MMA Cadets Celebrate Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year

In February, MMA cadets from Mongolia celebrated Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year holiday.

Below, please read a description of the holiday from Cadet Temuulen Manlai, a high school senior from Ulaanbaatar.

“February 21 is called the Tsagaan Sar, and the direct translation means the ‘White Moon.’ It is one of the biggest holidays we have in Mongolia, and everyone celebrates it with their family and close ones. It is a 4-day long holiday.

On the first day we celebrate with just our family (mother, father, siblings) and eat till our stomachs burst — hence the name bituureh, which means to fill your stomach full.

During the next days you will go visit your family like grandparents, uncles, and aunts house to pay respect and celebrate. We eat tons of food and celebrate the new year with our loved ones.

There are many traditional items and clothes that are important. For example, we wear deel, a Mongolian tradition clothes. We also have a huurug which is like snuff and it is tradition to trade when greeting people. On top of that, the food is key in the celebration. You will see buuz, niislel salad, suutei tsai, and honinii uuts. It is the most basic, but delicious food you will eat when partaking in Tsagaan Sar.”

The following cadets enjoyed a trip with MMA staff to HuHot — a restaurant that features a create-your-own stir-fry concept offering a wide variety of meats, seafood, noodles, fresh veggies, and signature sauces — to observe the holiday: Cadets Bataa Batkhuu, Bataa Batbileg, Turmunkh Khuslen, Bayasgalan Tsengeg and Temuulen Manlai.