A cross-cultural expedition was undertaken during the summer of 2004 to Northern Mongolia, to the Khovsgol aimag (province). The expedition was geared to finding the Reindeer People (The Tsaatan) who live in structures similar to Native American Lodge’s.

It was a sojourn on Mongolian Horses accompanied by an interpreter (Jaffa) and two Mongolian Wranglers (Dali and Nimhu) into one of the harshest and most inaccessible regions of the world.. Tsaatan, who possess few ways of communication with outsiders, travel with the seasons journeying in summer by canoe on rivers and in winter, when the cold weather comes and the rivers freeze take to their Reindeer for transport (Mongolia, the Bradt Travel Guide,2004). Boojum Expeditions out of Bozeman, Montana organized the trip with their Mongolian counterpart (Mishig) as they have great experience in working with the various Mongolian peoples and their country. The route that we took once we got to Lake Khovsgol (Mongolia’s deepest lake holding 2% of the world’s freshwater) is what many of the Darhad people will take when winter hits this most remote place (National Geographic, October 2003, p. 102-121). As a faculty member at a Tribal College (of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Peoples) the impetus behind this journey was twofold; to immerse myself in the Mongolian culture where the horse is omnipresent and the relationship-between horse and human has never been broken and secondly to travel in a part of the earth only now open to outsiders and see first hand the Natural Resources as have been utilized by these last remaining Nomadic Indigenous Peoples and their "Life Way".

What a Joy to ride 20 to 30 miles a day crossing creeks, and rivers of water so pure and uncontaminated that one was renewed each day in thinking that if we could only return to such purity! What country, as far as the eye could see, and the spirit soar to, having no footprints of man. What a community our small group on horseback , with the Mongolian Wrangles singing about their Mountains, Lakes, Rivers and Land.

At each mountain top or pass, an Ovoo,

i.e. a pyramid-shaped collection of stones, wood, and silk scarves greets one; these are sacred and one dismounts and walks three times in a clockwise direction making an offering. Mongolians hold their mountains sacred and celebrate their land on many occasions. To have experienced first- hand the heart centered partnership between human beings, horses and the environment reinforces the contemporary lessons taught in our Tribal College. To quote from Gregory Cajete in his book Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence; "Natural democracy must prevail", "Everything is related", "All relationships have a natural history", and "Native science orients itself to a ‘space and a place’". What a oneness and harmony greets one in this country and what a wonderful opportunity it would be if our students and theirs could exchange countries-for awhile!

by Dr. Elizabeth McClain
Instructor, Fort Belknap College
Harlem, Montana
February 2, 2005