FolkCostume&Embroidery: Overview of the Folk Costumes of Mongolia part 1 The East

Hello all,

Today I would like to start an overview of the Folk Costumes of Mongolia. This image above shows the traditional dress of 5 different Mongol groups. From left to right; Khoton, Zakhchin, Myangad, Uzemchin, and Torguud.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongols

Mongolia today is divided into three parts. There is the independent nation of Mongolia, which covers some 603,909 sq mi.

Then there is the southeastern part of Mongolia, generally called Inner Mongolia, which is currently occupied by China. This covers a further 463,000 sq mi.

And there is also the northern part of Mongolia around Lake Baikal, called Buryatia, which is currently occupied by the Russian Federation. The region officially recognized by the Russian government has an area of 135,600 sq mi.

Together, these three regions where Mongols have some level of political recognition covers 1,202,509 sq. mi. Together, this would make Mongolia the 8th largest country in the world.

Many Mongols live both east and west of this territory in the Russian Federation, but have been deliberately excluded. Mongols also live across the border in Xingjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu Provinces, as well as in many islands further south in China, as far as Yunnan. Some of these are recognized with autonomous regions or counties.

In both Russian and Chinese held Mongolia, there are many colonists which now outnumber the indigenous people.

There are other pockets of Mongolic Peoples spread across Asia.

Altogether, Mongols number some 10 million people, of which about 3 million live in the sovereign state of Mongolia. They are overwhelmingly Buddhist, although shamans are known, and small minorities follow Orthodoxy or Islam. They speak languages of the Mongolic language family, although the vast majority speak Khalkha, and the others are gradually adopting Khalkha. They are famous for the huge empire of Genghis Khan, and are masterful horsemen. They traditionally lived in yurts, although many are now settled. In independent and Russian occupied Mongolia, they currently use a version of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Монгол хэл нь Монгол улсын албан ёсны хэл юм.

They have a historically traditional alphabet, which is still in use by the Mongols in China.

This may look extremely bizarre at first, but it is actually a descendant of the Arabic alphabet turned 90 degrees, because civilized people write vertically. Similar alphabets are also used by the Manchu and the Uygur.

All Mongols wear a basal layer of undergarments, shirt and pants.

The pants are generally tucked into boots, which may be rather plain, as in these chid's boots.

Women's boots may be ornamented with applique or embroidery.

Men's boots have upturned toes for riding, presumably to stay in the stirrups more easily.

Over these is worn the Mongol's basic garment, called Del. [Often spelled deel, but it does NOT rhyme with peel, but rather is the short vowel eh lengthened somewhat.]

This is a robe that overlaps to the right, is slit up the sides for riding, and has a standing collar and the typical horsehoof cuffs. It is worn by both men and women, and resembles the clothing worn by the Manchu and the Amur peoples.

These are belted with a sash, and may be extremely plain.

Alternatively, they may be made of rich fabrics with ornamental trim, various short and long vests, and an astonishing variety of hats, headdresses, and jewelry.

I will now attempt to show the various ethnic groups. Here are a couple of maps to help with orientation.

Khalkha Халх ᠬᠠᠯᠬ᠎ᠠ

This group forms the majority of the population in the Mongolian Republic. There are smaller numbers of them in South Mongolia. Their language is the basis of the literary language in Mongolia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalkha_Mongols

One distinctive feature of the married womans costume is that the hair is shaped into two wings, held in place by jeweled fittings, that curve out from the side of the head.

That's right, Queen Amidala was Khalkha Mongolian, although her robes are much simplified.

Married women's garments also include a long embellished vest and peaked sleeve tops. The ends of the hair wings are braided and often inserted into braid covers. A sleeved mantle may be worn over all.

Both men and women wear peaked hats, and men will wear relatively simple vests as well.

Buryat Буриад ᠪᠤᠷᠢᠶᠠᠳ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buryats

The Buryat live in the north, living mostly in Russian-occupied Mongolia, around Lake Baikal, but also in the northeastern parts of Independent and Chinese-occupied Mongolia.

The Buryat have broad borders to the opening on the upper part of the del, and the women have a seam at the waist. I have written more about the Buryat in my article of the peoples of Southern Siberia. They mostly wear cone shaped hats and dangling jewelry.

Barga Барга

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barga_(tribe)

The Barga speak a dialect of Buryat, and are found in small numbers in the eastern part of both independent Mongolia and Chinese-occupied Mongolia. The married women wear a headdress that somewhat resembles that of the Khalkha with a Buryat hat, but somewhat different than either.

Dariganga Дарьганга

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dariganga_Mongols

The Dariganga live in the southeastern part of Independent Mongolia, in Sukhbataar Province, and possibly over the border somewhat into Inner Mongolia.

The hair of married women is put up in a similar way to the Khalkha and Barga, but the shape formed is unique.

Üzemchin Үзэмчин

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Czemchin_Mongols

The Üzemchin live in eastern Mongolia, in Dornod Province of Independent Mongolia and Xilin Gol in Chinese-occupied Mongolia.The women wear a round cap with much pendant jewelry.

Khorchin Хорчин

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khorchin_Mongols

The Khorchin live in the easternmost part of Inner Mongolia, especially in Jirem. Their clothing reflects this, having many similarities to that of the Manchu, their neighbors to the east.