Genghis and the airport
While most of the world is looking with a slight bewilderment at the images and other display of Chinggis Khaan during the recent celebrations it is somehow the airport that still can bring people from miles and miles away to emotional outbursts, as in The Guardian:
"Sombre news from Ulan Bator. In honour of Mongolia's 800th anniversary, its airport has been renamed after Genghis Khan. This reflects the newly assertive stature of the former communist state. ...
[Genghis] is credited with a belief in meritocracy, decimalisation, female emancipation, freedom of religion and flat taxes (after a fashion). He also specialised in mass slaughter, razing cities to the ground (saving only the engineers and artists), and pouring molten silver into the ears of insurgent leaders or, if they preferred, suffocating them under his table while he ate dinner. Neoconservatives still often declare themselves 'well to the right' of him.
How all this will play with tourists landing at Ulan Bator airport is not clear. Genghis Khan told his generals to treat foreign foes by 'robbing them of their wealth, bathing their loved ones in tears,"
Apperently, while here it seems an innocent rename to a local hero, for some the link between the brutal Genghis Khan and an airport seems to be a hounting one.
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technorati: mongolia
Labels: chinggis khaan, mongolia
posted by Guido V @ 20:18
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5 comments
5 Comments:
I think the Guardian author did not care real facts on Mongolia- name Chinggis Khaan was used to attract readers just like vodka makers use name Chinggis for their vodka.
He wanted raise question about habit of changing placenames in general around the World.
For Mongolian case:- This Mongolian airport is not renamed.
Only tiny little International Airport in Ulaanbaatar city, capital of Mongolia actually did not have any name.
Some ( internationals) say it is Ulaanbaatar Airport because the airport in Ulaanbaatar city. But it was not official name at all in Mongolia.
Some (locals) say it is Buyant Ukhaa International Airport because the area the airport is located has name Buyant Ukhaa which is just geographical name. But this name Buyant Ukhaa International Airport is nowhere in international airport lists.
Now this airport has its own real given name Chinggis Khaan International Airport. I believe as time goes by the Airport itself will develope upto its great name
Ps:- About your additional comments, nobody cares about the name. Don't make mountain out of mole hill. Tourists like it and come more, If someone has personal problem with name Chinggis Khaan, that is sad sad person who lives in the past. Mongols certainly will not invite such person and associate with such a person.
Mongolia is still most hospitable country ever.
Welcome to Mongolia. Have a fun in Ulaan Baatar's Genghis Khaan Irish Pub ;)
Wow, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?
There have been lots of Western leaders (as well as African, Latin, and indigenous the world over) who have committed what others would consider serious human-rights violations and war crimes upon their enemies. But to read out a litany of such things as a nation celebrates with joy the 800th anniversary of the founding of itself as a unified state...? What an insult!
The Guardian's editor obviously has no sensitivity, does he/she?
How about talking about the vanity and pomposity of Queen Victoria, the twisted pervesrsions of Henry VIII, and the dim-witted silliness of several other British monarchs right at the height of celebrations in 2016, to mark the millenial anniversary of the battle of Hastings and the arrival of William of Normandy!! Hey, why not? Right? Considering the country is so distant from the US and parts of Asia and Africa... "Fair game, wot?"
Well damn, we named an airport after Ronald Reagan after all. Besides, what foreigner wants to try to pronounce Buyant Ukhaa, and you know the cab drivers don't speak english.
I've been to the airport in UB, and it's a sweet, humble place with weeds growing in the cracks on the runway, and cows munching grass in the parking lot. I think the Mongols are going through an understandable phase where they want to be 'not Russian' and they're grabbing on to as much sense of national identity as they can. After they stop worrying about their massive inflation and unemployment rates they'll have time to craft an identity fitting of their future.
The Guardian author obviously isn't very familiar with the history of his own country, which also had its share of cruel rulers (both male and female).
As to the airport, at least the new name is one that pretty much everybody in the world will be able to remember...
I'II go by whatever name they give it.
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