Analyzing the performative aspects of Mongolian wedding rituals

Abstract

This article explores Üzemchin Mongol wedding rituals through the perspective of Performance Theory. It draws on Richard Bauman’s idea of Verbal Art as Performance. It treats ritual not as a fixed rule but as a social act that people bring to life through performance. The discussion focuses on two key practices: Ekhiin Tsagaan Süü Khariulakh Yos (“Repaying the Mother’s White Milk”) and Üüd Darakh Yos (the door-barring rite). Ekhinn Tsagaan Süü Khariulakh Yos carries deep emotion. It expresses a child’s gratitude for a mother’s care. A poet recites a blessing in rhythmic, expressive verse. The blessing functions as both moral guidance and cultural education within the community. The door-barring ceremony opens the wedding. It sets two family spokesmen in a ritualized verbal duel. Their exchange becomes a form of oral artistry and a display of ceremonial verbal duel. By examining these practices, the study shows how Üzemchin weddings function as active performances. They blend verbal art, social interaction, and tradition. This perspective offers a fresh way to understand Mongolian ethnographic materials and the living nature of local customs.