Mongolian Traditional Performance by Bayarbaatar Bavuudorj
The performance by Bayarbaatar Bavuudorj celebrated Mongolia’s nomadic heritage through the art of throat singing (khoomii) and traditional instruments such as the horse-headed fiddle (morin khuur) and the Mongolian flute (tsuur). These art forms, deeply rooted in Mongolia’s grasslands and equestrian culture, stand as a living testament to endangered traditions, emphasizing their role in preserving cultural identity amid ongoing environmental and social change.
The traditional song “Nayan Naiman Khangai”, performed as part of the Frozen Commons project, was accompanied by the morin khuur and tsuur. In this performance, Bayarbaatar Bavuudorj brought together khuumii (throat singing), the morin khuur, and the tsuur, weaving a soundscape that evokes Mongolia’s northern landscapes and ancestral memory.
Throat singing, a unique vocal technique that allows the voice to produce multiple tones simultaneously, reflects a profound connection between the human voice, the land, and the natural world. “Nayan Naiman Khangai” is inspired by the melodies of the Dukha people, Indigenous reindeer herders who inhabit the coldest and most remote regions of northern Mongolia. The song conveys their deep relationship with the land and the challenges of survival in an extreme environment. Through the haunting resonance of the morin khuur, the ethereal tones of the tsuur, and the harmonic textures of throat singing, the piece captures the resilience, harmony, and natural rhythms that define the Dukha way of life—bringing to life the spirit of Mongolia’s northernmost lands.
About Bayarbaatar Bavuudor: