Mönhöö
Basic information
Interviewee ID: 990905
Name: Mönhöö
Parent's name: Goosh
Ovog: [blank]
Sex: m
Year of Birth:
Ethnicity: [unknown]
Additional Information
Education: [unknown]
Notes on education:
Work:
Belief:
Born in: sum, aimag
Lives in: sum (or part of UB), Ulaanbaatar aimag
Mother's profession:
Father's profession:
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Translation:
Byambajav -
I thank you very much for accepting my invitation and
giving me this interview. There are one or two matters to
clarify before we proceed to the interview.
Mönhöö -
Ааn hn.
Byambajav -
Your interview will be used by us may be after a few
years, may be tens or a hundred years from now by historians
and researches. Aa, then it may be used as reference
material for broadcasts on radio and Television, in
newspapers and journals.
Mönhöö -
Ааn hn.
Byambajav -
Would you then grant us the permission to use in this way all the subjects and information?
Mönhöö -
Of course I do.
Byambajav -
Well, thank you. There is another thing that should
be clarified in this interview. If you ask what is this then
you may leave your name in secret or you may use without
concealing.
Mönhöö -
Aan. It is okay. Write Munkhoo, you may write it.
Byambajav -
Yes. So I can leave your name without keeping it secret.
Mönhöö -
Aan hn.
Byambajav -
Yes. Well, let’s start the inteview…tell me about
about your mother and father as well as about yourself,
introduce yourself and tell us in the first place about your
childhood.
Mönhöö -
Ааn. Well, I am called Gooshiin Munkhoo. I finished
10 year school, in childhood I attended kindergarten... I
was brough up in kindergarten. I am very grateful to my
mother and father, most importantly, for bringing me up
since childhood in kindergarten. After all they were both
intellectuals. In fact, by today’s standard two of them were
working as managers. Yeah. So when I was attending the
kindergarten at that time…I learned the songs and poems
children learned and was raised there. As for my father he
passed away in 90’s. He was a medical doctor. However,
actually I know my father very well. He was a good man.
Generally, who will say that his or her mother or father
were bad persons. He was a good person, my father. My fater
was a good person indeed. As for my mother…she was also an
office worker, she worked in the Party
Committee.
Byambajav -
She was socially very active person, wasn’t she?
Mönhöö -
Yeah. Well, she was in the city party committee ...
in the committee of the revolutionary youth league of that
time…now there is no such a committee of the league. That
time she was serving at a good post such as an instructor.
She was also an instructor at the party committee of the
city. She was working in the office of the October district.
(0-03-32) She worked as an (event) organiser. Well, then to
be brought up in the hands of such people was a good
fortune. They were intellectuals. At that time we were
almost like, by the present standards, the children of chief
executives, ministers or bosses. This is what I can say
about my mother and father…well then in childhood…at that
time we were brought up in the kindergartens, then I
finished the school No.28, after I finished…the 8th
grade…and entered a technical (vocational) school. At that
time there were so many of these technical schools…today
there are no technical schools, then there were many
technical schools. The given period was 86. At present
children would not enrol in technical schools they all talk
about entering in institutes. They all want institutes. At
that time I finished a technical school, I entered in the
technical school of auto-transport. My father wanted me to
enrol in medium school of health (medical college), he was
telling me to accept the assignment to enter the class of
midwife. While he wanted me to become a doctor (medical
personal), I on my own intuition … instinct had chosen the
technical school of auto-transport and got an assignment
slip to enter that school. That time the first 20-30
children did get the assignment to good technical schools
not the institutes as they do now. Assignments were,
usually, given on basis of the points (they had earned in
entrance exams). Aa, then I was at 25th place…from 225
children, I was at 25tn place. My late father did not say
that I should take the assignment of the technical school of
auto-transport. He told me to take the assignment for
Medical college. In the maternity or midwife
class…assignment were given indicating the gender of
entrants, so many males and so many females etc. So when he
was insisting on midwife … at that given time I chose the
technical school of auto-transport, the class of
auto-mechanic. Aa, well, that was it. So I went along that
path. It was after my graduation from 8th grade so that was
it. When my former classmates were in 10th grade and
finishing the 10th grade they were saying why did we not
finish just the 8th grade as you did. If we finished the 8th
grade like you and studied in technical school by now we
would have a profession. What the benefit of graduating from
the 10th grade. That time even if you finish 10th grade no
assignments were available. The most important part was that
even though there were no assignment for graduates of 10
year school, if you were graduating the 8th grade a lot
assignments to vocational technical schools in Germany,
Czechoslovakia and Russia were available. They were
available to the graduates of the 8th grade at that given
period. But when they graduated the 10th grade the
assignments were no longer available. My former classmates
who graduated from the 10th grade regretted why did they not
take those assignments. If they went to Czech or Germany
after 8th grade at that time by assignment to a technical
school of shoemaking, today coming back to Mongolia they
would have been able to open a shoemaking factory or shop,
they would have mastered that capability. This is what my 10
year school classmates now talk about. But back then
everyone wanted to finish the 10th grade…it was a must
embedded in everybody’s mind, the maxim of the socialist
period was …an individual for the public, the public for the
individual. We lived under this motto. (0-07-38) During the
socialism the catchword was fight against embezzlement of
the (public) property we had been educated by that call up
the date. It was such a period. So, it was okay in general,
I grad…graduated the technical school of auto-transportation
and received the certificate of the qualification, received
a driving license. My profession was a driver…now I think it
over a little bit. In our times we had been sweating for 4
years, studied the theoretical lessons passed the practical
field training. What do they do now. One month course. Oh,
what is the use of it. What we, myself had been studying for
years, what I had been through, how one can learn all of
those subjects just in one month. There is no such thing.
They study for 2-3 months. How can they do this? Without
teaching anything on theoretical side, speaking of theory
now…it is not an exaggeration if you lift the bonnet(hood)…
of the car and ask where is the battery? No one knows where
the battery is placed. Take the fuel (suction) pump, where
is it?, show me, Nil. New drivers have no practical
knowledge. But I did spend 4 years to learn about all of
them. However, when I first came to work there were many
things that I did not know. When you are doing the real
thing…I worked by distribution at first in Auto-transport
operation base No.5. I was sent from the auto-technical
school by distribution first to the Auto-transport operation
base No.5. At the operation base we start the learning
process from essentials. After years of learning by
books…you were not appointed directly as a mechanic or as a
controller mechanic. You were appointed as fitter or
repairman. So I after I had been admitted as a worker, when
I came in the morning, shall I tell my own story now?
Byambajav -
Ааn hn.
Mönhöö -
Magnificent. When I came in the morning I was told to
remove the silencer (muffler) (Kushitel -a corruption of
Russian word-Glushitel) of a vehicle. Silencer is something
…which could be removed after cutting off the electricity
(Хүчдэл?)…I was told remove the silencer of ZIL 30 (A
Russian made vehicle, ZIL abbreviation of Zavod imeni
Lichacheva). I thought, well, what was the silencer, and
then… decided anyway to go underneath and look for it…and
tried to remove it. We were told it was a kushitel, in fact,
it was a pipe. We were not told how remove the pipe, because
it was assumed that any body could remove that pipe. Any
driver can remove it…
Byambajav -
Assumption ...
Mönhöö -
... with that assumption we were sent to work. So to
remove that silencer for the first time I was underneath of
the vehicle and tried to do something with the wrench. He
was asking did I manage to loosen the nuts and bolts, I was
saying yes I am. But what a strange thing is this? Then the
driver came and said oh you are loosening the wrong bolt. I
said brother I am unscrewing this bolt and showed to
something resembling a pipe. And I was told that in order to
remove the silencer I had unscrew two bolts on the top and
two more of the silencer and 2 more on the top of the pipe.
(0-11-02) So as you see even we were graduated without
definite understanding. Then what the children will be
taught and learn in the present courses of one to tree
months duration. Our people are doing totally meaningless
work. This is my understanding, instead of this why can’t
there be a one year college course for drivers. What is the
use of those graduates with incomplete knowledge of the
vehicle. Driving licences are giving without proper
training. This is just a matter of making money. Today
training courses are organised for a payment of hundred,
hundred ten, hundred twenty thousand tugrugs to issue
drivers’ licences of B category for driving small passenger
cars. What happens in real life, new drivers often ram from
the rear of the car standing before them. The driving
schools are training so many of these unqualified drivers.
In real situation they are useless. I think that if I would
have enough money, speaking of my dream, then I would
organise one year college, with 4-5 cars, a very good
quality college to train drivers. We can speak of only
college we can’t think of institutes. I think of training
professionally qualified drivers with sufficient experience
and with good knowledge of driving.
Byambajav -
Ааn hn.
Mönhöö -
Aan ha. One or two months courses are ... flawed, it
is my thought. Yeah. It stands nothing, it is only some
means of making money…today in Mongolia these people work to
make money. They have no intention of giving a training of
quality. Even I did train some in category D for 150.000
tugrugs. I saw it on my own experience in order to give a
category D license, you give the trainee a bus with 30-40
litres of gasoline and let him drive for a day or two. When
you spend 30-40 litres of gasoline on a trainee it means you
don’t spend sufficient amount relative to the 150.000 you
have received. For a trainee you don’t spend that much fuel.
For 14 days training you don’t spend that much. At the best
you buy fuel for 20, 30 thousand tugrugs and buy about 100
litres of gasoline, and teach the trainees to make turns in
the shape number eight, let them park backing the bus and
drive it out from the garage moving forward. After that they
are entitled to receive the category D license, the category
for driving bus. It is what we usually do. We don’t have the
resources to organise a truly qualitative training as
Mongolia is concerned. No, I am not slandering Mongolia. I
am just trying to present the real situation.
Byambajav -
When you were young your mother was apparently a very busy person?
Mönhöö -
Aan yes. Our mother, of course, was very busy. That
is why our elder brothers, uncles on both sides…younger
brothers of my father, they all cared for me… actually they
brought me up, they often took me to the kindergarten
because my mother and father were both busy. Since both of
them we on some kind of managerial jobs, they were busy all
the time…I did not like very much going to the kindergarten,
specially in the morning.
Byambajav -
Why? (0-14-45)
Mönhöö -
In the morning mother and father would not take me to
the kindergarten. It was those brothers who brought me.
There are four, five uncles of mine on both sides. On
father’s side there are four, four of them, on mother’s
three of them. And then since my father was eldest
….son-in-law and therefore I think he was respected… as
much. When taking me to the kindergarten…they took a bottle
for soft drink, at that time ….cost of a bottle was 20
mungu. The price of one bottle of soft drink was 1 tugrug 20
mungu. My brother gave the bottle to me carry it and he
himself walked before me. Since I liked very much that drink
I’d follow him to drink it. So he brought me to the
kindergarten and took me in the evening. My mother and
father sometimes would come late and I remember staying
sometimes with guard for some time.
Byambajav -
(Laughs.)
Mönhöö -
I was a small kid. Well, that was …my childhood
years, it was wonderful. Now when you recall it the
childhood age…not really the childhood years but the
students years were the most wonderful time. When I was a
student, I studied for 4 years in the technical school, the
period of being a student is the best years. We as a special
student brigade was sent to State Farms, I don’t know
whether those State Farms are still there. So we went many
times to state farms. When I was in the first course, we
went to Kurhyn State Farm of the Khentii aimag and toiled
there for three months and came back with 450 tugrugs. At
that time the highest pay a student got was 600. I had 400
and my mother and father used to borrow money from me. So I
don’t know how to spend that 450 tugrug. Then I could buy
and eat a dish for only 3 tugrug and 20 mungu, 3 tugrug and
50 mungu. There was canteen No.25 where fried meat pies and
patty (прошки-pirojki- patty) were sold. Just to the North
of Eldev-Ochir (name of old cinema house, now the Stock
Exchange) there was a patty shop, it is gone now. We ate
patty there, it was good and cost only 30 mungu. Imagine,
you were a student and could buy for 3 tugrug 10 pieces of
patty, this is the most wonderful memory I have. Being a
child is nice, you did not grow up suddenly, you were
brought up by your mother and father until adulthood. The
name to call me was given by my mother and father, the name
I’ll be remembered would be given by my people.
Byambajav -
You’ll also give it yourself.
Mönhöö -
Yes. Therefore, a man should safeguard his
reputation. And most importantly, I am grateful to my mother
and father, first and foremost. I think thanks to them I
have achieved this present status of mine. And in
general...the most important thing, the vital thing I think
is the student years, such a wonderful time to remember is
actually very rare for a person. 4 years. When I looked back
after finishing 10 year school, I had 4 friends from among
the collective of the 10 year school with whom I befriended
more closely... (0-18-30) Our class had about 30 students,
our class of the technical school of auto-transport had 30
students. Then of the 30 students only 2 were girls and the
remaining 28 were boys. So we were learning the two girls
did also. When I was studying in the technical school at
that period frankly speaking in our technical school there
were a lot of children of ministers and functionaries. That
time there was the Ministry of Transport, it was called
Ministry of Transport. It is now called Ministry of Road,
Transport and Tourism, then it was Ministry of Transport and
even a son of the Deputy minister of the Ministry of
Transport was in our school. And then there was this
transport operation base No.27. so children of merited
transport workers, directors of the operation bases were
studying in our school. As for me I earned my entrance with
my hard labour. I was at 25th place… placed at 25th out of
225 participants and entered the technical school of
auto-transport. They asked what do your father do? I replied
my father’s name is Goosh, my father is a doctor. And they
knew him. When ever a (new)teacher came in the class they
would ask the same question. They say stand up and whose who
are you? They want to know your father’s name by all means.
And when you say whose who are you for example when I say
Gooshiin Munkhoo, they would say oh, you are the son that
man, who is now the Director of the Ambulatory of Transport
Workers. So I say yes I am. Then teacher would say okay,
okay sit down. So when they continued ask it turned out all
the students were children of bosses. On the top children of
ministers, lowest happened to be children various managers
or directors, and all had some connections with the Ministry
of Transport. Now in this apartment house father received a
flat from the Ministry of Transport. All the apartments of
this side were occupied by workers of various organisations
related to transport. However… with passing years most of
them sold their flats and moved out. Now there is not a
single acquaintance here, when I go out of the entrance door
there is not single person whom I know. All others had sold
their apartment. Only my dear mother is still living here
because of her attachment, may be she thinks that it was my
father who received the apartment. May be she still holds in
her heart my father. That is why my mother is determined to
carry on further this home of ours.
Byambajav -
Those children of Ministers and Managers of that time who were in your group what are they doing now?
Mönhöö -
Now they are almost in the same position. When I
inquire about them there is no one who is at worthy job. In
general from those of my generation, I’ll reach 40 soon, no
one has achieved imminence in Mongolia, I don’t see any one
who has done something laudable. Now if…there were really
outstanding personality we’ll surely him on TV. Now when I
see all the channels on TV I don’t see any one from my
class, from those whom I happen to know from my student
days, some one outstanding.(0-22-18) Then life goes its way.
Now and then some of us depart…with the passage of time by
the law of nature or something else some of us die. Speaking
of good friends…in 10 year school and in tech school I had
three very close friends. If I name them, they are Batsuren,
Ochirsuren-two of them and Naraa. My three good friends and
me four of us were together in 10 year school, together we
went to the tech school. It was the railway technical school
I spent a year in that tech school. And my two friends were
with me in railway technical school. We came from the 10
year school together and three of us together intentionally
failed the exams.
Byambajav -
Why?
Mönhöö -
Ааn? Nothing special. We wanted to be in one group
(class). So failed the exams. …then I was enrolled in the
group of diesel locomotive operator, the others in group
electricians. I was enrolled in group of train of the
railway technical school. The train group means that the
graduates would work as a chief of trains on road. Actually
I could have passed the exams without failure and finish
with a profession of chief of train. Then there was a branch
of auto-transport technical school over there. Aa…I could
have entered that branch…if it did not work…well, there is
no use to talk about it now. So to keep company of my two
friends I was attending the school. One was assigned to the
group of diesel locomotive, locomotive operator. Then the
two could not pass the (medical) examination, both of them
could not pass because of bad eye sights. There was the
medical examinations, even (various) analysis were taken at
that time. No one was admitted simply by saying please enter
as it is done today in various institutes. Is this man
suitable? If he is not suitable for health reasons he was
not enrolled in that group. Well, now this chief of train,
my would be profession of that time, would be in charge of
trains on the journey, the group was full of girls. I looked
once into the classroom and saw all those girls, so I
decided…oh no, I’ll not join them, they are all girls. So I
were to be admitted in group of in train services of the
railway technical school. My two poor friends, one was to be
admitted in locomotive operator’s group was excluded
(because of poor eye sight). The first group of ten and it
went on, students passed medical examinations in groups of
ten people. The other… friend of mine was in group of
electric engineering. He was in the group of electricians.
This way it went down. Group of electricians and then the
plumbing, these were the two groups, so you have to go to
either one of them, electricians or plumbing. We-the three
friends all joined the group of electricians there I did not
stay long. Anyway we have been sent to the Khurakhyn State
Farm of Khentei aimag we worked on wheat fields for 3
months. So three of us spent together 3 wonderful months,
three of us all played musical instruments. My friends had a
band group at Rail way technical school, I was plying in a
group at auto-transport technical school. I played in band
for 4 years till I graduated from the tech school. My two
friends also played in band. We played together in 10 year
school that is why we did not play together in one band
group of the tech school. We had no interest to join to each
other’s band according to the practice of those years. I
played my music here I had my own band, my two friends had
their own band. So we played in electrical music band for 4
years, for 4 years we played live by today’s standard on
electrical musical instruments. We did not take in our hands
microphone and or pre-recorded tapes, we played only live
music.
Byambajav -
Your family have 2 girls and 2 boys, haven’t you?
Mönhöö -
Yes.
Byambajav -
Will you please tell me about your elder sister. Did your sister scold you very much?
Mönhöö -
Oh, of course, I was reproached by my elder sister.
My sister is a very principled person. And then when she was
born, she copied the personalities of my father and mother
of that period.
Byambajav -
Because she was the first and the eldest child?
Mönhöö -
…Because she was the eldest. Most importantly for
this reason she scolded me a lot. My youngest sister was
still very young. Od-Mandakh is the name of my younger
sister, it is very pleasent to talk about my sister. …We
have a younger brother and a younger sister. This youngest
one-Oogii was born in 80. Father and mother brought from
maternity house a tiny baby. Then this younger brother next
to me started crying, we were in this room, he sat crying
outside the door. We asked what happened he said my mother
did not care me anymore (0-28-07). Asked why brother was
saying that he said she stopped kissing me but kissing that
tiny thing, it is not funny. The youngest one was a girl.
The younger brother of my father is also rather diminutive,
speaking about my youngest sister, she has an extreme
likeness of father’s side. As for my eldest sister, she is
more like of my mother’s side. My youngest sister is awfully
principled, how should I describe. She is very prudent and
thrifty as well economical in spending, but my elder sister
and me are not so prudent and principled. In general, rather
spendthrift, by today’s standard we are wasteful and throw
money without prudence, my sister would give me anything I
want, speaking about my sister, my sister is so gentle that
if I need anything she would always give me, saying take it
my brother, whatever you need at your home you can take. My
younger sister, probably, you take an interview from her,
she is, should I say very principled and economical person.
She got her characters from my father’s side as like the two
younger brother’s of my father, my elder sister is not like
them. Speaking about my sister, I can describe her as the
finest person.
Well, what else shall I talk about? Is the
time up?
Byambajav -
I was told that in your childhood you often attended circus performances, did you?
Mönhöö -
Well, Yes.
Byambajav -
Were you very afraid of the (circus) animals?
Mönhöö -
Did mother tell you?
Byambajav -
She told me about her memories of your. Tell me about
it, why were you afraid. And then how often you visited the
park, tell me of your memories of those visits.
Mönhöö -
Oh during that period, the Circus was almost the only
place of entertainment, then there was the Drama theatre.
Those were the only 2-3 places. The present UB palace, these
plenty of bars that people do not really care were not there
then. So the Circus was a nice place of that time. I visited
Circus many times with my father and mother. I don’t know
what was the cost of ticket that time. The charge was only a
few tugrug, what was the admittance fee for children I don’t
know. At that time I think actually that cultural
development achieved certain level in Mongolia mainly on the
basis of the Circus, and the Drama theatre. Now, at that
time there were wolves, bears, snakes and other animals in
the Circus. Now where are these animals, they are nowhere.
May be some of them died without passing the market
criteria, some might have been bought for few tugrug and
killed, now, it seems that this sort of things happen. (This
is an exaggeration all those animals are still there)
Generally speaking, to see what now you would go to the
Circus, there was a time when Mongolians demonstrated
marvels of Circus in aerial gymnastics, on parallel bars?
etc. (0-32-17) I think, today, these tricks apparently also
disappeared. It is my own personal thinking. That is why
many Circus from foreign countries are coming to show their
performance. Recently a nice Circus from Russian Federation
with elephant came, and the elephant almost spoke human
language. A braggart would have said that it almost spoke.
In my days there was no (Circus) elephant for such a
performance. From where we could buy an elephant in
Mongolia. We don’t have that capability. Those at the top
are embezzling to the bottom. In Mongolia, actually those
few who have achieved high ranks misuse their power to steal
as much as possible(public property) and then come out as a
pretentious member of the Great Khural. They make plenty of
nice but empty promises and embezzle a lot of things,
defraud and bring the banks into bankruptcy. This is what
they do. In fact, for Mongolians who haven’t seen much, it
is inevitable when they gain some prominence they join their
likes. It is impossible for them to step down without
stealing something, even if I were a member of the Great
Khural, I will try to have a 4, 5 story house before
retiring. Then problems penniless person encounters are
truly enormous. Therefore, they have defraud, the most
important thing is to plead them to embezzle mildly not too
much, the rest doesn’t matter.
Byambajav -
I was told that your sister Odmandakh is rather quick tempered, did you ever angered your sister?
Mönhöö -
Aa, I did anger her, countless number of times..
Byambajav -
For example
Mönhöö -
яахав дээ. Бас тэгээд уурлуулах үе их
гарна шүү дээ дүүгээ бол тэгээд л хааяа нэг 100 гр татчаад л
хүн ямар уудаггүй хүн гэж монголд ямар байх биш дээ.
Уудаггүй уудаггүй гээд л худлаа рекламдаад л байна, байдаг
болохоос биш уудаггүй хүн гэж хаа байхав дээ. Нийлээд суувал
ганц грушик пиво ч гэсэн татна ш дээ. Худлаа л монголчууд л
уудаггүй гээд л байдаг болохоос биш харин тэр чигээрээ
ороод. Аа бусад тал дээрээ гайгүй ээ бас. Аан дүүгийнхээ 10
жилд нь 10 жилээс гарахад нь бас зохих хэмжээний тусламж
үзүүлээд, дүүдээ үзүүлэхгүй бол одоо хэндээ үзүүлэх вэ дээ.
Үзүүлж л байлаа. Миний дүү чинь хамгийн гол нь огцом ууртай
шүү дээ. Тэгэхдээ яахав дээ дүүдээ миний ах баярлаж явдаг юм
гэхээр бас аавынхаа мэргэжлийг эзэмшээгүй ч гэсэн бас
анагаахад ороод, сураад энд бас нэг тогоонд нь хоол идээд
бас нэг нягтлан гээд ажлыг нь хийгээд явж байхад нь би
дүүдээ их баярлаж явдагийм л даа. Анагаахад нягтлан бодогч
хийгээд явж байхад нь их баярлаж явдаг юм гол нь. За тэгээд
ч дүүгийнхээ тухай ч өөр юу ярих вэ дээ. Өөрөөс нь асуугаад
мэдчихнэ биз. Ах занын манай 2 ах ямар ааштай, манай эгч
яадгийн гэдгийн тухай ч тухайн үед нь тэгээд мэдээд
ойлгочихно биз. Хувь хүнээс нь өөрөөс нь ярилцлага авна
тэгээд нэг сайхан мэдээд ойлгочих байлгүй дээ.
Byambajav -
Did you dearly love your grandma?
Mönhöö -
Yes.
Byambajav -
Your grandma also loved you very much.
Mönhöö -
Oh, I think till now I haven’t uttered a word about
my grandma. Our grandma raised me, first and foremost for
the sake of my father and mother. At that time 100 tugrug
was a pretty big money. I clutched in my hand brown note of
one hundred tugrug, begging my grandma to buy me a
basketball and bought a basketball for 75 tugrug, we did not
buy it from the market as we would have today. The first
ever shop of sports goods was situated near the Food store
No.20. We bought the basketball from that shop. Well, most
importantly it was my grandma who made me a man(brought me
up). I love my grandma very much. I did not talk about my
grandma, may be my dear grandma feels hurt, after all it was
my grandma who brought me up. At that time our home was in
Tsagaan Khuaran… grandma took me with her… the hospital of
infectious deceases was constructed now at that site, we
lived there so my grandma would take me by hand and she
lamely walked with me my poor and beloved grandma. So we
went together to the stores, then there was the store of
Sansar. (0-37-55) We usually go to Sansar and bought
something for just 1 tugrug. The buying power of money was
so great. We could buy something by only 1 tugrug, we would
buy a piece of short sausage, dried apricot or anything we
like to munch. Now if you give 1 tugrug they will not accept
it. We should have at least 100 tugrug, 100 tugrug will be
barely enough to buy one or two cigarettes. So at that time
I enjoyed greatly my visits to Sansar together with my
grandma. She raised and pampered me, therefore I entertain
immense gratitude to my grandma. My grandma had some
livestock. We tended her goats. So while looking after the
goats I met my (future) wife. I should recollect the
memories about my wife here. My wife and her grandpa used to
look after their livestock very well. They lived in our
neighbouring enclosure to the north. In the morning the old
man would take out his goats, Munkhoo did the same from the
enclosure in the front and two of us will join and move to
the mountain side. We brought our goats there on fine grassy
pasture to graze them. So in the meantime I met my (future)
wife. My darling wife is much younger than me. Lot younger
than me but two of us became close after tending the
livestock together for some time. Since you asked me about
my grandma I bring back the memories of her and can say only
that my grandma was a very good person. Generally, we revoke
the good memories of our loved ones only after their death,
unfortunately none of us talk how good they are before they
depart. Well, it was wonderful. I should have talked about
it before, what could I say now when she had departed for
good. She was a truly good person.
Byambajav -
Did she buy a guitar for you?
Mönhöö -
Yes, she bought a guitar for me, for 60 tugrugs. She
bought that guitar from the State Department Store. When the
store was still the State department store she bought for me
the guitar for 60 tugrugs, it was an acoustic guitar. I have
to mention my elder sister, my sister was the person who for
the first time taught me how to play on guitar. So my sister
taught and I learned to play. My sister was my first teacher
who taught me how play guitar and I for the first time began
playing on musical instrument. Therefore, I should mention
my sister, I did not learn playing music by myself as soon
as I was born from my mother. Yes, one can not start singing
and playing right away. My sister played music for me for
the first time and taught me how to play. Now, I can say she
is my teacher, then I would like to say a word or two about
my sister. My sister is an extremely industrious person.
Even before I put my foot into the market she has already
been in the market. So doing business life of my sister has
improved radically. My sister started her business by
selling Lucky toothpaste, the Lucky mint.
Byambajav -
It came in (was imported) exactly at that time.
Mönhöö -
Yes, exactly at that time, now, when this toothpaste
first appeared in our country. When the imported toilet soap
first came my dear sister was selling them. Well, in
conformity with the requirements of the market relations I
am also in market and rapidly getting accustomed. I have
also to mention my brother in-law. There is no such good
person except him. The person, who built for me this
enclosure and the house, was my brother-in-law. And I can
repeat once again that my elder sister is extremely
industrious person. To feed her children and her husband she
went (to the market) in the cold of winter. My brother-law
was an engineer, who had just graduated from the Institute.
My sister had also graduated the institute. I don’t know
what institute it has become now. My brother-in-law
graduated from that institute as an engineer, he is an
engineer who is almost my teacher. He is a man with high
education, high education. My sister has also a high
education, they are graduates of the same institute. It was
called the technical university, now it may not a Technical
university, they graduated it. I am very grateful to my
sister who notwithstanding the winter cold left home in the
morning and stood at the market till evening. Thanks to it
she has radically improved her livelihood. In my mind, the
well to do life of this high standards my brother-in-law and
his children are enjoying now is the merit of my sister. It
is the thought I keep in my mind. I firmly believe that it
is the merit of my sister.
Byambajav -
Your father saw the worldly mortality(death) in 93,
94. At that time as the eldest son you were left behind as
the head of your household, so what was the thought in your
mind? How difficult was it, could you tell me about your
impressions?
Mönhöö -
At that time, it was difficult. (0-44-52) As now I
remember my poor mother was still a young woman. Now, when
you recall the memories of that period, when the father had
died, the question how our family will live further occupied
not really my mind but it was constantly in the mind of my
mother. Well, what was to happen, happened, my husband had
departed. And the thought how shall I carry further the
livelihood of my family apparently occupied the mind of my
mother. I don’t want to lie, I was still very young and the
thought or idea how I shall carry further the livelihood of
our family did not really come to my mind. So…it is my
belief that the idea how to achieve this much and arrive at
the present standard of life was developed and nurtured by
my mother at that time. And I think that we-her children
have achieved this much today is really one of the great
merits of my mother. If one thinks it over it is the truth.
For anyone while young, your father was the best man. I know
my father very well. Even sometimes we did share a 100 gm
(vodka). I drank with my father, my father was young and
handsome at that time.
Byambajav -
You have been closely associated.
Mönhöö -
Very intimate. I did drink a 100 gm vodka with my
father. Of course, such occasions to drink occur. My father,
though, he had been a boss for a long time, there was time
when he would have to ask for 38 tugrug from Munkhoo. You
bought a bottle of vodka for 38 tugrug, went outside and got
it for 38 tugrug. It was not like today when the cost of a
bottle of vodka is in range of a few thousand tugrug. At
that time when you had a 100 tugrug it was like being a
millionaire. Father and me when we reached the Oboo (A
shrine made of pile of stones situated on mountain pass)
drank some vodka, in general my father was a moderate
drinker. However, the most important thing is that some men
drink moderately but don’t neglect the job to be done. I do
my job, even I drink I don’t neglect my job. Father and me
when we were on the road to the Batsumber State Farm did
drink one or two hundred grams of vodka. It usually makes
the difference. When someone drinks a hundred gram and start
talking, even things that he kept in his mind hidden comes
out, so when we drank a bit it happened to both of us. So,
in general, we had lengthy discussions. My father was also
responsible for building a camp, that camp is situated at
the entrance of the valley after the Khalzan (name of small
valley to the north of UB). This was a rest home for the
transport workers, and a summer camp for the children of
transport workers.(0-48-32) I think the summer camp was
called “Solongo”. My father and myself were present at the
opening ceremony of the camp. …Thanks to my father and
mother I have seen a lot. Now, there is this summer camp of
children “Nairamdal”(Frienship). I had been during my summer
vacation at this International summer camp Nairamdal …in
eighties, I spent my holiday vacation there, most
importantly, in the shift by the end of June and in July.
Because it was in July that children from different foreign
countries arrived at Nairamdal summer camp. I was in the
group called “Odod”(Stars) we had children from various
countries. In our “Odod” group there were many children from
Poland, if, for example, we had in our group mostly Poles,
in the other group called “Sansar” (Outer space) there were
more Russians. Generally, the camp received international
children from different countries. A very nice lady
Tsedenbal Filatova used to visit the camp. She was the one
who had the Nairamdal camp built and she was responsible for
many other big constructions. We can not pass without
remembering the past. Now, these apartment districts No.3
and 4, these apartment districts No. 3 and 4 were built by
that dear Ts. Filitova as a gift districts, who, do you
think, built for us this Palace of wedding ceremony. It was
Ts. Filatova who pleaded Brejnev guai to build it when
Brejnev came and she received it. It seems that our people
forget that what had been constructed and was constructed
for you and thanks to them these organisations are thriving,
it is very nice, however, it is very important that we don’t
forget those who founded and built these establishments for
us. Tsedenbal guai accomplished a lot, it is not true that
he did not accomplish anything. His wife had also
accomplished a lot. Besides it, she had given us this
Nairamdal summer camp built. She also had requested Brejnev
guai and had these apartment districts No.3 and 4
constructed. Then including the wedding palace there are
many other constructions. At the given period there was a
time when we not only gave away but took in return. It is
impossible not mention about them. We can’t always dream
about something nice. Though they say it is very bad in
Mongolia there are those call it the white tiger ? of Asia.
The main problem is that our people can’t really work hard.
If you take the example of Korea, there was a time when
Korea was in much inferior position than we are today. But
now it has become a country far more highly developed than
ours. If you think carefully, will people in Mongolia bring
their rings and other valuables when told that there is a
need of money for the development of our country, I don’t
think our people will bring their valuables. They will say
we have nothing (of value) even it was for the development
of their own country. If you muse over the fact why Korea
has reached this high stage of development than ours then
you will see that the (Korean) people have such warm
generosity towards their motherland that they gave
everything including the rings on their fingers and were
able to save from bankruptcy not only the banks but their
motherland from bankruptcy.(0-52-15) If Mongols truly want
to be like them we can be. Mongolians do have money. When
you think about the country, I feel that people who are
unable to keep the streets clean and free of wastes could
hardly can develop. Actually it would be hard to develop. If
you can’t take up and throw into the waste bin the papers
littering streets then how can you hope that the country
will develop. In other countries people get up early in the
morning. When I was in Beijing the residents were up at 5
a.m. When I was in nineties in Beijing at 5 in morning
residents were up and working hours had been commenced well
before 5 a.m. Breakfast and tea were already prepared in
early hours of the morning. We would be sleeping at that
time. Who would get up and prepare their food at 5 a.m. This
is the condition in these countries. The main reason why
these countries are developing so fast is the fact that
people over there can toil really good. The most important
thing is that they can work for the development of their
country for a small change without considering it as just a
single coin. In China 1 Yuan is a lot of money. What is the
value of 1 Yuan in Mongolia? We throw away 50 tugrug, what
can we do with 50 tugrug? But 50 tugrug in China is some
money. You can play a billiard game with 50 tugrug, with 1
Yuan you can play billiard game. In our country they ask a
crazy sum of 1500, 2000 tugrug for a billiard game. But one
should be able to make money from changes. What I am trying
to say is no matter how insignificant it may be but 1 tugrug
is a money worth earning. This is the most important thing.
Well, is it enough?
Byambajav -
Well, as person with 1 elder sister and 2 younger
siblings do you have some idea on ways and means how to
secure a better life and wellbeing of your entire family?
And in general, what recommendations and commandment would
you give to the children of your relatives and to your own
children.
Mönhöö -
Well, when I have two younger siblings and one elder
sister, it does not really matter. Now, we have learned to
live independently on our own. Once a man marries a woman,
you live to feed your wife so you have to work. If a woman
is married to a man two of them work, this is the situation
with us. Now, women are engaged in labour, while the men
enjoy the freedom of life. In short, the situation is
completely different in Korea, the men, the husbands work,
while wives stay home and take care of the children and
prepare the food, prepare rice porridge, it is their duty.
But the situation is reversed in our country. Women are
toiling while their husband enjoy life and rest, have their
food prepared for them, this is their way of life. As for my
two younger siblings they are doing okay, the most important
thing is my dear sister is married and in my view they are
leading their well-off life independently. They don’t need
that much help from the other but I hope that they will lend
each other helping hands in time of difficulties. And they
should wish good when the other is doing well, that is it.
No one enjoys good life for good. Originally, I was doing
terribly well. For a while I was sparkling as a star and
used to squander the money as something worthless. I told my
younger siblings what do you need take them, in this manner
I used to throw away a lot. However, there is none who does
well all the time. A man does very well for a while then
comes the turn of decline, so there is decline as well rise
in man’s life, there is no such thing as earning money all
way along. There is no such conducive environment in
Mongolia or very rare. So we are following our ways
independently. Importantly my younger siblings are all grown
up. There are grown up children of my elder sister, numerous
children of my elder brothers, the number of son-in-laws and
daughter-in-laws is growing. During the lunar new year when
we meet I am now almost the eldest among the men. Standing
after my elder sister I have joined the ranks of elders. So
I wish all the good to my numerous younger relatives. This
is the main thing I keep in mind, now I have got so many
younger brothers and sisters, they will have their children.
So Munkhoo will become the eldest brother, however, even the
devil does not know how a man will live. Of course, one can
not live happy all the time. A man who is full of smile
today may be dead by tomorrow. Life is not eternal. This is
what I would say. So I wish all the best and happiness to my
brothers and sisters. This is what your brother Munkhoo
wish.
Byambajav -
What would you say to your mother.
Mönhöö -
Well, I would wish my mother long life and bring make happier all of us.
Byambajav -
Do you have a child?
Mönhöö -
No child. We have been married more than 10 years.
But God did not bless us, if we had a child that child would
have been almost of the same age with my younger sister.
But, what can I do since God did not bless us (with a
child). Who knows when the blessing will come. Hence things
went this way, what could I say to my wife, it is unfair to
tell a woman that she is not giving me child and there is no
need to press on her that she should give birth to a child,
I don’t know who is at fault. So I only think about it. Now
I would like to wish to my mother long life and be the
source of happiness of all of us.
Byambajav -
Well, now I would like to thank you very much for
giving me this nice interview. May I wish you to have a baby
as well as wish wellbeing and prosperity in your life.
Mönhöö -
Well, I thank very much for coming to my home and
making this interview, I express my sincere gratitude to
you. May your work be successful.
Byambajav -
Well, may your wishes come true.
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.
