몽골 고원의 유목 전통과 현실 -유목민, 가축, 목영지를 중심으로- = The Tradition and Present Situation of Pastoral Nomadism in the Mongolian Plateau -With special reference to nomads, their Livestock, and pasture Land-

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper introduces the tradition of pastoral nomadism in the Mongolian plateau which began during the Mesolithic period (15,000∼ 7,000 years ago), and which still has influence on the behavior, life style, emotions, and social structure of the Mongols. For this aim, Section 1 (Tradition of pastoral nomadism in Mongolian plateau) tries to make readers understand that nomadism does not mean endless wanderings but rather seasonal movement within the nomad`s native land, nutag, basically four times a year. In Section 2 (Three major factors of pastoral nomadism in the Mongolian plateau), three basic factors of Mongolian nomadism are discussed: nomads, five sorts of livestock, and the pasture land. As for the nomads, their knowledge, experience, attachment, and concerns regarding their livestock and pasture land are described together with their felt tent home and basic organization of nomadic life, that is ger and hotail. As for the five sorts of livestock (sheep, goat, horse, cattle, camel), the number for each type are cited from recent government statistics, and the variability and vulnerability of the animals are explained. The meaning or physical-emotional span of nutag, the native land of the nomads, is also described in Section 2. Section 3 (Situation of pastoral nomadism: threats to pastoral noma- dism) examines the present situation of pastoral nomadism in the Mon- golian plateau, more specifically the major threats to nomadism itself and to nomadic society. The division of the area by Russia, Mongolia, and China, and the migration of Russian and Chinese populations into the plateau is mentioned as the political situation which caused the major unfavorable changes to nomadism. Social-economic aggravation towards nomadism is pointed out as the unfavorable factor which forces the nomads to degenerate into the urban poor. Environmental destruction including the desertification of pasture land is introduced together with the opinions of the Mongolian experts who blame human greed and negligence. In Section 4 (Summary: Conclusion, prospect), the above discussion is summarized into 10 points to assist scholars who are not Mongol specialists, and a rather brief and pessimistic prospect is presented for the future of Mongolian pastoral nomadism.