open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/94488

Human and Non-human Relationships through Sound : Songs and calls to livestock in Kholat Village, Dundgobi Province, Mongolia

日本語

マルチスピーシーズ人類学

2025-03-25

Center for Northern Humanities, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, Hokkaido University

Journal of the Center for Northern Humanities

18

159-176

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate how humans and animals build emotional and trusting relationships through sound and song in Mongoliaʼs nomadic society, and to gain a new perspective on the culture of living with livestock. Spring in Mongolia, especially in the Gobi region, brings severe climatic changes such as strong winds and sandstorms. This time of year (March-May) is also the birthing season for livestock, and is a season of many difficulties for both pastoralists and their livestock. This is because it is during this period that mothers and their offspring often die due to disease or dystocia, newborn livestock often become orphans, and female livestock often reject their own offspring. In such cases, pastoralists sometimes use species-specific calls and songs to restore the mother-infant relationship in order to strengthen the bond between mother and calf and to encourage lactation. This paper discusses the case of singing songs to camels and sheep in Kholat Village, Dondgobi Province, Mongolia, and depicts how the mother-child relationship and adoption is actually established through singing. It also discussed how these songs for livestock are related to cultural and spiritual traditions and shamanism in Mongolian pastoral societies. In addition, we have incorporated recent anthropological perspectives, particularly those of multispecies anthropology, to suggest that sound and song play an important role in creating an emotional connection between humans and animals.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1882-773X

AA12313676