He points to his daughters. The youngest is just two years
old, but she already knows how to slide her forefinger along
the screen of a smartphone with surprising dexterity. The
oldest, aged seven, is glued to a TV series and longs to get
back to the closest city, Zaamar, after the school holidays are
over. “I want to go to the school with other kids. Staying here
is boring,” she laments. “It’s also hard,” her father adds.
The family owns 30 horses, a dozen cows, and a herd of
500 cattle – just enough to get by. “We are always worried
about the winter. A very cold season could kill many of our
sheep and make it difficult for us to survive,” Damb says.
The family have changed locations four times in search
of better pastures, which proves problematic for the kids’
education. “Right now, they go to school and live in Zaamar
city during term-time. So we just meet during their holidays,”
their mother explains. They are celebrating the lunar new year,
and some friends have come to visit.
“My dream is to become a mechanic and buy an
apartment in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, where I can have more
freedom and find a girl who suits me, and not the one my
parents want me to marry,” Shuukhaz says with a grin.
Still, Damb won’t give up. “We were born on the steppe
and we love to be in contact with Nature. I’m an avid horse
rider and I wouldn’t fit in the city. But I know my daughters
won’t follow our steps. We will grow old alone,” he says,
unable to conceal his sadness.“We are always worried about
winter. A very cold season could
kill many of our sheep and make
it difficult for us to survive”
abOve Damb Batnasan
tries to calm his horse
before riding the
grassland roads to the
nearest village
right While eager to
find a better education
for their children, many
nomads are not prepared
for the drastic change in
lifestyle in Ulaanbaatarheritage