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Mongolian herder and his child walk into their Ger, a traditional nomadic home - Source: Getty Images
A few hours drive from Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar - a city pushing for westernization - nomads are doing their best to hold on to a way of life which once helped solidify one of history's largest empires. Krissy Moreau experienced life living in a Mongolian ger camp and was welcomed in a nomadic family home at Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
I find myself perched on the edge of one of three beds arranged inside the perimeter of a Mongolian nomadic ger.
The focal point is the pot belly stove in the centre of the room, where our host Namgilmaa ("Naya") is standing. From a large steel pot, steam rises into the tee pee shaped ceiling, held in place by rafter poles.
Naya stands over the pot, ladling and stirring 'tsay', traditional Mongolian tea made for visits just like this. She is small in stature and sweet in nature; the years of nomadic living visible in the life lines on her face.
Weathered wrinkles full of kindness, wisdom, hardship, patience and survival. She is happy to share her life with our group, and eager to learn about ours.
Naya has spent all morning in the kitchen space next to the door, making the barely sweet donuts now being passed around the group.
They're a very particular people and visitors need to abide by certain rules to avoid offending their host. If offered anything, it must be taken with the right hand, while holding the elbow of our right arm with the left hand.
This is to show the guest's intent is good and the host can see where both hands are at all times. To move around visitors must walk in a clock wise direction around the centre of the ger, and to open the door only use their left hand.
Luxury of electricity
With the basics furnishing the ger interior, it was odd to note we were illuminated via a light switch and a fridge took centre stage in the kitchen.
Electricity and appliances are luxuries to most nomadic families; Naya's can indulge because of their proximity to the city. Mongolia's government is in full support of this way of life.
Nomadic families are given the freedom to move about the land at will.
Once the family has used their chosen site to its optimum capacity, they move on to another suitable site. This ability to support and encourage its nomadic culture is commendable.
As Naya shovels more manure into the flames to fuel the fire, the room grows noticeably warmer. Mishka, the family's ginger feline, dashes in from the -20C outside and curls up in the warmth radiating from the pot belly.
With the extra warmth comes a tinge of guilt, as the sound of barking dogs echo through the snow covered gully, where the family currently resides.
The resilience of the animals here astounds me, fully exposed to the extreme elements of Mongolia's winters and summers.
Existing in extreme temperatures
The temperature variance is around a hundred degrees, as low as -50C in winter, and as high as 50C in the summer. Yet dogs, cows, horses all exist and survive outside. It is fair to say they are used to it, but I am amazed all the same.
Naya's entire family eat sleeps and breathes in this ger. Naya sleeps on the bed to my left, her two grandchildren sleep on the bed across the room, and their parents on the bed I am sitting on.
It's a fusion of new and old, while Naya maintains the family ger, her children drive trucks and the grandchildren are at school. In a traditional nomadic family all hands would be on board to help maintain live stock and way of life.
Naya dishes out the 'tsay'; milk and tea leaves seasoned with salt. It's different but pleasant and warms from the inside what the fire is unable to reach from the outside.
Not knowing where New Zealand is, she nods agreeably when Australia is mentioned as we try to explain our origins.
Ever smiling and making sure we have everything we need, nothing is a problem as our clumsy western hands fumble their way through Mongolian tradition.
As part of the traditional welcoming ceremony a snuff bottle is produced and passed around. A small dark brown medicine bottle filled with tobacco.
The tobacco is bitter sweet with no narcotic effects, and resembles incense as it lines the inside of the nasal passage. It's customary for visitors to bring a snuff bottle of their own and trade it with their host during this ceremony.
Today we have arrived not with a snuff bottle but with gifts to fill the family pantry.
A small yet appreciated gesture for Naya as she watches us perched on the edge of the beds arranged inside the perimeter of a Mongolian nomadic ger.
Krissy Moreau is a former ONE News reporter
