Art and Culture Combined with Spirituality Spreading Throughout the Mongolian Heartland
“And thy Lord creates and chooses whom He pleases. To choose is not theirs. Glory be to Allah and exalted be He above what they associate (with Him)! And thy Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they proclaim. And He is Allah, there is no god but He! His is the praise in this (life) and the Hereafter; and His is the judgment, and to Him you will be brought back.” –Holy Qur’an, Surah 28, verses 68-70
Within the last several weeks, two of our sisters sent two powerful copies of the National Geographic Magazine, one of which is entitled, “The Black Pharaohs: Conquerors of Ancient Egypt,” (February issue), and the other entitled, “Genghis Khan.” (December, 1996 issue). In both issues appear a frontal view of these two powerful rulers, one from the Nile Valley in Africa and the other from Mongolia. What do these two Rulers have in common? Genghis Khan, as has been stated in previous articles in this series, has earned the acclaim as man of the Millennium celebrating 800 years since his birth and that of the Mongolian Nation. His followers and family members carried on his mission producing cultural shock waves throughout more than half of the known world.
History records that he could never complete a planned invasion of Africa due to conditions that prevailed with the death of one of the Khan’s family members. It was their custom to return to Mongolia for the ceremonial burial. However, the Khan’s army nearly vanquished the whole of the Middle East from Central Asia into Turkey, and sacked the Caliphate of Baghdad and conquered Persia. Almost all of Asia came under their dominion and rule, putting the world of Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism under their sway. Everywhere they conquered, they gathered together the artisans in all professions and carried them to Mongolia to teach and train his people in the arts and sciences of culture and civilization.
What provoked this terrific wave of bloody conquests that knocked on the doors of Europe, sending shockwaves into the Vatican and brought Marco Polo from Venice to visit the Great Court and Capital of Kublai Khan, at the site of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. From there, Kublai Khan sent a flurry of emissaries into the known world, some of whom ultimately passed through Japan traveling westward to the Pacific Coast of America arriving to the State of California. Christopher Columbus was fascinated by the travelogue of Marco Polo’s adventures and was inspired to travel East, but instead ended up in America. He found the original man and people already the inhabitants and owners of the land.
The term African American is limited in describing the origin and history of the Black original man and people. It only serves in identifying a people lost from their homeland robbed and destroyed through forced servitude slavery held in bondage through the trans-Atlantic slave trade by the colonial powers of Europe and America. The name African American signifies a people still enslaved by our former slave masters and are neither sovereign nor free to create our own destiny on this continent or elsewhere.
In answering the question as to why Genghis Khan was divinely appointed to such a sanguinary mission is written in the National Geographic magazine story on Genghis Khan and I quote: “I am the punishment of God,” proclaimed Genghis Khan after leaving the mosque at Bukhara. The writer of this article continues with the following statement: “If you had not committed a great sin, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Though his words may be legendary, he indeed seemed a divine scourge.
In a little book we purchased at the State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, where we attended the production of the Genghis Khan Opera last year, entitled: “Amazing Mongolia,” it opens with a letter by a female Mongolian journalist ostensibly delivered to Plano Karpini, full name Giovanni del Plano Karpini, Pleni Potentiary Emissary on behalf of the Roman Pope: “Please let me send you today’s greetings.”
Interestingly enough, this emissary commissioned by the Roman Pope to Mongolia, nearly 800 years ago wrote a book following his travels entitled, “The History of Mongols.” This particular journalist weaves her storyline from the perspective of that time to the present, telling her story of modern Mongolia, replete with the aspirations and goals of her people since the Democratic Revolution in the 1990s that freed Mongolia from Soviet Union dominion and rule. In keeping with the philosophy of the Mongolian people, she writes on page 20 about Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religious practice: Plano Karpini said, “Mongolians worship in heaven. It is true because Mongolians think that we are destined from heaven, so we are people from heaven… .”
When Plano Karpini was traveling, Mongolians were Shamanists. In the 15th through 16th century, Buddhism penetrated into Mongolia and still exists along with other prevailing religions. Since Democratic Revolution in 1990, many sects of other religions have been penetrating to Mongolia from other parts of the world, especially Christianity, Islam and Bahaism; Catholics and Mormon are more than others. 124 religious organizations are registered at the Ministry of Law in 2005.”
The Mongolian Parliament is called, “the State Ih Khural,” consisting of one chamber with 76 members. The new Constitution was proclaimed in 1992. The State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, which is on the same grounds as the Mongolia Parliament opened its doors on May 18, 1963 and with the first opera performance of “Edgeny Onegin” by Tchaikovsky and is listed as the only theatre in Asia that has continuously performed classical works from opera to ballet to theatre and drama. I recall that in the Mongolian National Museum of History, that there exists a mask of an Egyptian priest or king bearing the traditional headpiece of the royal rulers called, ‘Nemesis.’
When questioning the museum guide about its presence in the museum featuring a Black man or Pharoanic Priest from Egypt, she stated that it was found on the capitol grounds of the palace residence of Genghis Khan in Kara Korum. She further stated that, Genghis Khan often consulted with scholars and wise men from all religious faiths. The great Black Pharaoh that is pictured on the National Geographic magazine is a Pharaoh named, Piye, King and Ruler over Nubia, (present day Sudan), who is famous, along with his successors for the invasion into upper Egypt to save it from the perils of foreign invasions. Biblically, one can find this history written in the Book of Kings. He was also known for great horsemanship as well as his army and conquered. The Nile Valley from Khartoum to the Mediterranean against the invading Assyrians, perhaps even saving Jerusalem from the encroachment of the Assyrians.
“And out of His mercy He has made for you the night and the day, that you may rest therein, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks. And the day when He will call them and say: Where are My associates whom you pretended? And We shall draw forth from among every nation a witness and say: Bring your proof. Then shall they know that the Truth is Allah’s and that which they forged will fail them.” –Holy Qur’an, Surah 28, verses 73-75
To be continued.
