Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sacred groves'

The thesis starts with the study of a Miao village in China, which is known as the center of the Miao culture. In Miao settlement landscape history, there is one feature that can be found in many cultures. The Fengshui Lin, also known as the Sacred Grove, protects the village. The ancient songs and tales of Miao show that the Fengshui Lin can be seen as the spirits of the ancestors (Wang, X. 2015). Since ancient times, Miao people have a tradition of respect for nature, and Fengshui Lin is the most important landscape element for them. It is not only part of the natural flexible border, but also associated with many social activities. Sacred groves are created and evolved through human acts and the long span of human history (Jackson J. B. 1980). They play an important role in many different cultures around the world. Sacred groves may reflect the culture of society as settings for specific functions, or serve as objects of worship for people to purify their souls and refresh their spirits. In burial grounds, there also are sacred groves which could be a place for praying and commemorating. Since sacred groves are seen as spirits of life, it is necessary to think about the relationship between sacred groves and burial grounds. The thesis focuses on the issue of what is sacred? How to make a grove sacred or create a sacred grove in burial grounds? What kind of scenario for the design? With the inspiration of the Fengshui Lin in Miao village, the project aims to create a sacred space with trees for people who lost their family or friends in local communities. My thesis addressed these questions through a design project for sacred groves in the local parks of Arlington, Virginia. With design criteria derived from case studies and literature review, my goal is to create neighborhood cemeteries in the local parks to bring people closer to life as well as death and to let people get the experience of mortality.
Master of Landscape Architecture
In many ancient societies, sacred groves were an essential aspect of life. In some cases, these groves encompass a large territory; in other cases they may be a few trees. These groves originated in the time following the introduction of agriculture. When societies evolving, sacred groves became not a piece of nature, but an institution that depending on custom, agriculture, and even the cycles of life. Sacred groves are a legacy for everyone. These sacred groves may reflect the culture of society, they are not merely symbols but dynamic and complex landscapes created as settings for specific functions. These sacred groves serve not only as totems of worship, but as moments or places where people purify their souls. Sacred groves surrounding or covering burial grounds have existed widely throughout the world (Tuan, Y. 1977). In many burial sites, sacred groves dominate the landscape. They serve the spiritual needs of the living as well as keep alive memories of the dead. This thesis will discuss the method to make a grove sacred and develop a landscape to provide an opportunity for people to get a sense of their life and culture. The concept is to reinstate the connection between burial grounds and neighborhoods by creating neighborhood cemeteries in the local parks of Arlington, Virginia. Through thoughtful site selection and design, sacred groves can hold precious information about the history of communities for generations.

In the matrix of land uses beyond protected areas, people protect nature in a myriad of ways, and have, in some cases, for millennia. With the growth of global databases of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCAs) and registries of sacred natural sites, opportunities are emerging for conservationists to engage custodians of sacred forests beyond protected areas. As conservation expands beyond protected areas, successful engagement emerges from unities in the perspectives of conservationists and custodians of sacred forests. This thesis aims to identify unities for conservationists' engagement with custodians of sacred forests on a landscape scale. The thesis geolocates sacred forests and assesses the implications for conservation in four diverse landscapes in the Gambia, Ethiopia, Malaysia and Japan. The scale of inquiry varies across the papers, from the sub-district level to a national scale. This research indicates that while sacred forests may be overlooked by conservationists due to their small size and autonomous management, when they are considered in concert on a landscape scale, opportunities for conservation engagement become apparent. This thesis demonstrates that sacred forests can be prevalent in diverse landscapes, persist over time, and provide ecosystem services due to their spatial distribution.

It is a universal goal of mankind to seek or to create sacred spaces. What is a sacred space, and what are the qualities which describe that space? For thousands of years, the grove has possessed qualities which have made its space sacred. What defines a grove and the space it makes and how does this form relate to us today? In September 2002 Congress passed legislation for the establishment of Living Memorials to honor and commemorate the losses of September 11th, 2001. Through a program developed by the United States Forest Service and American Forests, these Living Memorials are taking the form of memorial groves. Washington, D.C. chose Kingman Island, located in the Anacostia River, as the location for their 9/11 Memorial Grove. Using the Kingman Island site, this thesis investigates the qualities of sacred space, and the qualities of the grove, to discover how a contemporary grove can create a sacred space that reflects the traditions of the Living Memorial, and honors the losses of September 11th.
Master of Landscape Architecture

Cette thèse intitulée Histoire du peuplement Ambaama et étude des savoirs locaux de gestion de l’environnement (fin XVIIIe-milieu XXe siècle) ambitionne de réaliser une étude historique des savoirs locaux initiés pour administrer l’environnement dans la société ambaama. Elle étudie le contexte dans lequel ces savoirs ont été produits et insérés dans les modes d’organisation et de fonctionnement de cette société. Tout d’abord, elle vise surtout à montrer en quoi ces savoirs jouent un rôle décisif dans la protection de l’environnement et des ressources naturelles. Ensuite, elle envisage d’étudier les dynamiques socio-culturelles qui rendent valides ces savoirs. Dans cette perspective, nous voulons mettre en évidence de potentiels changements intervenus au moment où les Européens nouent des contacts avec les Ambaama. Enfin, nous voulons voir comment les Ambaama ont-ils réagi face à l’instauration du système réglementaire colonial, ce, dans le but maintenir l’équilibre de leur organisation sociale. Autrement dit, nous voulons montrer comment les nouvelles politiques coloniales, en matière de gestion et protection des ressources forestières, se sont imposées, tout en détricotant systèmes endogènes. Cette recherche se situe à la croisée de l’histoire culturelle, l’environnementale, des techniques, des idées voire de l’anthropologie, particulièrement religieuse. La recherche entreprise s’appuie sur deux types de sources complémentaires. D’une part, les sources écrites européennes, comprenant les récits de voyageurs du XIXe siècle et les documents d’archives. D’autre part, des sources orales recueillies pendant nos enquêtes de terrain réalisées au Gabon, en particulier dans la région du haut-Ogooué et dans quelques villages situés sur l’axe routier Makokou-Okondja
This thesis entitled « Story of the Ambaama settlement and study of local knowledge of environnemental management » aims to carry out a historical study of local knowledge to manage the environment in Ambaama community. It studies the context in which this knowledge was produced and put into the modes of organisation and functioning of that society. First of all, it aims above all to show how this knowledge plays an important role in the protection of the environment and natural resources. Then, it plans to study the socio-cultural dynamics that make this knowledge valid. In this way, we want to highlight the potential changes that have occurred when Europeans established contacts with the Ambaama. Next, we are going to see how the Ambaama reacted to the establishment of the colonial regulatory system in order to maintain the balance of their social organisation. In other words, we want to show the new colonial policies, in terms of management and protection of forest resources were imposed, with unraveling endogenous systems. This study is located at the crossroads of cultural and environmental history, techniques, ideas and even anthropology, particularly religious. Our thesis is based on two types of complementary sources. On the one band, we have European written sources including travelers' accounts from the 19th century and archival documents. On the other hand, there are oral sources collected during our surveys carried out in Gabon (in Haut-Ogooue and in some villages located between Makokou and Okondja)

The main theme of magistra’s work is ,,Charle’s Fransua L’Homond ,,Epitome Historiae Sacrae”: lexical peculiarities of translatings by S. Daukantas and S. Stanevičius. The main aim of this work is to make S.Daukantas Lithuanian – Latin index by translating of ,,Epitome Historiae Sacrae”. Problems of this work are: 1) determine field of this work, object, review work’s of other authors about ,,Epitome Historiae Sacrae”; 2) discuss main language peculiarities of ,,Žodrodys”; 3) index of S. Daukantas comparite with Lithuanian – Lowlander index of S. Stanevičius. There are literature’s review, analysis, comparative, syntesis methods in this work. It contains of introductory remarks, where are given linguistic works of S.Daukantas, authors, who wrote about ,,Žodrodys” (J.Kruopas, G.Subačius and other researchers) and the main part ,,Discussion of ,,Žodrodys”. It contains of three chapters, deduction, summary, literature list and few additions. In the first chapter of this work there are talking about S.Daukantas’ ,,Žodrodys” dialect peculiarities and spelling. Also review systems of vowels, digraphs and diphtongs, consonants. There also are talking about dialects morphology of S.Daukantas. The second chapter – lexics review of S. Daukantas’ ,,Žodrodys”. There are discussed themical groups of dictionary, lexics by origin of words. In the third chapter S. Daukantas’ ,,Epitome historiae sacrae” lexic is comparied with S. Stanevičius’ ,,Historyia... [to full text]

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Uma proposta de formação teológico-musical das juventudes, a partir do contexto de um grupo de louvor. Averigua de que forma se dá esta formação e como pode ser trabalhada com intencionalidade. No primeiro capítulo, são contextualizadas as três grandezas constituintes da pesquisa: as juventudes, a música sacra contemporânea e a educação cristã em contexto evangélico-luterano. No segundo capítulo, aborda os diferentes paradigmas que sustentaram a música sacra em contexto evangélicoluterano, as correntes da música sacra atual e, a partir do contexto contemporâneo, o fenômeno gospel. O terceiro capítulo trabalha com as narrativas de vida de seis jovens, que participam de um grupo de louvor e adoração. A partir dessas narrativas, emergem quatro categorias para a análise: formação de vínculos, protagonismo e tutela, compreensão de papéis e funções e a aprendizagem no e a partir do grupo. O quarto capítulo esboça um diálogo entre a prática no grupo de louvor, o Plano de Educação Cristã Contínua da Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil e a teoria sócio-interacionista proposta por Vygotsky. O quinto capítulo faz uma proposta de formação teológico-musical que pode servir de subsídio para o trabalho com jovens em contexto comunitário, a partir de reflexões e de práticas
A proposal for theological-musical training for youth groups based on the context of a praise group. It verifies in what way this training takes place and how it can be worked with intentionality. In the first chapter, the three constituting groupings of the research paper are contextualized: the youth groups, contemporary sacred music and Christian education in an Evangelical-Lutheran context. In the second chapter, the different paradigms which sustained sacred music in the Evangelical Lutheran context, the currents of modern sacred music and, based on the contemporary context, the Gospel phenomenon are dealt with. The third chapter works with the life narratives of six youth who participate in a praise and adoration group. Based on these narratives, four categories arise for analysis: formation of ties, protagonism and tutelage, comprehension of roles and functions and the learning in and based on the group. The fourth chapter outlines a dialogue between the practice in the praise group, the Plan for Continuing Christian Education of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil and the social-interactionist theory proposed by Vygotsky. The fifth chapter presents a proposal for theological-musical training which can serve as a resource for the work with youth groups in the congregational context, based on reflections and practices.

Knowledge production or research in South Africa, as elsewhere in the world, does not occur within 'innocent' spaces devoid of personal, social, political, economic and cultural contexts. Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences has been largely the domain of white, male academics operating within positivistic, western, or eurocentric paradigms that have consequently cast all differing modes of knowledge production as 'other'. Research has been 'normalised' within particular frames of reference that have often served to marginalize knowledge production emanating from other contexts such as a feminist perspective or a black perspective. This thesis presents a critical analysis of the participation of women academics in research in the Humanities and Social Sciences in South Africa. I argue in this study that the discourses and practices of the academy have traditionally operated to marginalize, and continues to marginalize women effectively excluding them from the arena of research. Whilst there are many studies that have been conducted investigating women in academia, the emphases have been essentially on establishing baseline data such as the numbers and positions women occupy and explanations for the situations that exist. There are, however, very few studies that have extended the analysis to focus on women as researchers and knowledge producers within academia as is the case with this study. I also advance the analyses by arguing for a shift from the widely accepted conceptions that cast women academics as the problem and focus attention instead on the often hostile culture or climate of academia. I argue further that the historical exclusion of women and more especially black women, from the production of knowledge or research has contributed to the exclusion of women from positions of power in the social, cultural, political, economic and academic contexts. My own passion for these issues is directly linked to a conviction that in its public absence, and in the assumption that knowledge about gender is largely irrelevant to the possibility of social justice, lies some of the deep roots of women's complex degradations. This study grew out of my participation in the former Centre for Science Development's (now part of the National Research Foundation) audit of women academics and researchers in the Humanities and Social Sciences in South Africa and was carried out in three phases. The first phase entailed a secondary analysis of the audit data, drawing comparisons between the national findings and the findings for the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Besides conducting a general analysis the data was also disaggregated according to the historically designated racial categories to establish how black women, in particular, were faring. Having established a statistical picture, the second phase was concerned with exploring the qualitative understandings of women academics in research, through the eyes of six black women academics from KwaZulu-Natal. The six women in the study were selected from the University of Durban-Westville, the University of Zululand (both historically disadvantaged institutions) and the University of Natal (a historically advantaged institution). Although it is my contention that all research is necessarily autobiographical, the third phase of the study turned my 'subtext' of being the researcher who is simultaneously 'other' into 'text'. In the autobiographical data I author and reflect on my own experiences as an academic and researcher who is 'other'. Conducted in a style that challenges the mainstream or what is described as 'male-stream' conventions and understandings of research practice, I inscribe the personal into the 'scientific' by employing an autobiographical, feminist 'gaze' throughout this study. The narrative style of communicating parts of the study to the audience, and my attempt to blur the divide between researcher and researched, express a significant feminist desire to infuse the generic aspects of feminist theory, feminist methodology, feminist practice and feminist politics into each other. Finally the insights gained from this study about the general participation of women academics in research and more especially, the position and experiences of black women academics, including myself, achieve many objectives. Not only does it provide baseline information for the province of KwaZulu-Natal in relation to the national trends but also serves to unpack this baseline information with respect to the historically designated racial categories and deepens our understandings of the problems through insights into the day-to-day lived experiences of black women in particular. All of which are integral to informing equity and redress initiatives designed to bring about transformation and democratisation in the arena of research in the humanities and social sciences.
Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Durban-Westville, 2000.

English, Afrikaans and Zulu summaries
While there is increasing interest in the effect of landscape on ancient imagination, less attention has been paid to the impact of restless karst hydrology on ancient beliefs. By identifying shared themes, this study compares and contrasts the way Hittites and Aegean people in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages reshaped peripheral karst landscapes into physical and imagined transitional zones. Karst geology underpins much of the Aegean and Anatolian landscape, allowing subterranean zones to be visible and accessible above ground via caves, springs, sinking streams, sinkholes and other unusual natural formations. In both cultures, certain dynamic landscapes were considered to be sacred porous points where deities, daemons, heroes and mortals could transit between cosmic realms. Evidence suggests that Hittites and Aegean people interpreted dramatic karst landscapes as liminal thresholds and spaces situated between the world of humans and the world of deities. Part One investigates physical zones of transition via the karst ecosystems of rural sanctuaries. Part Two considers the creative interpretation in myth and iconography of karst phenomena into metaphysical zones of transition. The examples reveal the way in which Hittites and Aegean people built their concept of the sacred on the extraordinary characteristics of karst geology. Numinous karst landscapes provided validity and a familiar reference point for the creation of imagined worlds where mortal and divine could connect.
Vandag is daar toenemende belangstelling in die effek van die landskap op die verbeelding van die mensdom in die oudheid - maar minder aandag word bestee aan die impak van die rustelose karst landskap op die mens se gelowigheid in die oudheid. Deur die identifisering van sekere gemene temas, vergelyk hierdie verhandeling die manier waarop die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere in die Laat Brons- en vroeë Ystertydperke die omliggende karstlandskap herskep het in fisiese en denkbeeldige oorgangszones. Die Egeïese en Anatoliese landskap bestaan grotendeels uit karst geologie, met tot gevolg dat ondergrondse zones bo die grond sigbaar en toeganklik is in die vorm van grotte, bronne, sinkgate en ander uitsonderlike natuurlike formasies. In beide bogenoemde kulture is sekere landskapstonele beskou as heilige en poreuse punte waar gode, demone, helde en sterwelinge tussen die kosmiese zones kon beweeg. Die getuienis van die tyd suggereer dat die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere die dramatiese karst landskappe as grense of drempels tussen hulle wêreld en dié van die gode beskou het. Deel Een ondersoek die fisiese oorgangszones deur te kyk na die karst ecostelsels waarin plattelandse heiligdomme hulle bevind het. Deel Twee beskou die kreatiewe gebruik van karst verskynsels as voorstellings van metafisiese oorgangszones in die gekrewe bronne en ikonografie. Die geselekteerde voorbeelde dui aan die manier waarop die Hetiete en Egeïese volke hulle konsepte van heiligdom gebaseer het op die buitengewone verskynsels van karst geologie. Numineuse karst landskappe het hulle idees gestaaf en ‘n bekende verwysingspunt uitgemaak waar die menslike en die goddelike met mekaar in kontak kon kom.
Ngenkathi intshisekelo ekhulayo yethonya lokwakheka komhlaba emcabangweni wasendulo, kunakwe kancane umthelela we-karst hydrology engenazinkolelo ezinkolelweni zasendulo. Ngokukhomba izingqikithi okwabelwana ngazo, lo mqondo uqhathanisa futhi uqhathanise indlela amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean kweLate Bronze kanye ne-Early Iron Ages abuye abuye abumbe kabusha imigwaqo ye-karst yomngcele ibe yizingxenye zesikhashana zomzimba nezicatshangwe. I-Karst geology isekela kakhulu indawo yezwe i-Aegean ne-Anatolian evumela ukuthi izindawo ezingaphansi komhlaba zibonakale futhi zifinyeleleke ngaphezu komhlaba ngemigede, iziphethu, imifudlana ecwilayo, imigodi yokushona nokunye ukwakheka okungokwemvelo okungajwayelekile. Kuwo womabili amasiko izindawo ezithile eziguqukayo zazithathwa njengezindawo ezingcwele zokungena lapho onkulunkulu, amademoni, amaqhawe nabantu abafayo bengadlula phakathi kwezindawo zomhlaba. Ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean bahumusha imidwebo emangazayo yekarst njengemikhawulo yemikhawulo nezikhala eziphakathi komhlaba wabantu nezwe lonkulunkulu. Ingxenye yokuqala iphenya izindawo eziguqukayo zomzimba ngokusebenzisa imvelo ye-karst yezindawo ezingcwele zasemakhaya. Ingxenye Yesibili ibheka ukutolikwa kokudala kunganekwane nakwizithonjana zezinto ze-karst kube izingxenye eziguqukayo zenguquko. Izibonelo ziveza indlela abantu abangamaHeti nabantu base- Aegean abawakha ngayo umqondo wabo ongcwele ngezimpawu ezingavamile ze-karst geology. Amathafa amahle we-karst ahlinzeka ngokusebenza kanye nephuzu elijwayelekile lesethenjwa lokwakhiwa kwamazwe acatshangelwe lapho abantu abafayo nabaphezulu bangaxhuma khona.
Biblical and Ancient Studies
M. A. (Ancient Near Eastern Studies)

Based on eighteen months of ethnographic fieldwork among the Dariganga and Khalkh ethnic groups of Mongolia, the thesis attempts to demonstrate their perception of landscape. Dariganga are the least studied among all ethnic groups of Mongolia, thus giving me a chance to present these issues for the first time in academic literature. I compare my data with this coming from the Khalkh Mongols to get a fuller picture of the perception of landscape in my country. Some scholars studying Monglian culture seem to presuppose that Mongolia is a never ending great steppe, an empty place or an infinite space. My work shows that their conclusions do not take into account the real Mongol – local, emic – environment perception. Mongolian landscape, as presented in local traditions, consists of many precisely defined spaces, characterised by invisible agents of land (spirits, masters, tengers etc). Within the shepherds’ understanding of their environment, I have identified fundamental types such as beneficial, fortunate and dangerous. I analyse these essential elements of the perception of landscape based on my ethnographic and autoethnographic research, including intensive participant observation. In the first chapter, I present how herders of two abovementioned areas change seasonally their territories by taking into account natural conditions and requirements of their livestock. This movement is crucial for feeding the herds properly, at the same time preserving pastures from degradation. Given that so much in the nomadic lifestyle has changed recently, a question arises, should the contemporary, modernized Mongolian pastoralism be still called “nomadism” or, rather, using more recent terms, should it be labeled a “mobile” or “migratory” pastoralism. After presenting the current discussion, I opt for last term. In the next chapter, I present four types of places considered dangerous: the wild, the haunted, the touristic and the harmful (mining places in particular). All of them are excluded from pastoral economy, the herders consider them “lost areas”. In the third chapter, I describe some historical sites venerated by local population, such as inherited campground, archaeological monument, and a dwelling place of old Dariganga heroes/brigands. The first, bor shoroo, is for herders a core element of their homeland; the second site is a place where Dariganga create their historical homeland based on archaeological relics. As for the third one, the Mongols all over the country venerate the Shiliin Bogd mountain, the abode of a group of brigands, sain er, as a national energetic centre. Those respectful areas are of decisive importance for creating homeland identity, both on a local as well as on a national level. In the last chapter, I present the local cult of Altan Ovoo, one of the ten state sacred mountains, believed to provide health and growth to humans and animals in the region. The ceremony of state worship is strengthening local identity and national unity. Thus, the mountain is regarded as the centre of Dariganga nature and culture. To sum up, Mongolian herders consider their land as a primary source of their livelihood; therefore, they strive for a correct harmony with it.
Dysertacja ta, oparta na osiemnastomiesięcznych badaniach etnograficznych, przeprowadzonych wśród mongolskich Chałchasów i Darigangów poświęcona jest prezentacji ich postrzegania krajobrazu. Darigangowie stanowią najmniej zbadaną grupę etniczną w Mongolii, w związku z czym mam możliwość prezentacji zagadnień na ich temat po raz pierwszy w literaturze akademickiej. W swojej pracy porównuję zebrane przeze mnie materiały z tymi, dotyczącymi Mongołów Chałchasów w celu pełniejszego przedstawienia wyobrażeń na temat krajobrazu w moim kraju. Część badaczy zajmujących się kulturą Mongolii, kojarzy Mongolię z niekończącym się stepem, miejscem pustym lub bezkresną przestrzenią. Moja praca pokazuje, że w podobnych twierdzeniach nie są brane pod uwagę prawdziwie mongolskie, a więc lokalne, emiczne znaczenia warunkujące zrozumienie otoczenia przez Mongołów. Mongolski krajobraz, zgodnie z tradycją lokalną zawiera liczne, precyzyjnie zdefiniowane przestrzenie, związane z niewidzialnymi reprezentantami terenów (duchami, gospodarzami, tengerami). Na podstawie wyobrażeń pasterzy na temat ich otoczenia zidentyfikowałem trzy podstawowe typy [przestrzeni], takie jak użyteczne, pomyślne i niebezpieczne. Analizuję owe trzy elementy postrzegania krajobrazu na podstawie badań etnograficznych, autoetnograficznych, zawierających intensywne obserwacje uczestniczące. W pierwszym rozdziale prezentuję, w jaki sposób pasterze z wyżej wspomnianych miejscowości zmieniają sezonowo ich pastwiska w zależności od warunków naturalnych oraz potrzeb ich zwierząt hodowlanych. Owe przemieszczenia są konieczne nie tylko ze względu na potrzebę dostarczania odpowiedniego pożywienia dla zwierząt, ale są też potrzebne do ochrony pastwiska przed degradacją. Biorąc pod uwagę przemiany, które w ostatnim czasie zachodzą w koczownictwie powstaje pytanie, czy współczesną, zmodernizowaną formę mongolskiego pasterstwa wciąż można nazwać „nomadyzmem” [koczownictwem] czy też właściwsze są nowsze terminologie, takie jak pasterstwo „mobilne” lub „migrujące”. W kontekście przedstawianej przeze mnie aktualnej dyskusji na ten temat, jestem skłonny optować za drugim terminem. W kolejnym rozdziale prezentuję cztery typy przestrzeni uważane za niebezpieczne: dzikie, nawiedzone, turystyczne i szkodliwe (w szczególności miejsca wydobycia). Wszystkie te przestrzenie są wyłączone z gospodarki pasterskiej, określane przez pasterzy jako „ziemie stracone”. W trzecim rozdziale opisuję miejsca historyczne czczone przez lokalną ludność, takie jak pastwiska dziedziczone, obiekty archeologiczne, miejsca zamieszkania bohaterów/zbójów Darigangów. Pierwsze, bor szoroo – jest kluczowym komponentem postrzegania [koncepcji] ojczyzny dla pasterzy, drugie – to miejsce związane z reliktami archeologicznymi, które stały się podstawą do wykreowania przez Darigangów historycznej ojczyzny. Trzecie – czczona przez wszystkich Mongołów góra Szilijn Bogd, siedziba bohaterów-zbójów sain er, uważana przez Mongołów jako centrum energii państwowej. Owe miejsca czczone odgrywają decydującą rolę w kreowaniu tożsamości zarówno lokalnej, jak i na poziomie państwowym. W ostatnim rozdziale prezentuję lokalny kult Altan Owoo, jednej z dziesięciu świętych państwowych gór, który to zapewnia zdrowie i wzrost dla ludności i zwierząt w danej okolicy. Państwowa uroczystość oddawania czci górze wzmacnia tożsamość lokalną i jedność narodową. Stąd ta góra jest uważana za centrum natury i kultury Darigangów. Podsumowując, pasterze mongolscy postrzegają ich ziemie jako podstawowe źródło ich życia, stąd dążą do właściwej harmonii z nim.