If Only I Could Hibernate: Uncovering the Socio-Economic Realities in Contemporary Mongolian Society3/10/2024 By Yesui Batgerel Often associated with poverty and social inequality, the term “ger district” or “yurt district” comes from the informal settlement of immigrant pastoral nomadic families in urban areas in Mongolia. These districts are the inevitable result of challenges and hardships faced in the countryside, where climate change has threatened the survival of pastoral nomads. In the capital city Ulan Bator, the traditional nomadic spirit finds a modern-day expression in the form of bustling ger districts, which are characterized by desperation and poor living conditions. According to a 2020 survey by the Asian Development Bank, at present approximately 62% percent of Ulan Bator’s total population resides in ger districts. In the shadows of towering skyscrapers, the ger districts are usually overlooked and marginalized by Mongolian society at large. A new Mongolian film, If Only I Could Hibernate, provides a sense of these struggles amidst a background of socio-economic challenges. Through its powerful narrative and imagery, the film offers a compelling exploration modern-day Mongolian society. The official movie poster, which shows an image of the ger districts of Ulan Bator, the setting of the film
Ulziibat wishes to participate in the national physics olympiad. However, fails to do so due to his family’s financial struggles and social exclusion
Ulziibat is preparing for the physics olympiad inside his yurt, wearing a blanket over him. His younger siblings are sleeping in the background.
The specter of social exclusion is large in their lives: the middle sibling’s longing gaze at a pair of shoes in a department store (unattainable dreams caused by economic hardship), Ulziibat’s quiet request for a “food stamp” when buying groceries (a discount given to households living in poverty), or the stealing of cardboard boxes outside a supermarket to use for fuel to burn in their yurts (since they cannot afford coal). Yet amidst the desperation, ethical questions arise. Illegal logging and petty theft offer temporary solutions to their desperate circumstances. Is survival a justification for such acts? To what extent are the actions of those driven to desperate measures by the harsh realities of poverty unethical? These are just some of the questions raised as the film proceeds scene by scene. Ulziibat gets caught by his physics teacher while illegally logging in order find money for medicine for his younger sibling who’s sick in the movie
In the end, however, the film presents a story not of defeat but of resilience: offering real, in depth, and valuable insights into the realities of present-day Mongolian society. The issues depicted in the film aren’t new; they’ve always been there but they have been overlooked and marginalized. Rather than just talking about them the film chooses to critique and to portray them vividly, providing a complex perspective and a long-lasting emotional impact on all audiences. a
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
|