Family Life in a Ger

Gers (yurts) are said to be the most energy efficient structures. They are sturdy and cozy homes. The walls that look like an expandable child safety gate are made of strong thin wood jointed with bits of leather. The center supports, roof wheel, and spokes that run from the center wheel to the walls are made of a different wood, thicker, and painted or carved with beautiful designs. There is a layer of felt, dense enough to repel water and thick enough to insulate in winter. A heavy canvas covers the felt to help protect it and to handle the strong winds that sweep across the plains. The whole ger is secured with two strong braided ropes made of horsetail hair, that runs from the door frame around the ger about a foot from the top and 16 inches from the bottom. Fabric and heavy blankets are hung on the inside to add a little more insulation and to hide the checkerboard slats.
A lightweight wood stove sits in the center of the ger, with beds and other furniture lining the edges. In the center of the roof is the roof wheel which is half covered, and the other half has the stove pipe exit and a moveable flap that can be wrapped around or left open for ventilation. When it is very hot, the bottom of the canvas outside can be rolled up to allow air in from the bottom of the ger. The shape causes the air to vent right out the roof opening. When it is cold, the stove easily heats the small round space with just a small amount of wood or dung.
Two of the brothers of the grandfather came to visit for an extended time. One of them had a ger in storage in Kharkhorin and the family spent a day getting it ready for him. The ger has many parts to it, but the whole thing fit in the back of a pick up truck. It took several hours to wash all the individual pieces of it, as where it was stored was underground and it was filthy. Then a wooden platform was fetched from somewhere else, and the ger went up in about 2 hours. The uncle’s ger is quite grand, with elaborate carved designs carved into the ceiling spokes, wheel, and door. Next time I'm able to upload photos, there will be a slide show of the ger going up to watch. Technical problems are stopping me now.
Inside the ger, the beds double as seating for family and guests. Every day all the bedding is put away into cabinets or rolled and placed in special covers that turn the bedding into pillows for the daytime couches. Almost everything in the ger has multiple uses. Throughout the day a bucket will be used to fetch water, used as a milking pail, and as a sink for washing up. The cheese cloth rags can be used to strain milk or water, wipe up tables, and dry clean dishes. The stove always has some kind of dairy product going on it, or a meal, or water to be used for cleaning or bathing.
Guests drop in anytime, and just walk right in and seat themselves to the left. Hospitality demands that they are offered a little food (a plate of sweet breads and dried cheese is kept ready for this purpose). If there is milk tea available, that is even better. If it is an older person visiting, airag (fermented mare’s milk) is offered. Children are given candy. Often very little is said. When the guest wants to go, they just get up and walk out without any formality or parting words. As I’m not quite set up for all that in my ger, I keep a small bowl of candy to give any visitors that come into my ger. The gesture is more important than what is offered. When friends visit, there are more pleasantries exchanged, and more conversation, and better food and drink come out. Snuff bottles are exchanged, gifts are given and received, and usually vodka or airag is shared.
At bedtime, the bedding comes out, people pile into the beds or onto felt pads on the floor. In the ger next to mine, usually there are 6-9 people sleeping on 3 twin size beds (and the floor) and in my ger, one or two teenage girls share my double size bed. Some of them change into nightclothes, some strip down to their skivvies. One of them kicks and throws ineffective punches in her sleep. I have gotten good at ducking and covering my face coming out of a hard sleep. It’s just like sleeping with sisters.
I got used to some very hard beds traveling across Asia, but after three weeks on a bed of boards I admit I need a little more padding. I hope to find something I can use when I am next in town. The combination of hard physical jobs like chopping wood or wrestling animals doesn’t combine well with a board bed. And my dad was quick to remind me that I am nearing 40, so can’t just sleep any old place anymore…speaking of which, it is time to sleep. Goodnight readers, until next time!