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From Pastures to Plantations: The Transformation of Khar Us


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Authors

Bulag, Uradyn E. 
Fuerwa, Dorjraa 

Abstract

This video explores a new migrant village in Khar Us. In 1995, the Khar Us government resettled herders from Tenger Mountain to a lower altitude to cultivate land. Each household was allocated 100 mu of land, transforming their pastoral lifestyle into an agricultural one, a practice at which the Chinese people excel. Today, the village comprises about 500 households, including Kazakhs, Mongols, and predominantly Chinese, who have cultivated over 10,000 mu of land over the years. Initially dominated by Mongols, now only 50 households remain, with Nayantai being one who decided to continue farming. According to Nayantai, this was the correct policy for herders, enabling them to produce forage for their livestock. However, the presence of Mongolian cultivators has diminished as many have either rented out their land long-term to Chinese farmers or sold it permanently. In addition to promoting land cultivation, the Khar Us government also introduced donkeys to the village to boost the incomes of newly settled herders through the sale of donkey milk. Culturally, however, Mongols refused to herd donkeys and eventually sold them to Chinese farmers. Concerning the cultivation of cash crops, many Chinese farmers use excessive amounts of fertiliser and chemicals on their cotton farms, not only degrading the land but also driving insects from cotton fields to cornfields cultivated by minority groups. Consequently, these minority groups struggle to compete with Chinese farmers. In contrast, Nayantai, representing the younger generation, is more open to interacting with different people in the village and focuses on planting corn for his livestock, which he feeds to livestock for fattening before selling them in the market.

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Keywords

Herders, Tenger Mountain, resettling, agricultural land Minorities

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Publisher

Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Documentation Project, University of Cambridge

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Sponsorship
Sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.