Mongol traveler Amai

by Erdene

Hello and a warm welcome to my world of lonely
traveler.

My name is Jambalsuren ZOLBAYAR, but I prefer to use
Amaï , my artist name.

I am from Mongolia, a country where the last nomad
people on this planet are living in an endless,
unspoiled environment. Our civilization is based on
nomadic values and traditions founded on love and the
protection of Nature. We believe we have to keep
Natures secrets from generation to generation.

As I mentioned above, I am an artist; a musician, more
precisely.

On my journey I am following the ancient Mongolian
tradition of BADARCHIN.

This is an old Mongol tradition coming from the nomads.
At that time, young highly skilled men, provided with
the best education, were going for a long journey after
they had grown up with rich maturity, to improve their
knowledge and search for answers.

Sort of messengers, explorers, ambassadors, and
journalists of the ancient times, BADARCHINS used to
explore, understand and learn about the lands and
countries they crossed. They spread news and
information from all parts of the world and brought
back knowledge to their people.

Because of this, BADARCHIN have always been very
well-respected by Mongols who used to offer them great
hospitality and honors. Marco Polo was one the few
foreign travelers accepted as a BADARCHIN by Mongols
and one of the most respected in history.

This tradition had been abandoned in practice through
the times, but is still vivid in peoples mind as a

great Mongol culture heritage.

So, in order to follow this tradition, which I have
embraced as a vocation, I left Mongolia at the age 25,
on November 4, 2005, to travel around the world, pass
all 6 continents (Asia, Europe, Africa, America,
Antarctica, Australia), and visit at least 150
countries.

During the past centuries my country has experienced
long periods of blockades from the Manjur occupation to
the communist regime of USSR. This has made it very
difficult for Mongols to explore other cultures and
civilizations, and just as difficult for foreigners to
visit Mongolia.

Until around 1990, Mongols lost contact with the
outside world.

And the outside world lost contact with us.

Therefore, as a BADARCHIN, the purpose of my
world-travel is not only to educate myself, but also to
educate the rest of the world about the proud history,
nomad culture and mystical traditions of Mongolia. My
purpose is also to educate Mongols who are not able to
go and explore the outside world, telling them from a
Mongol point of view about all of the worlds
traditions, cultures and beautiful places.

Thus, I wish to be a bridge that opens Mongolia to the
rest of the world.

Because we, Mongols, want to be open to others. While,
at the same time we need others to understand and
respect our culture and traditions in order to preserve
our way of living for upcoming generations. - created at http://animoto.com