What's in a Ger?

A ger (yurt) is the traditional Mongolian nomadic dwelling. Most gers have 16-18 square meters of floor space, according to the Ger-to-Ger booklet. The ger is circular, well-insulated by felt and hide. Wooden posts support the walls. An opening in the roof lets sunlight in and smoke out. A stove sits in the center to heat the ger and cook meals. When families move, they dismantle and pack the ger to bring it to a new location.

When Amber, Molly, Evan, and I traveled to Terelj National Park through the Ger-to-Ger program, we stayed in three gers. I will describe the second ger's interior in detail. A young family lived there: a husband and wife, their young daughter, and their niece.

The door, facing south, had a raised threshold. (It is polite to enter with the right foot first and proceed clockwise around the stove.) To the left of this door was an empty space on the floor. The family let a baby goat into the ger to keep warm; they tied it here, and it could lie down on a piece of canvas.

Continuing clockwise, a new stereo system rested on top of a tall orange cabinet. The cabinet contained blankets and clothes. Next to that was a bed with a metal frame and a rug on top. There was about four feet of space between the bed and the stove. The floor was covered with linoleum between the stove and the door. (Typically, men and guests sit on the left side of the ger, with the northernmost seat reserved for the man of the house. Women sit on the right.)

At the north side of the ger was a shrine, the sacred area. On these shrines, families typically place flowers and pictures. They often burn incense also. This family had a photo of the Dalai Lama smiling. The shrine is the most respected area; it is impolite to point one's feet toward it.

Next to the shrine, a beautiful green tapestry hung on the wall. A mirror perched upon a table where the wife kept her lotions and makeup. At the eastern side was an orange wooden bed; this is where the hosts slept.

Another orange cabinet contained dishes and cooking supplies. The family had a good supply of metal pots and vessels. They served us milk tea and soup in white ceramic bowls.

Completing our tour of the interior of the ger, we now turn to the stove. It was a dark brown metal affair with a tall cylindrical chimney. The stovetop had three concentric metal rings which could be lifted off to allow pots to sit directly on the fire. The family typically cooked meals in a wide, shallow metal pot. They used wood for fuel; in less-forested areas, families often use dried dung. Both the husband and wife in this ger shared the cooking.

Viewed from the outside, a ger seems very small. Inside, however, the space is used efficiently, and all basic needs are provided. To my mind, the most comforting part of this trip has been entering a warm ger after a long, cold journey.

And so it came to pass that we bade our gracious hosts farewell. However, the influence of the ger would follow us even into the city. Many families live outside Ulaanbaatar proper in "ger districts," where gers cluster together in any available space, separated by tall wooden fences. People living in the ger districts, especially those over 40 years old, often continue to wear traditional clothing.

The circular design of the ger is not confined to the countryside. Near our apartment, the wrestling palace is ger-shaped. When Melissa, Evan, and I went to a nearby Catholic church yesterday, we saw that it was constructed in the shape of a ger. The roof sloped upward to a point, and where a traditional ger would have an opening to let light in, the church had triangular panels of yellow/red/clear stained glass which warmed the sunlight as it illuminated the pews.

This weekend we will be visiting Terelj again, this time as a group. I look forward to going back (and dressing more warmly this time!).