Silence is the protagonist of the boundless spaces that cross the horizon, an enveloping presence that forces one to look within and confront the reasons for a nature that prevails solemnly. The nomadic peoples of Mongolia live in perfect harmony with the earth and nature, far from the idea of domination and alteration, but aware that only balance and respect allow life and prosperity.
The shamanism of the distant past has left its profound legacy on this people, with a reserved, resigned and yet stubborn character, rich in a spirituality that manifests itself in forms and rituals handed down for centuries. A personality similar to the steppes remained unaltered over time, harsh and fascinating.
There are two essential elements of a family: the Gher, a transportable house with which to move according to the course of the seasons, and the cattle that provides all that is necessary. And it is the horse the most loved animal, the one who allows to face the steppes, to cross the vast territory, as when centuries ago the Mongol warriors following Genghis Khan succeeded in creating their vast empire.
In the hard life of these environments, work is never lacking to guarantee the subsistence of the family and women have roles of great responsibility. Those who choose these territories can not do without their deepest traditions, to perpetuate the value of the family and ancestors, despite the current attractions of work in the city. And we return to the almost metaphysical idea of the territory lived with spirituality, symbolized by a horse that runs towards the infinite and expresses in a word the integral and proud soul of the Mongolian nomads: freedom.
Michele Martinelli – documentary photographer focused mainly on anthropological and environmental issues.
