Itgel Chuluunbaatar,
Author and Creator: “Magnificent Mongolia” Coloring Book talks to us about Telling her Story and its importance
In 2016, young Itgel released the elegantly conceptualized coloring book ‘Magnificent Mongolia’. She was motivated to create Magnificent Mongolia when she lived in Australia. “I believe every culture in the world is unique and beautiful. But most of the time, we take it for granted. I realized how beautiful Mongolia and Mongolian culture is when I lived in Australia for three years. While I studied there, I missed my country very much. I began to see that Mongolia has not only beautiful nature, but also a vibrant and rich culture full of unique patterns and designs. If you go into a Mongolian ger, you will feel like you are in a world full of sunshine, because all the ger decorations are quite colorful.”
Family Colouring Grid
But being away from one’s home gives one a sense of nostalgia that, upon one’s return, may be jolted to reality. “When I came back, I was disappointed that people in Mongolia did not share the same sentiments as I did. It was just ordinary and mundane for them, so they don’t really appreciate the beauty. I want people to rediscover that beauty. I want people to see Mongolians, not just as simple nomads, but as a people with a rich traditional heritage. I searched for some ideas to help see the beauty in Mongolia. And I decided to create Magnificent Mongolia.”
Colouring with the loved one
Itgel drew inspiration from Mongolian tradition, where she visited temples and museums. “The more I researched, the more I discovered about our culture.” My aim for creating the book was to help more people experience Mongolian beauty. That is why we named the book ‘Magnificent Mongolia’. In a highly digital world, most people are addicted to their devices. The cities are becoming crowded and stressful. When I came back to Ulaanbaatar, everyone was honking their horns and wearing an angry face. We want our book to become a creative outlet for a stress-free life. People are able to color the pages and enjoy the process. We want parents to have quality time with their children, and in doing so, enjoy making something beautiful together.
The project has yielded magnificent results as well. When our readers, or shall I say users, send their colored images, they are unique and different from each other. No two person colors the image exactly the same. Mongolia is changing a lot, Itgel observes. “Even in the last three years, Ulaanbaatar has changed a lot and I felt like I was in a different city. Although changes are great, I think maintaining our culture and tradition is vital. We are Mongols because of our culture and heritage. I want our future generations to be proud of our own culture.
Culture and history shape us and defines us. So it is important to promote and preserve them for our future generations.”
Learn to Color at the youngest