Folk Medicine of Mongolian Peoples:  Drugs of Animal Origin in Beliefs and Practices

B. Z. Nanzatov; M. M. Sodnompilova

List of issues > «Geoarchaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology Series». 2016. Vol. 17

Folk Medicine of Mongolian Peoples: Drugs of Animal Origin in Beliefs and Practices

Full text (russian)

Author(s)

B. Z. Nanzatov, M. M. Sodnompilova

Abstract

The folk medicine of the Mongolian peoples is a generally understudied phenomenon, occasionally considered by scholars in the context of ethnographic, historical and sociological problems. Such aspect of folk medicine as healing methods and medicines is no exception. In this paper, the authors set the objective to present the most comprehensive survey of medicines of animal origin and healing methods used by Central Asian nomads. Analyzing the health of the indigenous population of Siberia and Central Asia, such as Yakuts, Evenks and Buryats scholars and travelers of the past (J. Georgi, M. Bogdanov, G. M. Osokin, V. L. Seroshevsky) arrive at a conclusion that the population of the region was generally healthy. The most typical diseases, such as fever, gastrointestinal diseases, ocular diseases (cataract), and rheumatism were mostly caused by the specific features of economic activity, specificities of everyday life and food ration. Geographical and climatic features of the region also contributed to preservation of good health of the local population. The conditions conducive to the preservation of good health are, undoubtedly, supplemented by the traditional nutrition complex of the Mongolian peoples. For instance, dairy food was widely used in the folk medicine. It also formed a considerable part of the Mongolian ration. Aarsa – a nutritious tasty milk beverage, a product of further distilling of arkhi, the milk alcohol, considered a highly useful medicine for gastrointestinal disorders and was believed to help strengthen the skeletal system of a man. Exceptional therapeutic qualities of mare’s milk were long known to Turks and Mongols since times immemorial. Since meat dishes were the kernel of the nomadic ration, medicines of animal origin occupied the central positions in folk medicine. It was, first of all, meat of the most valued and respected cattle – sheep and horses. Meat of practically all wild animals, birds, some reptiles and fishes considered medicinal. Besides meat blood, fat, hides, wool and horns of animals used in this or that way. Of special interest is such an effective ancient healing method as placing a patient into a raw animal hide, which used even nowadays. The efficiency of some healing methods of nomads confirmed by modern medical studies.

Keywords

folk medicine, Mongolian peoples, disease, complex food, medicines animals

UDC

392+613.4

References

Alekseev N. A. Traditsionnye religioznye verovaniya yakutov v XIX – nachale XX v. [Traditional religious beliefs of Yakuts in the 19th – Early 20th century]. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ., 1975, 188 p. (in Russ).

Arkhangelskii V. V. Okhota na polevuyu, stepnuyu, pustynnuyu i gornuyu dich [Hunting field, steppe, desert and mountain animals]. Moscow, Fizkultura i sport Publ., 1957, 53 p. (in Russ.)

Badashkeeva T. T. Arga khiikhu u mongolskikh narodov [Arga khiikhu of the Mongolian people’s]. Mongolovednye issledovaniya [Mongoloide Research]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 2000, Vol. 3, pp. 125–145. (in Russ.)

Badmaev A. A Relikty kulta medvedya v kulture buryat [Relics of the cult of the bear in the Buryat culture]. Medved v drevnikh i sovremennykh kulturakh Sibiri [Bear in ancient and modern cultues of Siberia]. Novosibirsk, IAET SB RAS Publ., 2000, pp. 68–72. (in Russ.)

Bazaron E. G. Ocherki tibetskoi meditsiny [Essays on Tibetian medicine]. Ulan-Ude, EkoArt Publ., 1991, 224 p. (in Russ.)

Bashkuev V. Yu. Problemy organizatsii mediko-sanitarnogo dela i traditsionnyi byt mongolov glazami sovetskogo vracha v Khenteiskom aimake MNR (1935–1938 gg.) [Problems of the organization of health Affairs and the traditional life of yhe Mongols through the eyes of a Soviet doctor in Khenteisk aimac in MPR (1935–1938)]. Transgranichnye migratsii v prostranstve mongolskogo mira: istoriia i sovremennost [Cross-border migration in space of the Mongol world: History and Modernity]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 2012, Vol. 2, pp. 63–73. (in Russ.)

Butanaev V. Ya. Medved po vozzreniiam khakasov [Bear in the conception of Khakas]. Medved v drevnikh i sovremennykh kulturakh Sibiri [Bear in ancient and modern cultures of Siberia]. Novosibirsk, IAET SB RAS Publ., 2000, pp. 65–68. (in Russ.)

Bold Sh. B. Mongolyn anagaakh ukhaany tüükh. Gutgaar bot (1206 onoos 1578 on khγrtel) [History of Mongolian medicine. The third tom (from 1206 until 1578)]. Ulaanbaatar, Admon Publ., 2013, Vol. II, 219 p. (in Mongol)

Drobyshev Yu. I., Gunin P. D., Bazha S. N. Rol buddizma kak reguliatora prirodopolzovaniia na raznykh etapakh sotsialno-ekonomicheskogo razvitiia Mongolii [The role of Buddhism as a regulator of environmental management at different stages of socio-economic development of Mongolia]. Buddiiskaia kultura: istoriia, istochnikovedenie, iazykoznanie i iskusstvo [Buddhist culture: History, Source Studies, Linguistic and Art]. Saint Petersburg, Peterburgskoe vostokovedenie Publ., 2008, pp. 121–136. (in Russ.)

Erdenebold L. Traditsionnye verovaniia oirat-mongolov (konets XIX – nachalo XX v.) [Traditional beliefs of Oirat-Mongols (late 19th – early 20th century)]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 2013, 194 p. (in Russ.)

Galdanova G. R. Zakamenskie buriaty. Istoriko-etnograficheskie ocherki (Vtoraya polovina XIX – pervaya polovina XX v.) [Zakamensk Buryat. Historical and ethnographic essaya (second half of 19th – first half of 20th century]. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ., 1992, 172 p. (in Russ.)

Gogolev A. I. Narodnaia meditsina [Traditional medicine]. Yakuty (Sakha) [Yakuts (Sakha)]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2012, pp. 265–275. (in Russ)

Khangalov M. N. Sobranie sochinenii [Works]. Ulan-Ude, Buryatskoe knizhnoe izdatelstvo Publ., 1958, Vol. 1, 552 p. (in Russ.)

Khundanov L. L., Khundanova L. L., Bazaron E. G. Slovo o tibetskoi meditsine [A word about Tibetian medicine]. Ulan-Ude, Buryatskoe knizhnoe izdatelstvo Publ., 1979, 112 p. (in Russ.)

Linkhovoin L. Lodon bagshyn debterkhhee. Materialy na buriatskom i russkom yazykakh [Lodon bagshyn debterkhnee. Materials on Buryat and Russian languages]. Ulan-Ude, Buriaad-mongol nom Publ., 2012, 382 p. (in Russ., in Buryat)

Medvezhya zhelch v meditsine [Bear bile in medicine]. URL: http://vseopecheni.ru/kak-lechit-pechen/medvezhja-zhelch-v-meditsine/ (date of access 03.02.2015)

Merdygeev R. S. Izdeliya iz shersti i volosa v Alarskom aimake [Wool and hair in Alar aimak]. Buryatievedenie [Research of Buryat]. Verkhneudinsk, 1928, Is. 1–3 (5–7), pp. 139–149. (in Russ.)

Murzaev E. M. Gody iskanii v Azii [Years of searching in Asia]. Moscow, Mysl Publ., 1973, 400 p. (in Russ.)

Myaso glukharya [Meat of grouse]. URL: findfood.ru/product/mjaso-gluharja (date of access 14.04.2015)

Nanzatov B. Z., Sodnompilova M. M. Lekarstvennye sredstva v torgovo-obmennykh operatsiyakh mezhdu Rossiei, Mongoliei i Kitaem v XVII–XIX v. [Medicines in trade exchange between Russia, Mongolia and China in the 18th–19th centuries]. Vestnik Buryatskogo nauchnogo centra SO RAN [The Bulletin of the Buryat scientific center of SB RAS]. 2014, Is. 4 (16), pp. 90–98. (in Russ.)

Natsov G.-D. Materialy po istorii i kulture buriat [Materials on the history and culture of the Buryats]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 1995, Vol. 1, 156 p. (in Russ.)

O lekarstvennom syrie zhivotnogo proiskhozhdeniya [About pharmaceutical raw materials of animal origin]. URL: http://www.nazdor.ru/topics/medicine/east/current/454546/ (date of access 02.10.2014)

Osokin G. M. Na granitse Mongolii. Ocherki i materialy k etnografii iugo-zapadnogo Zabaikalia [On the border of Mongolia. Essays and materials for the Ethnography of South-Western Transbaikalia]. Saint-Petersburg, Tipografiya A. S. Suvorina Publ., 1906, 304 p. (in Russ.)

Potapov A. P. Ocherki narodnogo byta tuvintsev [Essays on the traditional life of Tuvinians]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1969, 401 p. (in Russ.)

Potanin G. N. Erke. Kult Syna Neba v Severnoi Azii. Materialy turko-mongolskoi mifologii [Erke. The cult of the Son of Heaven in Northern Asia. The materials of the Turkic-Mongolian mythology]. Tomsk, 1916, 1040 p. (in Russ.)

Rassadin I. V. Khozyaistvo, byt i kultura tofalarov [Economy, life and culture of Tofalars]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 2005, 201 p. (in Russ.)

Sharaeva T. I. Subprodukty v miasnom ratsione u kalmykov: traditsii okhotnikov i skotovodov [Offal in the meat of the Kalmyk people: the traditions of hunters and breeders]. Problemy etnogeneza i etnicheskoi kultury tyurko-mongolskikh narodov [Problems of Ethnogenesis ans Ethnic culture of the Turkic-Mongolian peoples]. Elista, Kalmyk State University Publ., 2008, pp.164–171. (in Russ.)

Shubin A. S. Evenki Pribaikalia [Evenks of Cisbaikal]. Ulan-Ude, Belig Publ., 2001, 116 p. (in Russ.)

Sleptsov P. A. Traditsionnaia semia i obriadnost u yakutov (XIX – nachalo XX v.) [Traditional family and riitual of Yakuts (19th – early 20th centuries]. Yakutsk, Yakutskoe knizhnoe izdatelstvo Publ., 1989, 158 p. (in Russ.)

Sodnompilova M. M., Varnavskii P. K., Amogolonova D. D., Basharov I. P., Byuraeva Yu. G., Kuklina V. V., Nanzatov B. Z., Shaglanova O. A. Gorod i selo v postsovetskoi Buriatii: socialno-antropologicheskie ocherki [City and village in post-Sovetian Buryatia: a socio-anthropological essays]. Ulan-Ude, BSC SB RAS Publ., 2009, 220 p. (in Russ.)

Solomatina S. N. Kolybel v obriadakh i predstavleniiakh narodov Sayano-Altaya [The cradle in the rites and beliefs of the peoples of Sayano-Altai]. Etnicheskie kultury Sibiri. Problemy evoliutsii i kontaktov [The ethnic culture of Siberia. Problems of evolution and contacs]. Novosibirsk, 1986, pp. 147–155. (in Russ.)

Tyukhteneva S. P., Khalemba A., Sherstova L. I., Dobzhanskaya O. E. Altaitsy [Altaian]. Tiurkskie narody Sibiri [The Turkic peoples of Siberia]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2006, pp. 375–462. (in Russ.)

Tugolukov V. A., Turaev V. A., Spevakovskii B. A., Kocheshkov N. V. Istoriia i kultura evenov [History and culture of Evens]. Saint-Petersburg, Nauka Publ., 1997, 178 p. (in Russ.)

Zhambalova S. G. Traditsionnaya okhota buryat [Traditional hunting of Buryats]. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ, 1991, 173 p. (in Russ.)

Zhukovskaia N. L. Kategorii i simvolika traditsionnoi kultury mongolov [Categories and symbolism of traditional culture of the Mongols]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1988, 194 p. (in Russ.)

Zlobina T. Tselitelnaya sila Altaya [The healing power of Altai]. URL: http://www.litmir.info/br/?b=198679&p=1;(date of access 05.04.2015)