During my time in Mongolia, I have been able to celebrate both of the country's major holidays. One is called “цагаан сар,” or tsaagan sar, which is the celebration of the Lunar New Year. Tsaagan sar literally translates to “white moon,” which represents purity and new beginnings. The other is called “Надам” or naadam, which happens in the summertime. In this article, we will talk about the different traditions that are associated with these festive times.
First, we will discuss Tsaagan sar. Last year, I was able to celebrate with some of my coworkers and friends whom I have made. I was warmly welcomed in and made to feel like part of the family! This is because Tsaagan sar is a holiday that is deeply rooted in the community. This holiday spans three days and features many unique traditions.
The first thing that I learned from my time celebrating last year is to bring your appetite! One of the most prominent traditions that you will find during this holiday is buuz, which is a traditional steamed meat dumpling. Most often, the meat is mutton, but some families may choose beef. Making buuz is a labor of love! The whole family gets involved. Some of my students' jobs for preparing for Tsaagan sar are simply keeping count of the buuz; families often make hundreds (even thousands)!
