Tserendeijid
Basic information
Interviewee ID: 990904
Name: Tserendeijid
Parent's name: Sharavjamts
Ovog: [blank]
Sex: f
Year of Birth:
Ethnicity: [unknown]
Additional Information
Education: [unknown]
Notes on education:
Work:
Belief:
Born in: Lün sum, Arhangai aimag
Lives in: sum (or part of UB), Ulaanbaatar aimag
Mother's profession:
Father's profession:
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Translation:
Byambajav -
Well, I thank you very much for accepting my invitation and giving me the interview.
Tserendejid -
Yes.
Byambajav -
Well, before starting the interview there are two issues on which I would like to receive your permission.
Tserendejid -
Hn.
Byambajav -
If you wish you may conceal your name. Aa you may as well leave it without concealing.
Tserendejid -
It doesn’t matter.
Byambajav -
Will we proceed with using the name?
Tserendejid -
Proceed with using the name.
Byambajav -
One more question, all information contained in your
interview after some years will be used by researchers of
history as scientific material as well they may be used on
TV, Radio broadcasts and in newspapers as reference
material. Will you give the permission to those
people?
Tserendejid -
If they consider it possible they may.
Byambajav -
Well, thank you, let’s now start the interview. So
first of all will you introduce yourself and tell me
extensively about your childhood, about your mother and
father, in general about the society of that given time, the
memories you have of those days.
Tserendejid -
Yes, I was born in place called Savtain khooloi of
Lun soum of Arkhangai aimag as the eldest daughter to the
family of Sharavjamts. After that my mother left to live
separately so I lived with my grandpa and grandma and was
doing all the daily job of an rural family, collected dung
(laughed) I was still small, cleaned the dung of the
livestock, carry water etc. all the daily chores of rural
household until I reached 10 years I was reared by my
grandmother. At age of 10 I was enrolled in school, my
father moved to (soum centre) and was treating a person by
pressure massage. That man was the one who established the
furniture factory for the first time. My father was a good
carpenter, I was a carpenter at the centre of Lun soum, and
when the furniture factory was established a good carpenter
from every place was summoned by Marshal’s cable of that
period. (0-02-58) So a lorry was sent to bring our family
that time now this your in-law Badarch was in mother’s womb
they expected the birth to come pretty soon. So after our
arrival here Badarch was born, I was attending in autumn of
tat year the elementary school of Lun soum then from here
came a driver who was a relative of ours with a car that car
belonged to the Marshal. It was called M pick-up truck he
wanted to take two of us me and a friend of mine and went to
school and met the Director of school to receive a
permission to leave. Then the Director would not allow us to
leave he said you people would not send the children to
school, they’d drop out and did not give a temporary leave
permission. That brother of our said that any way I’d take
them with me and would enrol them in school and we moved.
When we went to the school two of us frightened were sitting
in the cabin of the car. So when Director would not allow
the driver said we’ll send them to school in the city and
when the Director still insisted that he’d not give the
permission we moved directly to the city. Then after passing
by our school and approaching Khashaat (a neighbouring soum)
we breathed a sigh of relief. So we came to the city, we
wore skin robes, sheep skin rope and traditional Mongolian
boots, during the break we sat together talking to each
other, since we wore Mongolian robe we were ashamed from the
city children around us. I finished the 4th grade of school
No.11, 7th grade of 10 year school No.5. I was actually told
to go to north (Russia) for study but due to poor health I
did not go. Then soon my mother fell ill for 2 years she was
immobilised and had to be taken care by someone. Since my
father was taking care of my mother, it had become
impossible for us to make a living, we had no income. That
is why I decided to attend evening 10 year school in order
not lag behind my friends, so I decided to attend evening 10
year school and left the 10 year school, meanwhile, one
Lhamsuren who was the teacher in charge of our class wanted
me to enrol me back in my school, and she asked the Director
of the school to let me return to my class but the Director
said that he would allow any one who left the 10 year school
to re-enter the school. So I had to attend the evening
school and at the same to work. Then fortunately, when I
went to the Education department and met the chief of
department, there was a person by the name of Balchindorj.
He received me I told him that I wanted to enrol in evening
school(0-06-00) but they told me any one who had not
graduated from technical (vocational) school can not be
accepted. You are a child of school age, I was then probably
17 years old. That was what happened, so I did not know what
to do, it was impossible to return back to 10 year school…so
when I went to education department there was that
Balchindorj, until now I am grateful to him. He said he’ll
find me a job, and you can enrol in evening school (0-06-23)
in a class of your choice and gave me an official letter.
Then those who refused to let me in the school asked from
which grade I would like to study so I thought well, I
finished 7th grade if I were to enrol in 9th grade it could
be difficult for me and decided to enrol in 8th grade and
told them so. I was given a job of (educator in the text)
assistant teacher in a kindergarten, kindergarten No.4. In
those days a teacher’s salary was 300 tugrug, that was a
really a very big income for us, I was the bread earner of
my mother and father. So (laughed) when I received my very
first salary I bought presents for my father and mother. For
my father I bought a shirt, for my mother who was bedridden
I bought shoes. My mother was incapacitated and bedridden
who would never get up, her legs were crippled. My mother
and father were delighted. They said that their daughter was
very thoughtful and intelligent. I had salary and when my
mother died we were in a better position than before, 300
tugrug in those days was a lot of money. When I was working
as a teacher in the kindergarten people who were working
with me supported me, they ordered me to sew deel (Mongoian
national robe). I don’t know now how well I did the
tailoring. I used to sew the robes on Sundays and they paid
me 25 tugrug for each robe. 25 tugrug was sufficient amount
of money. Now I think that humane nature of the people of
that period was remarkable. They knew my life and that was
an expression of their support in every possible way. Then I
am extremely grateful to Balchindorj guai… so after
graduating 10 year school I continued to work I finished 10
year school successfully so I wanted to enter the
University. Then when I received the distribution to enter
the an Institute a Director of our would not let me leave my
work, as the time of entrance came, that time I was in
financial college, I left my work in the kindergarten and
was working in financial college. But the chairman of our
trade union visited that Director together with me. He told
him you are teacher why you are refusing a capable person
who came to you to pursue her study further, why are you
talking like this and severely scolded him thus he made him
free me from the work and join the Institute. In this manner
those people of earlier days loved very much children and
tried to help them in every way to stand on their own feet.
So I became a student of the Institute and the same year
married my husband. We had ger so had no problem, an
advantage of living in a ger is that it is very good for the
health. It is very quiet, secondly it teaches children to be
industrious. Children living in ger clean the dwelling,
bring water, chop the firewood, bring the wood in, but in
apartment, frankly speaking if we now look at our door it
looks to the north, it is somewhat strange to have your door
looking northward, in ger when you sleep head to north… or
if you should sleep head to the west side, you can sleep
that way. Most importantly ger makes you more industrious.
Byambajav -
It keeps you closer to the nature.
Tserendejid -
Yes, close to nature, close to life. It (ger) is a
very convenient dwelling for human health. Yes, apartment is
always noisy. Ger is not, ventilation is good, always open
air. There is no noise and it is very quiet. In any way it
is very nice for us when live in ger (on summer camp) or
visit families living in ger. When we were young living in
apartment was convenient. Until my husband received an
apartment we have been living in a room of various families
and first received an apartment in 64, when it was just
constructed. We have 4 children(0-11-04) My children all
have profession, and everyone has a work to do, so we two
are doing well and enjoy a good life. The most important
thing is we should adopt and continue humane and industrious
customs of the people of that period, it is the main thing.
Then in those days even when we were studying in 10 year
school we were drafted to work. In institute we worked in
state farms, we dig soil and did various other job all the
time. People and children were organized in work groups.
After graduation from the Institute a lot of young pole from
everywhere gathered at one place. So they get to know each
other(0-11-51) and worked together. Bringing up by labour is
a very important part of making a man. One can learn a lot
by studying but educating though labour is vital then he or
she would be able to work anywhere, I think that it is wrong
to abandon that practice of letting the children to work.
While working as teachers in technical schools after
graduation we took our students and went to state farms to
work there. Working there was really nice. I had worked on
state farms many times usually for a month, later as senior
teacher not so many times but when I came after graduation I
was usually sent with the first group of students. So as a
newcomer you would do almost everything told to do whatever
it may be. After a year I thought working at state farm gave
me health. Children at the state farm after working for the
whole day in evening played various games. It was wonderful
you gained weight, and now I think that physical labour was
a good exercise, now there is no lessons of physical labour
in schools and they are not engaged in labour after
gradation, there is no favourable environment for young
people to know and trust each other. But we went one by one
but we got to know there each other our marriage started
from there, many nice young people met and became husbands
and wives over there. There is nothing like that. We had
many meetings and gatherings and where we all met, also we
organised get together parties. It was a nice opportunity to
get acquainted, to know each other. I think now they lack
that opportunity.(0-13-46) There is no such joint labour of
youth. Then now there are children who are collecting
garbage this is a worthwhile idea that emerged since last
year. Yeah, so that environment of physical activities, the
work we did…well, shall we now….
Byambajav -
When you first received the apartment….
Tserendejid -
Aan when we received the apartment now...
Byambajav -
How was it?
Tserendejid -
Now, it was wonderful. Well, we were young, and
fetched water, prepared in evening firewood and coal and it
was a hard work. Then when we moved to this apartment it was
warm, convenient, a new apartment is so nice. I lived
together with my father and a younger sister whne we were
acquainted and we lived in our ger, and this apartment was
given to my husband it was truly a great festivity for us,
my sons, this Batbold were running from room to room
laughing on the first day of our arrival. Even the children
were so delighted. So we now live in this apartment, almost
43 years have passed since then. An apartment is very nice
and convenient for living, aa one one hand children don’t
learn to work and make them lazy in comparison with us. But
it is nice, it offers you more opportunities to engage in
something else. For children living in ger when they grow
up(0-15-29) crowding in one place creates certain
difficulties. There are problems but most importantly living
in ger is good for your health and coupled with the physical
work it makes your life very enjoyable, may be because I
myself lived in ger since my childhood it is what think,
yaeh? I was sent to the financial college as teacher and
worked there for more than twenty years then I went to Korea
accompanying my husband.
Byambajav -
Will you tell me about your life in Korea? Can you
draw comparisons between the living environment there with
that of in Mongolia?
Tserendejid -
Koreans are generally extremely industrious people.
Once in Korea we had to do anything that has to be done in
our Embassy. From sweeper to waiter and even we had at times
to be the cook. In general, we had to do everything
ourselves, our staff was very small as for the North Korea
it is a small country. Therefore, the Embassy itself, its
activities and the life of the Embassy staff were very
compact, now may be it is more active. That was like that,
so there we as members of family had to do anything that
required our participation.
Byambajav -
Was it very interesting to arrive there for the first time, can you share your impressions of that period?
Tserendejid -
When you first arrived there the atmosphere, in
comparison with ours, was very heavy, completely different.
Generally, the responsibility is much higher than you work
here at home. Here you work on the job of your profession,
over there you have to be a jack of all trades. When there
is a reception, we all became cooks. For the Ambassador it
would be too much but his wife, the secretary all of them
became cook. So we prepared the dish under the direction of
the best cook amongst us, then some of us had to serve as
waiters. So it was also an interesting life. You learn new
skills such as typing, accounting, in a way you have to take
up the job of completely different profession, Yeah. And we
had to strive rather hard to provide convenient living
conditions as family members of the staff. Living there was
so and so, but generally that is a very secluded life, it
was a an isolated world, an Embassy, we had no place where
we could go freely. When we drove out towards the country
side to be in open air there was no such clean air or free
space, trees were planted everywhere you had to travel along
a single road, you go to the sea shores, for us who are used
to the open landscape it is really…
Byambajav -
You feel confined, yeah?
Tserendejid -
Yes, of course, in that heat, you want to go out, the
people over there really work hard, and they are mostly
women, women are engaged in the most hard physical labour,
they work at construction and in general living is very
difficult, but apparently people are accustomed to the
living condition you find yourself, for us when we look at
them from aside their life is extremely hard and even the
food is rationed. Well now the international relations are
improving then freedom and democracy had arrived, it is very
nice. We are now free to go anywhere. But over there if we
wanted to get out we had to apply for permission. Growing
freely is not of small significance, there is no such free
country as ours where even an outsider can go anywhere and
engage in any activities one wishes. (0-19-55) Our nature is
wonderful, I am a native of khangai region and love dearly
mountains and rivers. When I walk in mountains and along the
river I feel refreshed physically and morally. Yeah, that is
the splendour of nature, I believe that I became healthy and
stronger while working with my student at state farms.
Therefore, I cherish nature, if a person will live nearer to
the nature in fresh air and engage in physical labour, the
labour and fresh air will cure almost any kind of illness.
That is what I think. People, now our people are paying more
attention to their health and travel to the countryside, if
mental workers would walk during spring in forest, hike in
mountains and rub your body with spring water it will help
you to improve your vitality, cure almost all illness. You
basically don’t need any medicine or injections. I felt that
on my body. I reared 4 children and helped the to graduate
from schools. Now they all have their own families. And of
course, our life has changed. Then my father died in his
40’s, my mother died when she was only 40. Since I was the
eldest child they were at my care and I took the
responsibility of arranging everything connected with
running the household affairs.
Byambajav -
Do you put up the ger yourself?
Tserendejid -
No, I can’t put up a ger that well, hee, hee, as for ger I can’t put it up. Аа, but...
Byambajav -
In those days for example, your mother’s ger had what kind of furniture, in the ger?
Tserendejid -
Аа then when we lived in countryside when my mother
and father put their ger up my father by his own hand made
every piece of furnishings. Later when we also got new ger
the chest and other items he made are still being used by
us. My mother covered with paint finished furnishings she
was working as the applier of paint in one factory. And my
father was carpenter so he made all the furnishings in the
ger himself. After coming to the city he used to make all
the furnishings in the ger, he did that. A chest my father
had made during that period is now in our summer house, a
long chest. My father was a good carpenter. There are many
things he made, when we lived in Korea he came with us and
made a dough kneading board for our family. Simply ...
Byambajav -
Did your father visit Korea?
Tserendejid -
He visited going together with us...(0-22-57)
Byambajav -
Please tell me about that?
Tserendejid -
Yeah, father was over there, wooden items were scarce
there so my father made a kneading board for me. He cut
narrow wooden panels of boxes glued them together and made
kneading boards for the Embassy kitchen and one more for the
secretary. Recently we met, remembered about it. As a
carpenter he made several long benches for the Embassy and
put them in the garden at an outdoor sitting area later when
we visited (Korea) in 84 they were still standing there. So
my old man was saying something made by your hands still
exists like this. (0-23-48) While nothing is left of the
papers I had scribbled on. The favourite recollection of my
childhood years is that an old man who was the elder brother
of my father loved and pampered me since I was a lonely
child I used often come to his ger he had many children and
they sometimes threatened to beat me up. So that old man
took a lash in hands and used to scold his children saying
only dogs bite each other not the humans and run after them.
And I had such a powerful protector hee, hee. As for the
furnishings in our ger there was not much of it, at that
time we had two beds on iron frame and a long chest. There
were two more smaller chests, so three chests, that was our
furniture, when my children entered school my father made
for them a student desk. A desk with drawers that desk, I
think, is now still in use of children of my younger
siblings who live at Gandan. Yeah, then for us, for my late
sister as well as the elder sister of your mother, the
mother of them he made a desk, it was a pretty furniture
desk of brown colour, we trying to decorate it painted
various patterns on it. We had such a desk, the chair was
simple wooden chair, after our graduation from the institute
and later after we left to south the children of my younger
brother took it. There was also a large wardrobe made
specially by my father for two of us to store our clothes,
this wardrobe is now in the home of my younger siblings, so
my father usually made himself the furnishings for he was a
good carpenter. We did not buy the furniture as people do
today. And when we moved to an apartment those nice
furniture was not available at all. We came to the apartment
with beds, it was beds made from iron frame the head side of
the bed was coated in nickel, later we bought one sofa,
there were no other furniture. All furnishings of the ger
were brought and set in the apartment. Including that long
chest hee, hee, that way we started our new
life…
Byambajav -
What was the most cherished furnishing at that time,
the furniture that you wanted to buy and set at home?
Tserendejid -
These furniture, wardrobe, various sofas became
available later, in our days beautifully decorated chests
were the best furnishings, chest with paintings of tiger and
lion, and those chests with nice paintings were probably the
best furnishings. Yeah, we did not buy those chests, we had
furnishings made by us, they were made exactly in the same
manner as it, the furnishing, was produced by the furniture
factory, our family, at that time, was a household with such
beautiful furnishings. It was god enough to live in a ger….
Byambajav -
How the most luxurious and beautiful ger of that period looked like?
Tserendejid -
Аа, a luxurious ger of that period…
Byambajav -
Did they spread carpets ?
Tserendejid -
Carpets, in olden days those sedentary families in
city and settlements had carpets, and there was one very
beautiful low desk called the desk of tea cups, a large
table that had two drawers on sides for keeping cups. At
that time there was a shelf called student table, or
generally as shelf. We had one such big shelf made by my
father, it was a big one, later also younger brothers took
it to their home. We had it when we first came to the
apartment. And we stored our belongings in it when we later
left. Aa, well as for the rather well-to-do and rich family
of the city of that period for example when we visited a
family who was a friend of my husband, there was a big
nicely decorated low table without legs with drawers on two
sides and with carpet that in those days was as rare as gold
but the other furnishings were simple and hand made, there
was a very beautiful chest with paintings on the
front.
Byambajav -
Were there carvings?
Tserendejid -
With carvings, in those families I used to visit I
did not see one. I don’t think carvings were used at that
time that much, no, it was probably not. The frame of god
statues were made exclusively beautiful. It was decorated
with patterns, in general, items of veneration were made
very beautiful. I have not seen anything around me that was
extremely luxurious, among city residents that father of our
friend was a city resident but that family had that
decorated chests and three beds, a family that had those
decorated wooden beds were also considered rather luxurious.
Yes, now among those who are living in enclosures like my
younger brothers households with such beds would also be
considered rather splendid. Those who had such beds, had a
cupboard or stand with legs for keeping kitchen utensils, in
those days, of course, there was nothing comparable to the
present kitchen furniture.
Byambajav -
Were knives and forks as well slicing boards at that time?
Tserendejid -
As for the kneading board we usually made it
ourselves my father made those boards, with regard to knives
and forks in those days only aluminium forks and (spoons)
were available hee, hee, knives, there were only Russian
knives, actually the knives and forks came out rather late.
They were used mostly by the well-to-do, steel utensils such
as forks and spoons we started using after being in south
since 76 before that Russian aluminium utensils were the
best we could get. Wooden containers and pails of that time
for storing cream and butter were the best suited utensils
for that very purpose. The skin bag for fermenting airag was
also good for that purpose, therefore in past dairy products
stored in those containers did not get spoiled as today,
this is what I assume. The products were kept in those
wooden pails. Then(0-31-22) the containers for dairy
products were kept very clean. Dried curds were usually
stored in tulam (whole skin bags), made of sheep skin, then
it was consumed during the spring. But now cream and dairy
products are kept in plastic containers and get easily
spoiled. I think that why is the products deteriorate in
quality. So the utensils for food storage, in general what
our people used were genuine natural products, including
their clothes. Now that cradle for baby made from sheep skin
is very good for the health of children. In past children in
sheep skin cradle used to suck(as a pacifier) a slice of
tail fat of sheep that had been soiled and become almost
brown in colour. Then young mothers and fathers told that
they found their child sleeping among the lambs tied to rope
in row. So the people were very healthy because they lived
so close to the nature. And most importantly people in past
were extremely aware of protection of their environment, did
not leave waste materials and ashes everywhere, when
migrating from one place to the other carefully cleaned the
old camp site. Dropping milk or other dairy products into
water any other unclean matter was strictly was prohibited.
But now rivers are polluted by garbage, in past our people
protected water sources with special care, children were
taught to protect the nature. In our place a nice pulpy
fruit called adargana grows, I don’t know of the present
veggies and fruits with which to compare it, may be it is
more like a white carrot, but very sweet, to extract the
root we had to dig the soil, when we went for it they
prohibited us because it would loosen the soil and would not
allow us to dig the roots so we would go for the dig
secretly. We were warned not to pollute the source of the
river. That way the nature and rivers were protected and
thanks to it the environment was clean and a lots of
different plants grew. But in our country the environment
has been vandalized without any restraint, it has been
defaced awfully, it is high time to educate the children in
the spirit of love to nature and water, by being close to
nature children will grow healthy. We now have air
pollution. In childhood we rarely put boots on. In cold of
spring and autumn we were running bare foot occasionally
stepping on warm dung of cow. It was very warm when you step
the warm urine of cow as well. In summer stones would be
awfully hot for a bare foot child because of these extremes
we grew up healthy. In hot summer day catching the ewes and
lambs (for milking) from among the animals standing in pack
(hursan not хорцсон-gathered in pack) was an arduous job at
that time. Then the child would pasture the lambs and
calves, there were plenty of other odd jobs that were the
responsibility of a child. These were the jobs that helped
him to grow healthy. As for the school it was a time when
the well-to-do did not send their children to school and
usually the poor and destitute send their children in place
of the children of the rich. When the representative of
school or soum administration came our parents hid us in
order not to send to the school. Hee, hee , however, my
parents did send me to school. Thanks to my father’s coming
to city for work luckily I was able to get the education. If
I was living in the country side surely I would have become
a milkmaid. Hee hee, if you take into account the fact that
my father had not even attended an elementary school he was
a genius. Even his grandparents had been goods carpenters in
generations. One of them they say designed and created a
machine for polishing stones.
Byambajav -
Really?
Tserendejid -
Yes. Then that man was arrested because he was a
lama, but he was released after building this monument,
monument to Sühbaatar.
Byambajav -
Will you please tell me about him?
Tserendejid -
Well since we had been children we don’t know much
about it. When the furniture factory was put into operation,
also the stone polishing workshop was put into operation and
he was the man who created that polishing machine. Then I
don’t know in those days such independent initiatives were
not hold very high, it was used that time what happened now
I have no idea. However, the street of the furniture factory
was named after Choimbol. If he continued further probably
he would have invented and created far more interesting
things so ours are people of high intellectual capacity.
Only in country mental work is not valued, I think mental
creations should be given due recognition. Because mental
capability is not being valued capable intellectuals are
leaving for foreign countries. I think as far as the
intellectual capacity is concerned Mongols are not short of
anyone, in general, we are quite capable, that why we feel
so big. Well, I think I have taken too much of your
time….
Byambajav -
I have one question.
Tserendejid -
OK.
Byambajav -
In earlier days women were not allowed go further than pillars of the ger, is it true?
Tserendejid -
Аа in our time there was no such strict regulation.
It was in place before our generation. Well, in our family
there was no one who would know that well all those customs
and traditions, I personally did not know them that well. Of
course there were limitations imposed on women. Women should
not have nice teeth because it will be no good for her.
Byambajav -
Тhen what should be done to those who had beautiful teeth?
Tserendejid -
Well it was thought that was burden meaning that it
would bring bad luck, if you had beautiful hands that was
also no good. If she had long hairs then there was a saying
the long hairs are the sign of weak mind etc. So if you
think over these then there was evidently a tendency to go
against everything beautiful in a woman. Aan then all those
who were born beautiful were made the wives of khans and
princes. So if think there was tendency to reject everything
beautiful in a woman, this was on one side. Children were
educated to customs and traditions according to the
understanding of sins. Yeah, for example, if you don’t
listen to the elders it would be bad for your fate, if you
throw out ashes and garbage together the spirits of water
and mountain would be enraged in this way in connection with
religion children were taught to follow and observe the
rules and customs. Well, it had something to do with
environment we lived in, there were no other sources of
information. Now children receive various information they
don’t need it and will simply not believe in such things. We
had no or little information from outside so we had to swirl
around that taboo. In those days the most important of
respect was respect of the elders. The most senior of the
ail (group of households) commands that group of households.
(0-40-09) There may be up ten households camping as
immediate neighbours and if the elder said that they were
pasturing their livestock too late they would obey him do as
told. But now they apparently stopped listen to the elders.
I assume that our people are obliterating too much
everything from the past, they eliminating that what had
been created in the past. There are things that should be
improved and adopted but not abandoned. For children
learning to respect the elders is very important for a
person, it is a very precious thing. There are many
important ideas and customs, young people as today would not
sit above the elders, when elders are talking to each other
children should not interrupt them, there may be certain
negative elements in it but on the whole they were extremely
useful in acquiring rules and habits of human society. Then
if you think it over the requirement to look carefully at
the parents and their lineage, at their grand parents were a
notion of enormous value. Then a family created on the
advice or orientation of one’s parents, a family created
heeding to one’s mother and father are more stable and firm.
Those who did not heed, generally did not get along well,
the mother and father see further.(0-42-00) then this issue
of lineage is the most precious and complex matter. The
rules and customs of olden days were very wise they did
everything thing by their own hands, if there was a need to
treat medically, they administered the medicine, when there
is the need to do something they did that. And on the basis
of immense experience of life and observations elders
forwarded ideas that were no less important than what the
present scientists can articulate, however they were not
recorded or written down. Hee, hee I believe it is so. We
have been listening to instructions of our mothers and
fathers, in our days instructions of elders were more
honoured than at present the laws of state, they were much
more than law. For us it was the unbreakable law, and in my
view it should remain so in any time. Then it is the society
that educate men, there is no other option for an individual
except following the norms of the given society. This is
what I think. Well, our country will develop, our children
are receiving information, as for the knowledge they have
now the opportunity to study and educate themselves, in our
days we were asked to enrol in school, they virtually
pleaded us to join and rendered every assistance to those
who were in school, however, the examinations were very
strict and went according the written rules, one had to face
a stringent training. And when you compare the time in past
we studied with present, it is different, probably, it has
something to do with the skill and motivation of those
teachers of earlier days. For example when you look at
teachers and compare them with ourselves the attitude is
completely different. We left our own children aside and run
after the children of other people. We wanted those children
to achieve a stage when they can make their own living. We,
for example, used to tell the female students you should
become educated otherwise you would be sitting before the
stove as simple housewife. To the male students we told
you’ll get a good job and become the head of a family. Head
of a family has great responsibilities, it is an honorary
role for a man. There is a very nice custom of ours. When a
young man marries the parents prepare the ger and furnish
it, give him share of the property and says now you are a
head family. Now it is up to you and it depends on the
decisions you will make how you will carry on further the
livelihood of your family, this means he is accepting a
great responsibility. The bride (parents of the bride) has
to prepare all the ropes that are needed to fasten the felt
covers of the ger as well as the felt coverings. To a strict
households the bride has to bring them upon her arrival,
this also means a big responsibility. Now newly weds come to
an apartment and buy everything to furnish it.
Byambajav -
What does the brides’ side have to prepare? (0-45-40)
Tserendejid -
Well, our people do not know that well all those strict rules and customs. In general.
Byambajav -
Then what is the custom or rule?
Tserendejid -
They say that is customary for the side of bride to
prepare the utensils of kitchen. Then most importantly the
parents of bridegroom make the all preparations and bring
the bride in. As for us we did not know the customs, we were
almost children and did not really know what was happening…
after bringing the bride, when you look at some households,
after having prepared all the necessary accessories they
erect the ger and the couple enter their ger. Yes, then
after some time after the bride who is now the
daughter-in-law of that household pays a visit to her mother
and father, and when she comes back her parents give her the
livestock as a share of her property. At the time when she
was first brought to the home of bridegroom her share of
livestock was not given. There is a certain period after
which she will visit her parents. It was, in general, ….the
custom observed in our place, we had no such strict rules or
traditions. Apparently in other aimags there are very strict
customs and rules, I found out this while reading a book
later as for us we did not observe any of those customs.
When we married we came each with a suitcase, there was a
single Russian made iron bed of green colour. We get
together with such a bed. The suitcases hold two or three
pieces of our old clothes. We had nothing else, that was how
we married. In those days when we married young people
married just like that. So all we had to do was to rent a
small house(cabin) to start our independent life.(laughed)
Now even though a lot of formalities are observed the
families not stable. The role of man is the most important
factor. When the head of the household is good he plays a
crucial role in many matters. Children…the children of a
family of responsible father grows to be a responsible man.
And the elders of the past set examples, they showed the
children personally on their own practice. They worked with
the child alongside and showed them what to do and how to do
so that the child get practice and get used to the work. Of
course, in those days it was mostly the everyday activities
of the household. It was also very important. Teaching
children on one’s example should be at all times. ?????
(0-48-24,26) They never looked down on children’s work,
which is very important…(0-48-31)
Byambajav -
When you first moved to the apartment where did put
your furniture. Now in ger you will put this one on the
backside of the ger. Then in a room which of the furnishings
should be put on the place of respect (upper side) did you
give any thought to it?
Tserendejid -
No, I did not. We-two had no such furniture. My
father and brother occupied one room. In the other room we
lived together with our children. Each one of had a bed,
which was the most important thing. The Buddha statues and
shrines of my father we could not display them all as today.
They were hidden in a small box made for that purpose. So…
Byambajav -
In other words in this room, in this room, which means
…
Tserendejid -
Yes, in this …
Byambajav -
This room is situated in the north, the northern side, is it?
Tserendejid -
Yes. We gave to my father this room on the north and
we occupied the bigger room facing south. We did not think
about the direction…no. Simply we were more in numbers and
occupied the bigger room, others the smaller room …
Byambajav -
Now you sleep looking to which direction? You sleep your head towards which direction?
Tserendejid -
Now I sleep head to the north … well, head to the
west side. I sleep head towards north by the cardinal point
of universe. In the room facing south I was sleeping head
towards the direction of the door. So as for the direction
you have keep I mind the cardinal direction of the universe,
as in ger you can’t say this is the side of the door that is
the north or back side of the ger, as it can not be applied
to an apartment.
Byambajav -
So the habits and customs are changing a little bit?
Tserendejid -
Yes, of course. It is changing along with the society
and the environment. However, I am sure that people follow
the cardinal point direction of universe, I think so. Yes.
So sleeping head towards the west in this room means I am
looking to the west. Now when the houses look to any sides
not just north or south it is difficult to speak as in the
ger the backside of it but you have to take orientation on
basis of the direction of universe.(Laughed) Yes…then ger is
a traditional dwelling of Mongols, it is truly a dwelling of
our people. Aa, houses are European dwellings. Dwelling of
foreigners. (0-50-51)
Byambajav -
What do you think…for young people who follow the
good traditions is it better to live in apartments or live a
nice ger?
Tserendejid -
This a matter for that person to decide …
Byambajav -
In your opinion?
Tserendejid -
It is a matter of interest. Well, then for young
people it may be better for them in live in a ger, from the
point view of economy and if you care for your health. The
obvious drawback of living in ger is the difficulty you face
living together with several other people. At least for a
person like you who is working on something when there many
people… there is no way of finding a solitary place. No
matter how many people are there you have to tolerate them
or else. In a ger you don’t have any other choice. In
country side ger is more convenient. But it is better for
the young people to live in apartments. From economic point
of view ger is ….more beneficial than an apartment. To live
in a nice ger and enclosure while young will be worthwhile
experience. It is up to them to decide how can they benefit
from it. (Laughs)
Byambajav -
Well, I think you are, apparently, in a hurry.
Then…will you tell about your life after you got your
pension comparing it to your life during the socialist
period and we’ll finish there. Since you are in hurry
…
Tserendejid -
OK. Well once you get your pension you become a house
keeper. Living on pension is not something that one would
wish when you feel still strong and healthy. You are
isolated from the community and it is something which…(one
would wish) In other words you are left with yourself alone,
becomes a housekeeper. Well, of course there are those who
are not like that. As for me I was taking care of my sick
father and thus spent the time. But when we were working
during the socialist period, we had been always very busy,
and I don’t think it was something wrong. At that time it
was not easy. But in my view that hard work rewarded us with
stronger health. When one is among the public and even work
without any spare time, he or she manages all the duties
before you. Aa, if you are sitting idle to just listen to
your body. (0-53-58) And you will think that something is
wrong. I wish the present youth to do some job, be engaged
to some extent. For an individual not to find some
occupation is, generally, very depressing. It is not good at
all. A man doing something always feels optimistic and up
beat. Well, you may get reprimanded, you may commit mistake
but you’ll also gain a lot. Under these circumstances the
condition and the motive to drive you forward is formed.
After I was retired on my pension I used to tell this to my
colleagues. I retired in a hurry because I was leaving for
the south (Korea). Since I had no job there I decided to
receive my pension at the age 50 on account of children. (In
past mothers who reared 4 children had the right retire
early) My colleagues were telling me don’t retire, it is too
early for you to retire. But I decided to retire thinking
that it was not desirable thing to be standing before the
children slavering and asked them to set my pension and
left. I understood that it was wrong to think I am old. When
others were working why I should not work as well. I should
have continued my career. I think it was indeed my mistake.
But in fact I had some problem in my life, my father was ill
with stomach cancer, he was ill so I had to take care him.
May be because of my care he lived for 5 more years. He did
not suffer very much. So I used to tell to those whom I left
behind well, you should be working till they start to nag
you to resign you should continue to work. Those young
teachers who worked with me later laughed telling me that as
you advised us we continue to work. (Laughed) In general, it
is better if one has some kind of job, salary does not
matter, it may be high or low, the most important thing is
to be among the people, to work along the side of the
collective, to receive 30 thousand tugrug by sitting idle or
that sum given be by the children or by someone else or to
receive it as the payment for the job you have done are
different things, receiving that 30 thousands tugrug as the
remuneration for the work done by is a lot sweeter.
Yes.(Laughed) It is sweet, incomparably pleasant. This may
be different for different people. For me specially when you
are in good health you should be working. To sit idle means,
in fact, to consider yourself a sick person.(0-56-39) That
is why you should make yourself busy with some occupation.
There are people who are, though, on pension do plenty of
nice things, but how many are they? In anyway being engaged
in some work is the right thing. I now always advise young
people to do job, don’t sit idle. Don’t mind the size of
salary, you should be among a collective, take up some kind
of job. Some do understand and appreciate it. This is
something that I kept in mind (since retirement). If you
think it does not matter to me, then it is his misfortune. I
thanks to many good kindhearted people I did not drop out of
school. I started working since 17, after graduation from
the Institute, it was very nice, we were given the
distribution slip and were told go there and get your job.
We were given the opportunity to graduate from the school
and then led directly to the job to do, you were expected to
meet fully the requirements. So we all went there and
…worked I after graduation from Teacher Training Institute
went by distribution to the Financial college. And had been
working there, but now there are so many graduates of the
Institutes with high education and profession who are
unemployed. Then we have been a very lucky and happy lot.
They say socialism was bad, I don’t know. I believe that we
have been lucky, even too lucky. We received stipend to
study. If you earn excellent marks you got supplementary
payment (Laughed) you fail exams your stipend were
cut(Laughed) that is why you were determined not o get a
cut. Did you also receive stipend until you graduated?
Byambajav -
Aan I had stipend when I studied abroad. After coming back to Mongolia I did not receive stipend.
Tserendejid -
Yes, this had happened. After my children graduated
there were no more stipend. My children did get stipend
until they finished. Well there were probably drawbacks in
socialist system. It somehow subdued the private initiative
??? (0-58-55) that was the drawback. Then there must have
been something else in social aspects. As for us I don’t
think we had lived that bad, during that period.
Interviews, transcriptions and translations provided by The Oral History of Twentieth Century Mongolia, University of Cambridge. Please acknowledge the source of materials in any publications or presentations that use them.
