Among all the peoples of Asia, the Mongols constitute one of the main ethnographic divisions. Mongolian culture has a rich history that has been measured for millennia.
Mongolian ethnos is represented by two countries:
- The independent country of Mongolia;
- Inner Mongolia (autonomous region in North of China).
The historical homeland of the Mongols is the independent country of Mongolia. At the same time, most of the Mongolian ethnos is represented by inhabitants of Chinese Inner Mongolia. However, in this region, the Chinese population makes up the majority. The traditional Mongolian way of life is limited by Chinese laws that becomes one of the prerequisites for assimilation.
Old traditions VS New opportunities
The global trends and influence of the West are also affected Mongolians. Young people actively study English and receive a Western-style education. In the future, this approach offers them desired employment opportunities. In addition, a lot of Mongolian soldiers serve in the NATO army.
According to statistics provided by military resume writers the number of orders they received from Mongolian job seekers has also increased dramatically in recent years. Obviously, good English is a must to succeed, as well as strong military skills. But further career growth will be difficult without sufficient language skills. Especially in case of transition from the military to the civilian life.
According to social surveys, the problem of employment is a factor in accelerating the assimilation of the Mongols. Most of the ethnic Mongolian population is involved in the agricultural and mining sectors. This makes Mongolian employees unclaimed in the rest of Asia and whole developed world. To get a good position it is needed to have not only a high-quality resume, but also a cover letter of a decent level. When composing a letter, it is important to take into account the specifics of this document, so sites like https://resumesbot.com/ offering free samples for observation are very popular lately. Similar services are actively used in the USA, and in a few years, Mongolia will have its alternative due to intercultural exchange.
Due to the fact that the Mongolian region has a low population density, the Chinese authorities consider it as a free territory for the resettlement of its citizens. Thus, China is striving to align the distribution of the population in its country. This does not benefit the Mongolian community, because along with immigrants, a foreign culture begins to dominate in Inner Mongolia. Chinese pop culture, cuisine, and holidays are already considered familiar.
What aspects of Mongolian identity are at risk of assimilation?
Mongolia is experiencing cultural suppression from China, USA, and other developed countries on the following points:
- Language;
- Lifestyle;
- Family traditions;
- Economy & household.
Adherents of traditional cultural values sadly admit:“Most likely, in the future, we will never live as traditional Mongolians. Our ethnicity will disappear, and the Mongolian culture will pass away”.
Economic expansion and its cultural consequences
Mongolia’s rich natural resources such as coal and natural gas attract Chinese businessmen. Such economic cooperation is culturally disadvantageous for Mongolia, as China is not interested in maintaining Mongolian traditions. The extraction of coal and gas forces the local population to move to other regions, including China, where it is finally losing its historical roots.
Traditionally, the nomadic way of life is replaced by a settled way: the younger generation seeks to move to the city and find work. Further, Mongolian families send their children to Chinese Han schools orienting them for developed countries’ lifestyles.
China is also the main market for Mongolian goods. Products often have only one packaging option – in Chinese. The lack of bilingual packaging shows the disinterest of the Chinese Mongols in maintaining their identity. This implies the need to preserve the Mongolian language from Chinese influence. Below we will point out why the Mongolian language is at risk and requires adaptation measures in the modern world.
Prospects of the Mongolian language in the modern world
As stated above, Chinese educational trends dominate in Mongolia. Mandarin is required for study in many Mongolian schools, colleges and universities. At the same time, the Mongolian language is losing its influence due to lack of demand in the modern world.
The main problem is the passivity of the Mongolian community in relation to the native language. Mongolian immigrants have no interest in speaking their native language while learning Chinese and English is actively encouraged by foreign employers. With the introduction of information technology in the field of public life, the Mongolian language is already considered obsolete, since no one uses it in business and digital product’s development.
Here are some of the possible ways to improve the status of the Mongolian language:
- Development of new Mongol-oriented IT products;
- Increasing digital literacy of the Mongolian community;
- Improvement of Mongolian translations;
- Development of Mongolian versions of popular web-services.
If the Mongolian language is adapted to the needs of modernity, then the whole culture will be one step closer to its revival.
Conclusion
Mongolia’s economic and educational backwardness makes it vulnerable to the influence of developed countries. The revival of Mongolian culture requires a thorough approach – profound economic and social changes.
The nomadic lifestyle is inferior in its effectiveness to other forms of settlement. This makes Mongolia easy prey for foreign entrepreneurs. Active use of natural resources leads to the impoverishment of the local population and the loss of cultural traditions.
Language, as the basis of any culture, requires a special attitude. The Mongolian language should become demanded for study and use not only in Mongolia but also in other Asian countries.