Wedding time

I have had the chance to go to a wedding party, thanks to my mongolian network eheh I know the right people. Just have to do the same in HK now. Well that is another story. Anyway, we had been invited there, wich is supposed to last few days, all day long. We arrived in the afternoon, I actually wasn't feeling very comfortable to go there, as I could not say anything -almost- and I didn't know those people. Besides, I was sure I was going to be the first "white people".

This takes place in the ger, where the couple has to stay in one end of the ger -the opposite side of the entrance- and all the guys just sit around.When you arrive, you have to offer some presents to the couple. The close family will offer rugs, and other useful and expensive presents. The others -like us- offer anything that can be a present: we offered biscuits and vodka. So you have to walk to them, and "kissed" them on each cheek, and give them the present. They will kiss you back. Usually, if you are younger, you put your arms under theirs. But I do not think that is a big deal when you are a foreigner. They do not expect you to know the very traditional customs, so do not worry and relax.

the newlyweds

As you can see, it was very crowded. A ger is quite small, and it is the unique living place. I will post about it later. And yes, I was the only white one. I had to dress up the mongolian way -wearing a deel-, and you may notice that blue is their favorite colour, the color of Tenger, the sky. Mongolian people are very proud, of themselves, of being mongolian, of their country and their culture. They like tradition, and respect it. Anyway, focus marie, focus.

You can see the couple, the husband is drinking airag -mare's milk. The guy in white, at the bottom left, is one of the two guys pouring glasses of airag, mongolian vodka and vodka. Yes there was a lot of alcohol, which consists of two different kind of vodkas. The mongolian vodka is very light, few %, and handmade.

how to make mongolian vodka

For those, like me, who don't drink alcohol, I can tell you, this was already too strong.

Then you have traditional vodka, airag, and milk tea -which is  must, otherwise you would be drunk within the first hour. There is a technique. There are two guys giving shots to everyone, and everyone has his turn, many, many times. Maybe because I was white, it was my time too many times eheh.

I asked the Mongolian guy who came with me -a friend of the family- to ask them to stop giving drinks to me, because it was too much, and I felt already dizzy. I tried many different techniques. The first is to finish the glass and give it away. But it comes back full, so forget about it. Then I tried to keep it for a while, but they push you to drink, and they will even give you another glass -if yours is vodka, they will give you mongolian vodka, and vice versa. Another technique is to give it back without drinking or just sip a bit, but they won't take it until you finish it. So basically you have no choice. However I had the chance to seat close to this guy, a good drinker, so he sometimes drank it for me, but it is usually forbidden. Good luck guys!

Vodka and Mongolian vodka

The worst part is if they give you at the same time Airag and  Mongolian vodka. Then you have to sing. So usually someone start singing, and then other people join him. It is always songs abut the nature: the sky, the grassland, also about the horses -usually Naadam's horses. But when it happened to me -eheh- I couldn't sing a Mongolian song -well I know one they used to sing for children, and another one, but I think it would have been inappropriate. And actually at that time, I coudn't think much: I was kind of drunk, and scared of singing in front of everyone. But they were all staring at me, and as everyone sang before, I had no choice but singing smth. The guide told me to sing a french song, that they both knew. So we sang all together. It was like bungee jumping. Do not think, just do it.

Mongolian vodka and Airag

I got the only camera at the wedding, so I took pictures of everyone, this is a good way for them to have some souvenirs, and also some family portraits. I printed it for them.

You may notice that there are various type of deels, but there are rules: women wear adjusted deel, with usually small patterns and a thin belt. It is just the opposite for men. The bigger they look, the best it is. Big patterns, thick belts are a must for every man. You must also, -men or women- wear the boots, and a hat (this is especially for men). Everything tends to enhance the power of the men. It is a men/women culture, you will see that through the blog.

We left the party at night, but didn't come back, as asked the following day, we were just too messy. I printed out the pictures, and we gave it to the families.