Saturday, November 27, 2010

Mongolian belief’s we experience on a daily basis:

1.    Shake hands if you’ve stepped on someone’s foot
  • If you do not shake hands then this person will be your enemy. You've invaded their social space, not good.
  • This is the way to identify a Mongolian: if you inconspicuously touch their foot with yours, they will automatically turn around reach out their hand for a shake. I cannot overstate the fact that the underlying reason that Mongolians have a very large personal space.
2.    Don’t stand on a threshold of a Mongolian home.
  • You just don't do it. It’s a rule that mostly applies for toddlers – they always linger around the threshold.
3.    Don’t sleep with your feet directed to deity figures (Buddha Idol or Shaman icon/idol)
  • There is no way. Just don't do it. 
  • By pointing your feet you are showing disgrace to our most revered part of the household.
  • Next time you are staying at a local’s place for the night, make sure to mirror the hosts' way of sleeping.
4.    Get a haircut only on certain “good” days
  • Your soul lives in different parts of your body each month some days the soul is in the hair.
5.  Whenever you open the door the man "must" go 1st before the woman
  • The reason is that bad things happen to the person that enters 1st. This should always be the man. 

6.    If you see a shooting star, say “That’s not mine!”
  • While the western culture interprets a shooting star as a make-a-wish opportunity, Mongolians take it as an omen of a death.
  • They say that each star is a person, and its shooting would mean its owners imminent death. Thus, it is only logical to be scared and say “That’s not mine!”
7.    Kill spiders on sight
  • You never know what lady luck unfolds, my friend. Mongolians kill it for future riches. 
  • From the 3 year-old toddlers to 70-year-old seniors, killing spider is a good way for good luck 
8.    If you see a dead animal, say “I didn’t kill you. Please don’t curse me!”
  • If you do not do this then the dead animal will curse you to death.
9.    If you drop your keys, stomp on it three times.
  • If you do not, a burglar will break into your house
10.    If a family member dies you cannot celebrate “White Month” Mongolian new years
  • The reason is that it is not good, bad luck for the family member that has already passed away or your family.
11.    You cannot talk about or use the word “blood”
  • If you talk about or say the word then you will either be in a bad accident/die or a family member will have a bad accident/die.
12. You must polish your shoes before you enter someones home, work or a building
  • The first part of someones body that enters a place (your feet/shoes) determines if they are a "good" person or not. 
  • If their shoes are dirty you are disrespecting the people inside & showing that you are not a person worthy of respect.

13. The list is very long with many more things