The Power of Culture

Hanggai's music has its roots in a Mongolian tradition that goes back a thousand years. Singing from the throat is a particularly popular form of art. When singing higher tones, another tone is created that is an octave lower than the tone being sung. "My music was the same style as Rage against the Machine until I took the time to really listen to the music of the Mongolian tundra. I travelled to the land of my ancestors to study it. I searched for instrument makers who could make the morin khuur, a kind of violin with strings made of horse hair. I also wanted a tobshuur, a two-stringed lute. These instruments give the music its unique sound."

Surprisingly, some of the songs are strikingly similar to Celtic pub songs. Ilchi laughs: "Last year we played at the Shetland Folk Festival. I was surprised - had never heard Celtic music before. What we as Mongolians certainly share with the Irish and Scottish is our considerable alcohol consumption, but other than that I have no idea where the similarities come from."

It is tempting to consider Hanggai a gimmick, but Ilchi is too serious about his mission and talks about a revival of traditions. "With five million Mongolians in China, we are a minority. We have a rich musical tradition, however, and I want it to continue." The Chinese government sometimes oppresses traditions. "Our music has no political meaning: we are not the Tibetans. We can play our music in China without restrictions and we hope that more young people will discover its wealth."