Tsagaan Sar

Tsagaan Sar, the biggest holiday of the Mongolian year, is the Mongolian version of Lunar New Year familiar from other East Asian cultures. As such its date varies from year to year according to the moon. This year it was scheduled for February 22-24. This is later than Chinese New Year, so they must be looking at different moons, I guess. That date is approximate though, as it really starts the night of Feb. 21 and then fades out through March. Like Christmas in America, the "Tsagaan Sar season" actually begins even earlier when you take into account all the preparation that goes into play. Over a week before it began, I helped my hashaa family make 1600 buuz. The primary mode of celebration is by visiting people's houses and gorging oneself in a way that would embarrass Thanksgiving. For example, I visited 26 or 27 households (I've forgotten) and probably ate over 100 buuz over the 6 days beginning on Feb. 21. I was actually a bit overenthusiastic, because I later found out most people only visited a half dozen houses or so, but in my ignorance I ambitiously attempted to visit every teacher. Not that anyone is complaining.

A Tsagaan Sar table arrangement: boov, sheep's back, vodka, juice, fruit,  kimchi (replacing traditional pickled vegetables), potato salad, and buuz

Another setup. Notice on the back wall, the horsehead fiddle and the Chinggis Khaan tapestry. Half the homes I've been to have one of these tapestries.

L-R: a boov pyramid, sheep's back, and bottle of vodka - perhaps the 3 most important items

An urn of airag

An ornamental snuff bottle and purse/wallet

People at a Tsagaan Sar feast

One of the highlights was receiving a new deel from my hashaa family, on which people proceeded to spill tea, airag, and vodka. Another one was when my counterpart took me to visit her inlaws, who are camel ranchers. So, I got to ride a camel named "Lik."

Me, wearing a deel and riding a camel