dress has changed through history. In the past Mongolian horsemen and women carried out raids into China, Persia, Russia and Turkey and the essay illustrates the way these conquests affected traditional attire.

Photo: Mongolian boots from Laohats

Once you’ve digested all the background info, take a look at Laohats, where Heather has dissected a pair of Mongolian boots (see photo) so she can explain how to make them. That’s right, you too can be the proud owner of a pair of hand-made Mongolian boots …made by your very own hands!

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Professional Mongolian women photographed by artist Grace Gelder

Professional Mongolian women

For many people the first images of Mongolia that come to mind are barren steppes, open skies and nomads living a rural lifestyle. But in fact more than half the population of 2.6m lives in cities, most of them in the capital Ulaan Baatar.

Perhaps even more surprising is the role of women in Mongolian society. Mongolia enjoys a female workforce participation of 51%, which puts it among the top 5 countries in the world in terms of percentage of women in the workforce.

Historically Mongolian women have enjoyed higher status than in many other countries in the region, and this trend was developed further during the 20th century under Soviet rule, when equality was emphasised and women’s participation in many professions increased.

In her exhibition ‘Professional Women of Mongolia’ photographer Grace Gelder documents some of the many Mongolian women in professional and technical roles. The exhibition was created in November and December 2007 and highlights the variety of roles filled by Mongolian women.

The photos above and below are taken from the exhibition. Above is Nina, who runs a pharmaceutical business.
And to the left is S. Otgonnyam, who is Project Manager of the World Bank Fast Track Initiative. The programme aims to improve education in rural Mongolia.

The photos are showcased on Grace’s website here, and you can see more photos of Mongolia and detailed background information on Grace’s Flickr site. She would also be happy to hear from anyone who has questions – the address is gracegelder@googlemail.com

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How to make Mongolian boots and more about clothing of Mongolia