As part of the Vanishing Cultures Project, photographer Taylor Weidman turned his attention to Mongolia and its vanishing nomadic culture. There are still people here who lead a nomadic lifestyle similar to the times of Genghis Khan, but now their existence has changed. On the one hand, they are weighed down by a “burden” high technology And modern world, on the other; climatic disturbances and expansion of deserts.
Most nomads don't even have basic education, which forces them to go to work in the mines or other low-paid and difficult jobs in the event of forced settlement. Probably the process of change in Mongolian society will drag on for a long time.
A Mongolian shepherd goes out to pick up his animals from the pasture during a heavy snowstorm. Over the past ten years, Mongolia has experienced an unusually large number of juts - mass deaths of livestock caused by icing of pastures.
A nomadic family inside their portable home - a yurt. Such families have televisions, DVD players, mobile phones; used for recharge solar panels.
A Mongolian nomad cleans solar panels after a snowfall.
A woman feeds a lamb milk in a soy sauce bottle.
Shepherd on a motorcycle. The nomadic Mongols very quickly absorbed all the possibilities of high technology.
Wrestlers in a fight during the Nadom sports festival. Since ancient times, this event was held in honor of new great conquests, but now it is simply competitions in Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery.
Spectators and participants of the Nadom festival.
A thirsty goat drinks water from a washing machine in the Gobi Desert. Along with herding, local families work in the mines to provide additional income for solar panels, washing machines, etc.
Topsoil erosion and expansion of the Gobi Desert due to climate change in the region.
Animal bones in Teshig soum, damaged by jutes. The winter of 2012 killed about 30% of the local herds.
After the closure of the large Soviet coal mine in Nalaikha, the city was engulfed in small coal mining "holes". Families who were forced to give up their nomadic life work here.
Illegal miners are looking for gold.
The nomadic areas surrounding Ulaanbaatar. In winter, Mongolia's capital is one of the most polluted in the world due to coal burning.
Residents of the “nomadic areas” of Ulaanbaatar collect garbage for recycling. Among them there is a very high percentage of unemployed due to lack of education.
A Mongolian boy carries bottles of water home.
A slide in the Ulaanbaatar amusement park for children. More than a quarter of the country's population is under 14 years of age, making Mongolia one of the youngest countries in the world.
A girl watches families riding on an attraction.
Until recently, cars in Mongolia were quite rare. Now there are a dime a dozen of them here.
Residential areas of Ulaanbaatar after rain.
One of the most beautiful buildings in Mongolia is the Blue Sky Tower.
The Mongolian stock exchange has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. Back in 2006, it was the smallest in the world. Now over 300 companies with a total capitalization of $2.3 billion are registered here.
A small Ulaanbaatar store.
A Buddhist monk walks past an abandoned Soviet hospital in Ulaanbaatar. Buddhism again became one of the aspects of the national self-identification of the Mongols after the disappearance of the influence of the USSR.
The guys are leading their drunken comrade. According to reports from the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, in 2006, about 22% of the country's population was dependent on alcohol, which is three times the European average.
A woman does a warm-up on a hill overlooking new areas of Ulaanbaatar. The capital of the country is growing very quickly due to the economic boom. Mongolia boasts the fastest growing economy in the world as of 2011.
Mongolian pastoralists are one of the largest remaining nomadic cultures in the world. For thousands of years, the Mongols lived on the steppes and grazed their livestock on lush meadows, but today their traditional way of life is in danger of disappearing. Along with rapid economic growth, climate change and desertification are destroying livestock and pastures, threatening to eradicate the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian pastoralists.
As a result of a series of harsh winters and depleted pastures, thousands of livestock farmers were forced to abandon their centuries-old way of life and began to work in mining villages and cities. Former nomads are settling permanently in yurt camps surrounding the capital Ulaanbaatar. Here, nomads cannot find use for their traditional skills and abilities, and the younger generation no longer adopts their experience.
A young nomad rides a motorcycle after his herd after a spring snowfall. Mongolian shepherds are quickly mastering modern technology. Trucks and motorcycles often replace livestock. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A family of livestock farmers sits in their yurt near the TV. Most nomadic families use portable solar power plants and windmills, which generate the electricity needed to operate electronic equipment. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Young riders, horse owners and spectators chatting in traditional Mongolian before the race sports festival Above. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A goat drinks from a washing machine in the Gobi Desert. In addition to raising livestock, families also work in the local mine, and use the money they earn to improve their home. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A Mongolian woman feeds a lamb milk from a soy sauce bottle. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Mongolian youths kill goats and sheep at a country resort for wealthy city dwellers. The Mongols make a small incision in the animal's chest and clamp the aorta from the inside. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Fighters compete at the Nadom sports festival. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Reduced rainfall as a result of climate change and strong winds caused erosion fertile layers soils and expansion of the Gobi Desert. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A shepherd gathers his flock during a snowstorm. Over the past few decades, Mongolia has experienced many dzuds—harsh winters during which livestock die. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
The bones of animals killed during the 2010 dzud lie on the frozen ground. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
After the closure of a large Soviet mine in the city of Nalaikh, 35 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar, small mines began mining. These mines often employ families of livestock farmers who have had to give up life on the steppe. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Working in the mines is fraught with dangers, but attracts former livestock farmers whose education levels are often limited school course. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Illegal miners pan for gold in the steppe. After a series of harsh winters, many livestock farmers went bankrupt and were forced to look for new job, including gold mining. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
The yurt villages that surround the capital Ulaanbaatar are the permanent residence of displaced nomads. IN winter time Ulaanbaatar has the second-highest air pollution among world capitals, largely due to coal combustion. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Residents of yurt villages collect materials reuse at a landfill in Ulaanbaatar. The unemployment rate among the population of yurt villages is approximately 16%. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A Mongolian boy carries water home. 70% of the population of Ulaanbaatar lives in yurt villages, where there is no running water. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
View of the construction site from the Ferris wheel in the Children's Park in Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolian government plans to build 100 thousand new homes for low-income families. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Slide in the Children's Park of Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is the country with the youngest population in Asia. More than a quarter of Mongolia's population are children under 14 years of age. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A girl watches people go on rides in the Children's Park in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is the country with the youngest population in Asia. More than a quarter of Mongolia's population are children under 14 years of age. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A young mother drives a car in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Road transport is becoming increasingly popular due to the growth of the economy, which is based on the mining industry. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Streets of Ulaanbaatar after a summer rain. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Blue Sky Tower is one of the most remarkable buildings in the center of Ulaanbaatar. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
The Mongolian Stock Exchange has grown significantly over last decade. In 2006 it was the world's smallest stock exchange, but now has more than 300 companies with a total capitalization of US$2.3 billion. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Mongols leave a store in Ulaanbaatar. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A monk walks past an abandoned Soviet-era hospital in Ulaanbaatar. After the crash Soviet Union Buddhism was revived in Mongolia. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A mother puts an IV on her son. During the Soviet era came to Mongolia modern medicine, due to which child mortality has decreased and life expectancy has increased. These factors caused population growth in the 20th century. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
Young people help their friend to the car. A 2006 study by the Mongolian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization found that 22% of Mongolian men suffer from alcoholism. Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
A woman does gymnastics on a hill overlooking Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia's capital is expanding rapidly thanks to rapid economic growth and the constant flow of immigrants from rural areas. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
For centuries, Mongolian tribes lived in the steppes and led a nomadic lifestyle. However, as a result of climate change, technical progress and urbanization there have been some changes. Many of the nomads moved to the city, some went to work in the mines. But even for those who remained true to traditions, life and everyday life are no longer the same as their ancestors had during the time of Genghis Khan and almost a millennium after. Nowadays, shepherds often have motorcycles instead of horses, and portable yurts have televisions, DVD players and mobile phones charged from solar panels.
American photojournalist Taylor Weidman, in his photo report “Nomads No More,” which is part of the “Endangering Cultures” project, showed the peculiarities of life and culture of modern Mongolia and the difficulties that its population has to face.
(Total 26 photos)
1. After a snowfall, a shepherd cleans the solar battery that powers the TV, lighting in the yurt, and mobile phone.
2. A shepherd’s family in a yurt.
3. Young riders and spectators at the Nadom race - a traditional Mongolian race, also called three men's games. These include Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery.
4. A goat drinks from a washing machine in the Gobi Desert.
5. A Mongolian woman feeds a lamb.
6. Village youths slaughter goats and sheep for sale to city residents.
7. Fight at the Nadom festival.
8. As a result of climate change, the soil has become less fertile.
9. A shepherd tries to gather his flock through a snow storm. Winters in Mongolia are becoming increasingly harsh, leading to fewer nomads.
10. The remains of animals that died during the winter cold in 2010.
11. After the Soviet coal mine closed in the city of Nalaikh, many small mines appeared. Nomadic families are hired to work in these mines.
12. Dangerous but profitable work for former nomads, who for the most part did not even finish school.
13. Illegal miners are looking for gold.
14. During cold weather, heating with coal makes Ulaanbaatar the second most polluted city in the world environment.
15. Residents of yurts sort garbage waste for delivery to recycling points.
16. More than 70% of the population of Ulaanbaatar lives in yurts, where there is no sewerage or running water.
17. The Mongolian government plans to build 100,000 new apartments for low-income families.
18. Mongolia is the youngest country in Asia.
19. More than a quarter of residents are under 14 years old.
20. Cars have become more affordable due to economic growth due to the development of the mining sector.
Published: August 4, 2014 at 01:11
This photo essay is part of a project by photographer Tylor Weidman called Vanishing Cultures. For thousands of years, the nomads of Mongolia, one of the greatest nomadic nations, lived on the steppes and herded livestock. Today, their usual way of life has been disrupted in many areas: this has been affected by climate change, development of the steppes and desertification. Many nomads exchanged the free steppes for cities. The younger generation is gradually losing touch with their cultural heritage.
1. After a snowfall, a shepherd cleans the solar battery that powers the TV, lighting in the yurt, and mobile phone. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
2. A shepherd’s family in a yurt with modern technology. Most nomadic families today use a portable solar panel to generate electricity. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
3. Young riders and spectators at the Naadom race, a traditional Mongolian race also called the “three men's games.” These include Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
4. A goat drinks from a washing machine in the Gobi Desert. The machine belongs to one of the nomadic families and is powered by a portable solar battery. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
5. A Mongolian woman feeds a lamb. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
6. Village youths slaughter goats and sheep to sell to city residents. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
7. Wrestling at the Naadom festival in a small village. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
8. Due to reduced precipitation and strong winds As a result of climate change, the soil became less fertile.
(Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
9. A shepherd makes his way through a snow storm to gather his flock. Over the past decades, winters in Mongolia have become increasingly harsh, leading to a reduction in the number of nomads. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
10. The remains of animals that died during the winter cold in 2010. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
11. After the closure of a large Soviet coal mine in the city of Nalaikh, 35 km from Ulaanbaatar, many small mines appeared. Many nomadic families are hired to work in these mines. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
12. Dangerous, but nevertheless profitable work for former nomads, who for the most part did not even finish school. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
13. Illegal miners are looking for gold. After harsh winters, many nomads began to look for new way earnings, including from gold mining in mines. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
14. Yurts for temporary shelter of nomads on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. During cold weather, heating with coal makes Ulaanbaatar the second most polluted city in the world. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
15. Residents of yurts sort garbage waste for delivery to recycling points. Unemployment among nomads reaches almost 16%. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
16. A boy carries water to the yurt. More than 70% of the population of Ulaanbaatar lives in yurts, where there is no sewerage or running water. Such settlements have high levels of unemployment, alcoholism and crime. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
17. View of the construction site in Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolian government plans to build 100,000 new apartments for low-income families. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
18. Slide in the children's park. More than a quarter of residents are under 14 years of age, making Mongolia the youngest country in Asia. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
19. A girl in a children's park in Ulaanbaatar. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
20. A woman drives a car in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Cars have become more affordable due to economic growth due to the development of the mining sector. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
21. Streets of Ulaanbaatar after rain. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
22. The most prominent building in the center of Ulaanbaatar. The architecture in the capital combines gray Soviet buildings and new office buildings and towers. Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
23. The stock exchange in Mongolia is growing rapidly. Back in 2006, it was the smallest exchange in the world; it now includes more than 300 companies with a total value of US$2.3 billion. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
24. 24-hour kiosk in Ulaanbaatar. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
25. A monk against the backdrop of an abandoned Soviet hospital in Ulaanbaatar. After the collapse of the USSR, Buddhism revived again in the country. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
26. Mom takes care of her son. Modern medical care appeared in Mongolia only in Soviet era, which led to an increase in life expectancy and a reduction in infant mortality. Against this backdrop, the first half of the 20th century saw population growth. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
27. Teenagers help their drunk friend get to the car. According to WHO data from 2006, 22% of men in Mongolia suffer from alcoholism - this is 3 times more than the European average. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
28. View of the capital Ulaanbaatar from a hill on the outskirts of the city. (Taylor Weidman/The Vanishing Cultures Project)
As part of the Vanishing Cultures Project, photographer Taylor Weidman turned his attention to Mongolia and its vanishing nomadic culture. There are still people here who lead a nomadic lifestyle similar to the times of Genghis Khan, but now their existence has changed. On the one hand, they are weighed down by the “burden” of high technology and the modern world, on the other hand, by climatic disturbances and the expansion of deserts. Most nomads do not even have a basic education, which forces them to work in mines or other low-paid and difficult jobs in the event of forced settlement. It is likely that the process of change in Mongolian society will drag on for a long time. A Mongolian shepherd goes out to pick up his animals from the pasture during a heavy snowstorm. Over the past ten years, Mongolia has experienced an unusually large number of juts - mass deaths of livestock caused by icing of pastures. 
A nomadic family inside their portable home - a yurt. Such families have televisions, DVD players, mobile phones; Solar panels are used for power supply. 
A Mongolian nomad cleans solar panels after a snowfall. 
A woman feeds a lamb milk in a soy sauce bottle. 
Shepherd on a motorcycle. The nomadic Mongols very quickly absorbed all the possibilities of high technology. 
Wrestlers in a fight during the Nadom sports festival. Since ancient times, this event was held in honor of new great conquests, but now it is simply competitions in Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. 
Spectators and participants of the Nadom festival. 
A thirsty goat drinks water from a washing machine in the Gobi Desert. Along with herding, local families work in the mines to provide additional income for solar panels, washing machines, etc. 
Topsoil erosion and expansion of the Gobi Desert due to climate change in the region. 
Animal bones in Teshig soum, damaged by jutes. The winter of 2012 killed about 30% of the local herds. 
After the closure of the large Soviet coal mine in Nalaikha, the city was engulfed in small coal mining "holes". Families who were forced to give up their nomadic life work here. 
Illegal miners are looking for gold. 
The nomadic areas surrounding Ulaanbaatar. In winter, Mongolia's capital is one of the most polluted in the world due to coal burning. 
Residents of the “nomadic areas” of Ulaanbaatar collect garbage for recycling. Among them there is a very high percentage of unemployed due to lack of education. 
A Mongolian boy carries bottles of water home. 
A slide in the Ulaanbaatar amusement park for children. More than a quarter of the country's population is under 14 years of age, making Mongolia one of the youngest countries in the world. 
A girl watches families riding on an attraction. 
Until recently, cars in Mongolia were quite rare. Now there are a dime a dozen of them here. 
Residential areas of Ulaanbaatar after rain. 
One of the most beautiful buildings in Mongolia is the Blue Sky Tower. 
The Mongolian stock exchange has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years. Back in 2006, it was the smallest in the world. Now over 300 companies with a total capitalization of $2.3 billion are registered here. 
A small Ulaanbaatar store. 
A Buddhist monk walks past an abandoned Soviet hospital in Ulaanbaatar. Buddhism again became one of the aspects of the national self-identification of the Mongols after the disappearance of the influence of the USSR. 
The guys are leading their drunken comrade. According to reports from the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, in 2006, about 22% of the country's population was dependent on alcohol, which is three times the European average. 
A woman does a warm-up on a hill overlooking new areas of Ulaanbaatar. The capital of the country is growing very quickly due to the economic boom. Mongolia boasts the fastest growing economy in the world as of 2011.
