There’s a Mongolian legend that states the first morin khuur, or horse-headed fiddle, was made out of grief after a man’s beloved horse was killed. He eternalized his horse by using the horse’s hair to make the morin khuur’s bow and by carving the image of the horse’s head on the scroll of the instrument. It is said that the sound it made carried the spirit of the horse. This story portrays a huge part of Mongolian culture: nature and horses. I chose this artifact because it connects me to my culture by reminding me of my heritage. This link is important to me because I grew up in America, and it shows that even though I live far away from Mongolia, it still is a part of who I am. Additionally, it also represents my love for music. Ever since I was a kid, music has been a big part of my life and my family’s lives. My siblings and I all play instruments, and we have bonded over it. I never learned to play the morin khuur, since the one we have is very old and the bow is warped, but I have learned traditional Mongolian pieces on the piano and violin. Even without playing the morin khuur itself, it acts as a bridge between two huge parts of me that I couldn’t imagine living without and it connects my roots to who I am now. 

– MB

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant