Traditional Mongolian music floods the house, the husky sound of a Morin Khuur – a two-stringed horse-hair instrument used with a bow – played by her father, reverberating in the air. At her work bench, her mother concentrates on sewing traditional Mongolian clothes, focusing intently for hours.
“I think [my family] making me be in the presence of a bunch of cultural things like that […] when I was little made me appreciate my Mongolian cultural identity more,” junior Nandia Erdenebat said.
Not only does Erdenebat speak Mongolian at home, she and her family also celebrate many holidays important to Mongolian culture, such as the Lunar New Year and a summer festival called Naadam. Together with other Mongolian families, they celebrate these holidays and create a tight-knit community.
“Just this year, we had Tsagaan Sar, which is basically Lunar New Year,” said Erdenebat, describing the experience of sharing the holiday with others. “We ate a whole lot of food like buuz, [which are] dumplings, and potato salad. I felt very happy. We really had a community of Mongolians.”
Her family did more than just connect Erdenebat with her Mongolian culture, though. They have also influenced her creativity as an artist.
“I probably kept pursuing art because my family are also kind of artists in their own way,” Erdenebat said. “My brothers are also very creative. They follow their passions.”
One thing Erdenebat enjoys drawing is traditional Mongolian clothing.
“When I can, I’ll bring my Mongolian culture to my art,” Erdenebat said. “When I need to create art, especially in art class or for competitions, that is about me or about topics that matter to me, I do art with my Mongolian culture.”
Like her family, Erdenebat’s Mongolian culture influences her artwork, although mostly indirectly. She has brought this unique perspective to the Diploma Programme (DP) Art course at Huron.
“I wanted to join DP Art because at least in a little way, I was thinking of art as a career, so I wanted to go into a higher level art class,” Erdenebat said. “And DP Art is actually really fun.”
This year, Erdenebat earned a silver key in the National Scholastics Art Competition illustration category for a self-portrait, which ended up being one of her favorite pieces.
“I got an honorable mention last year, so I’m happy that I improved since last year,” Erdenebat said. “I was proud of myself.”
Erdenebat looks forward to where her passion in art and her Mongolian upbringing will take her in the future. Currently, she is considering combining engineering with art into an architecture major in college.
“If you really like art, I think you should have some way to incorporate it in your life, even as an adult, whether it be through jobs or just as a hobby,” Erdenebat said. “You should not give up on art if you like it.”
