Ze

In 2014 I went to see a shaman named Uranbold. Although going to shamans was not a new experience for me, meeting Uranbold shocked me, because a young man of twenty-one in jeans and T-shirt appeared from underneath the shamanic robes and headdress after the ritual. A shaman must balance double lives. He must listen to and guide people who come with problems ranging from infidelity to bankruptcy. He must play the role of psychiatrist, financial adviser, doctor and many more. He must comfort the dying and those they leave behind. And that is just his life outside of school, friendship, and romance. With Uranbold in mind, I began to form the backstory for Ze. I want to tell a story about the bipolar experience of growing up in contemporary Mongolia, where we lead precarious existences due to ongoing economic instability and underdeveloped social infrastructure. Within this context, shamans play an important role in providing comfort and guidance. Yet they are people, too, living and breathing within the same restraints and freedoms as any other Mongolian.