Cultural Rituals for Young Children in Mongolia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2025.3.179.194Keywords:
ritual, newborn baby, protecting, blessing, remedy, ceremonyAbstract
Aim. The purpose of this work is to explore and thematically present the cultural rituals for newborns and young children and interpret the meaning of the ritual related to the Mongolian traditional way of life. In this article, we explore the origin, characteristics, development, symbols, and contributions of Mongolians to various rituals, such as blessing, bathing and naming newborns, first hair cutting ceremony, cutting fox shape with sheep wool felt, new dress blessing for young children, making trick to brown rabbit.
Methods. The work is presented based on observations in daily life, secondary research documents, empirical materials, analysis of scientific research papers, and the use of the comparative method in the Mongolian cultural context. All of the rituals for young children presented in this paper are not only historical rituals but also commonly implemented in daily life, specifically in rural Mongolia.
Results. These findings provide evidence of the continuity and importance of Mongolian rituals for newborn babies and young children, underscoring the enduring uniqueness of traditional Mongolian beliefs and practices for protecting, curing, and blessing. Despite the challenges of globalisation, Mongolian traditional rituals remain a valuable cultural expression, preserving their distinctiveness across generations.
Conclusion. The rituals reflect the deeply spiritual and symbolic relationship that Mongolians have with the natural and supernatural world, as well as their commitment to protecting the emotional and physical well-being of their young children through cultural rituals.
Downloads
References
Alimaa, A., Bayasgalan, T., Dariimaa, B., Zayasuren, Ch., & Batmunkh, G. (2022). Mongol utga zokhiolyn nėvtėrkhiĭ tol [Mongolian literary encyclopedia.] Vol. 1 (S. Baigalsaikhan, Ed.). Soyombo Press.
Battogtoh, D. (2018). Mongol ündestnii khümüüjüülen surgakh ukhaanii ikh nevterkhii toli. [Great Encyclopedia of Mongolian Education]. Udam soyаl.
Boykova, E. (2021). The General and Gender Factor in the Upbringing of Children in Mongolia. In M. Tekcan & O. Corff (Eds.), Expressions of Gender in the Altaic World (pp. 23–28). Walter de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110748789-004
Dolgorsuren, J. (2000). Aman soyoliin arga bilgiin shüteltsee [The relationship between oral culture and wisdom]. Urlakh Erdem Publishing.
Dulam, S. (2022). The wedding of the tasam: Symbolism in Inner Mongolian circumcision rituals. In B. Tseren (Ed.), Contemporary Mongolian Ritual Practices (pp. 115–130). Institute of Cultural Anthropology.
Erdenechuluun, G. (2025). Analyzing the Symbolic Meanings of Certain Mongolian Rituals for “Unsettled” Children. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 13(4), 389–403. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2025.134023
Fernández-Giménez, M. E., Baýarbat, T., Jamsranjav, C., & Ulambayar, T. (2024). Motherhood, mothering and care among Mongolian herder women. Agriculture and Human Values, 42(1), 139–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-024-10587-y
Jargal, U., Byambajav, B., & Jamiyanjav, B. (2024). Taking child age and physical features into consideration in the family upbringing (On the example of Mongolian family). Obshchestvo, 2, 74–81. https://doi.org/10.18101/2307-3330-2024-2-74-81
Javzandulam, B., Lkhagvadorj, T.-E., & WuDong, Q. (2024). Keeping the Hair-cutting ceremony in the context of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Nomadic Studies, 24(31). https://nomadicstudies.org/journal/article/view/25
Harkness, S., & Super, C. M. (1992). Parental ethnotheories in action. In I. Sigel, A.V. McGillicuddy-DeLisi, & J. Goodnow (Eds.), Parental belief systems: The psychological consequences for children (pp. 373-392). Erlbaum.
Harkness, S., & Super, C. M. (1994). The developmental niche: A theoretical framework for analyzing the household production of health. Social Science & Medicine, 38(2), 217-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(94)90391-3
Harkness, S., & Super, C. M. (1996). Parental cultural belief systems: Their origins, expressions, and consequences. Guilford.
Khabunova E.E. (2005). Ochag, obryady i obryadovy folklore life cycle Kalmykov. Elista.
Lovor, G. (2007). Aman naadgai, khüükhdiin aman zokhioliin deejis [Aman naadgai, a sample of children's oral literature]. Top Design Press.
Michelet, A. (2015). Why are Mongolian Infants Treated Like ‘Kings’?: Care Practices and Multifaceted Personhood of Young Children in the Middle Gobi (Mongolia). Inner Asia, 17(2), 273-292. https://doi.org/10.1163/22105018-12340045
Munkhnasan, D. (2021). Mongolian Proper Name as a Component of Ethnological Psychology. Mongolian Diaspora: Journal of Mongolian History and Culture, 1(1), 35–54. https://doi.org/10.1515/modi-2021-010105
Otgon, T. (2014). Mongol utga soyol dakhi khünii amin nasnii belgedel [Symbols of human lifespan in Mongolian culture] [Doctoral dissertation National University of Mongolia].
Sampildendev, H., (1985). Malchin ardiin zan üiliin ulamjlal [Traditions of Herders' Rituals]. State Publishing House.
Sampildendev, H., Urtnasan, N., & Dorjdagwa, T. (2006). Mongol zan üil, bayar yosloliin tovchoon [Bureau of Mongolian Rituals and Celebrations]. Selenge Press.
Sharayeva, T. I. (2011). Obryady vklyucheniya rebenka v sotsium otsa na pervom godu zhizni [Rituals of incorporating the child into the father's social group during the first year of life]. Oriental Studies, 4() 84-88. https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/671
Sigel, I. E., McGillicuddy DeLisi, A. V., & Goodnow, J. J. (Eds.). (1992). Parental Belief Systems: The Psychological Consequences for Children (2nd ed.). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315807539
Super, C. M., & Harkness, S. (1986). The developmental niche: A conceptualization at the interface of child and culture. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 9(4), 545-569. https://doi.org/10.1177/016502548600900409
Vyatkina, K. V. (1960). Mongoly Mongol'skoy Narodnoy Respubliki (Materials of the historical ethnographic expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 1948–1949). Vostochno Aziatskiy Etnograficheskiy Sbornik, 159–269.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. Jolm-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds.). Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4
Zakirova, A. O. (2017). Kul'turnoye razvitie kazakhov v Mongolii [The cultural development of the Kazakhs in Mongolia]. In A. I. Vostretsov (Ed.), Sovremennye nauchnye issledovaniya i razrabotki [Materials of the International (correspondence) scientific-practical conference] (pp. 223–232). Mir Nauki.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Zayasuren Chuluun, Javzandulam Batsaikhan, Tsog-Erdene Lkhagvadorj
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
CC-BY
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. All authors agree for publishing their email adresses, affiliations and short bio statements with their articles during the submission process.
