Western Mongolia - Mongolia - page 494

Darkhad This 20,000-member tribe can be found in the Darkhad valley in northern
Khövsgöl aimag. During the Qing era, they served as ecclesiastical serfs to the Bogd
Gegeens and were required to perform services such as pasturing animals. Darkhads are
known as powerful shamans but are also beloved for their great sense of humour. A pas-
time is to sing humorous songs about each other; ask politely and they may make one up
about you!
Dörvöd There are around 66,000 Dörvöds in western Mongolia. In the 17th century, a
group of Dörvöds split from the main clan and trekked west to settle in the Volga region of
Russia. Historically, the Dörvöd have sometimes clashed with Khalkh Mongols (during the
communist era some proposed ceding their territory to the Soviet Union). Yu Tsedenbal (r
1954-84) and J Batmönkh (r 1984-90) were both Dörvöd.
Khalkh The majority (about 86%) of Mongolians are Khalkh Mongolians. The origin of the
word Khalkh is a topic of great debate: some believe it means shield, while others suggest
it's derived from the Turkic word Halk, which means people.
Torguud About 7000 live in Khovd aimag. Originally from northern Xinjiang, a large group
of them moved to the Volga to become the core Kalmyks. Today most Torguuds in Mon-
golia live in Bulgan sum .
Tsaatan About 500 of these reindeer herders live in northern Khövsgöl.
Uriankhai (Tuvans) About 21,000 Uriankhai live in western Mongolia - you'll meet some
if you visit Tsengel Sum, near Altai Tavan Bogd National Park. The Uriankhai are
renowned for their throat-singing abilities. Today, most Uriankhai live in the Tuva Region
of Russia.
Uzemchin Most Uzemchin live in Inner Mongolia. In 1945, about 2000 of them migrated
to Outer Mongolia and they can still be found in some remote corners of Dornod aimag.
Uzemchin are well known for their elegant embroidered dels (traditional coat dresses).
During Naadam, Uzemchin wrestlers wear bad-ass leather jackets with brass studs.