By — Talea Miller Talea Miller Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/asia-july-dec10-mongolia_09-21 Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Mongolia’s Nomads Face Changing Culture Arts Sep 21, 2010 1:10 PM EDT Mongolian economic history is rooted in agriculture and livestock herding. The country’s nomads raise and herd livestock and usually move approximately every three months in order to adapt to often unforgiving weather. Even the global credit crunch has impacted Mongolia’s nomad population. A 2009 Wall Street Journal story explored how a drop in demand for cashmere among recession-hit shoppers caused financial woes for some farmers, including loan defaults. Getty photographer Aletheia Casey recently documented Mongolian nomadic life and the cultural pressures that are changing some of those traditions. Hear more from Casey in the slide show above. Getty photographer Aletheia Casey describes her recent experiences documenting Mongolian nomadic life. Seasonal floodingA young boy wheels his bike through heavy flood waters near Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images MotorbikesMen repair their motorbike near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images. Nadaam festivalA man warms up for the yearly Nadaam festival, which highlights athletics and horse riding. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Watching the skyA man watches the weather after feeding his livestock. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images HeardingA nomadic family’s plot of land. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Nomadic homeA family’s Ger, which is a portable tent-like home, near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Taking a restA nomadic man rests after grazing his family’s sheep and cows. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images PlaygroundA concrete playground near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Nomadic lifestyleA man poses in front of his home near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images FarmingA family milks their cows at dusk. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Fueling upA family make a fuel stop on the way to their family’s Ger. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images LaundryBoots dry on top of a family’s Ger. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Dinner timeA family cooks their meal on an outdoor stove. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Cold weatherA nomadic girl takes a break from milking the family’s cows. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images By — Talea Miller Talea Miller
Mongolian economic history is rooted in agriculture and livestock herding. The country’s nomads raise and herd livestock and usually move approximately every three months in order to adapt to often unforgiving weather. Even the global credit crunch has impacted Mongolia’s nomad population. A 2009 Wall Street Journal story explored how a drop in demand for cashmere among recession-hit shoppers caused financial woes for some farmers, including loan defaults. Getty photographer Aletheia Casey recently documented Mongolian nomadic life and the cultural pressures that are changing some of those traditions. Hear more from Casey in the slide show above. Getty photographer Aletheia Casey describes her recent experiences documenting Mongolian nomadic life. Seasonal floodingA young boy wheels his bike through heavy flood waters near Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images MotorbikesMen repair their motorbike near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images. Nadaam festivalA man warms up for the yearly Nadaam festival, which highlights athletics and horse riding. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Watching the skyA man watches the weather after feeding his livestock. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images HeardingA nomadic family’s plot of land. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Nomadic homeA family’s Ger, which is a portable tent-like home, near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Taking a restA nomadic man rests after grazing his family’s sheep and cows. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images PlaygroundA concrete playground near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Nomadic lifestyleA man poses in front of his home near Ulaanbaatar. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images FarmingA family milks their cows at dusk. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Fueling upA family make a fuel stop on the way to their family’s Ger. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images LaundryBoots dry on top of a family’s Ger. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Dinner timeA family cooks their meal on an outdoor stove. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images Cold weatherA nomadic girl takes a break from milking the family’s cows. Photo by Aletheia Casey/Getty Images