New issue of GUNU came out

A Message From the Editor-in-Chief

cover of GUNU-19

Welcome to the eighth anniversary edition of GUNU, an international magazine of culture, literature and poetry. Besides introducing Mongolian literature and culture to the world, GUNU is making its own contribution, by bringing world literature and poetry to Mongolian readers.

GUNU has represented Mongolia at the World Congress of Poets on eight occasions. Before GUNU, there had been no magazine for Mongolian literature, and our work has been greeted enthusiastically. In 2007, the World Academy of Arts and Culture announced that GUNU as one of the 10 most influential magazines for world literature. Simon Wickham Smith became an ambassador for, and friend of, Mongolian writers through the two poems of Danzanravjaa, the fifth Noyon Khutagtu, which were published in GUNU, in 2005. Now he has become the first western scholar to write his doctoral dissertation on contemporary Mongolian literature.

We are happy to introduce to you, the 19^th issue of GUNU, which contains several unique and interesting pieces for your ready pleasure.

First of all, we are introducing the poetry of Justo Jorge Padrón, one of the most famous poets in the Spanish-speaking world. Our young translators B.Nyamdorj and B.Purevsüren are working hard to render his famous book,  “The Circles of Hell” from into Mongolian, which will reach its Mongolian readership soon.

GUNU is also offering the acceptance lecture of Mo Yan, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2012, as translated by O.Munkhnaran.

In order to draw attention to new Mongolian poetry, we are publishing the works of poets some poets from Darkhan and a group of young poets who call themselves “Shine Üner” (New Scent).

We are also keen to introduce the treasures of Mongolian classical poetry to the world, thus we present poetry from the 5 accomplished poets from the Vanchinbal family.

GUNU is also promoting aspects of modern Mongolian literary history in its pages. Here we showcase the history and works of the GAL (Fire) group, from the late 1970s.  In addition, we are also publishing here some interesting works of literary criticism by  Ch.Bilegsaihan, B.Purev-Ochir, L.Tserenchimed and B.Magsarjav.

We intend to develop future editions of GUNU in this way, and we will be happy to receive any comments or suggestions from you, our readers and fellow writers.

G.Mend-Ooyo

Founder and editor-in-chief

“I am coming to you” poem in 30 languages

UNESCO announced that every year the March 21^st would be the World Poetry Day which is being celebrated for the 12^th time by Mongolian poets. This year a poetry and calligraphy exhibition called “Mother Earth” is being held for the occasion. Also, as part of the occasion and exhibition, an opening ceremony of a book which is a collection of 30 different translations of the poem “I am coming to you” by Mongolian poet Mend-Ooyo will be held at 15:30, on March 23^rd at the Mongolian National Modern Art gallery, the same place of the exhibition.

Various foreign language translations of the poem will be recited during the opening ceremony which will be attended by many cultural and literary figures of Mongolia.

Also on this special day, a message from the General-Director of UNESCO will be announced to the public.

"Mother Earth"

- Praise-poems for the ancestors
- The flowering of Mongolian calligraphy from Mother Earth
- The union of nature and language arts
- Poetry heard in pictures, pictures growing from poetry
- What can an artists do to save Mother Earth?

Thirty years ago, the poet G.Mend-Ooyo wrote a poem called "Mother Earth," for which the composer R.Enhbazar wrote music. Performed by the snger B.Badaruugan, this work connected with people's hearts, expressing the meaning of taking care of Mother Earth.

During the period of political change, human civilisation has sought progress on the one hand, and has laid waste on the other hand to the treasures of the earth, has thus been losing the ecological battle, and is now approaching the edge of extinction.

In such times, the ideas behind this poem "Mother Earth" are all the more valuable, they bring a connection between the human heart and Mother Earth, and they make us think about how we are all children to the same mother.
Global warming, the melting of the polar ice, sunned flash-floods, tidal waves, droughts, earthquakes, the destruction of wild banimals and beneficial trees and plants, and desertification all proceed from human error, and all are connected with the loss of the natural system by which the earth offers its riches without prejudice.

We must, then, consider the question as to how artists, living in today's world, might protect Mother Earth.
The poet G.Mend-Ooyo and the artist D.Battümör have developed an exhibition the written word, "Mother Earth" which directly addresses this theme. Their visual and poetic artworks express a unitedattitude towards the preservation of the earth and the natural world.

Another aspect of this exhibition is that, in addition to looking into the future, and by seeing in a clearer way the rich and valuable heritage which humans have chosen to abandon throughout their history, we can think about the importance and value of such things today.

"Mother Earth" will include calligraphic versions of some eighty of Mend-Ooyo's poems.
G.Mend-Ooyo's poetic work is joined with imags in brush and ink of the artist D.Battümör, revealing the new sensibilities of calligraphic and figurative art. The exhibition will also present the new traditions of Mongol calligraphy and language art.
The artistic work which comes from our heart are the plants of wisdom growing in our Mother Earth. People step upon the earth, they drink water and take nutrients from Mother earth through the plants, and so take in the riches. The two artists say that, with the work in this exhibition, they contribute the light of their hearts, they repay the kindness of Mother Earth.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR THE EXHIBITION "MOTHER EARTH"
March 18 2011 11:40 Opening of the exhibition "Mother Earth".
March 18-24 2011 9:00-17:00 Exhibition open to the public.
March 19 2011 15:30 Poetry reading
March 21 2011 15:30 Launch of the book I Am Coming to You, which presents this poem of Mend-Ooyo's in thirty languages.

MOTHER EARTH

An Exhibition of Calligraphy
March 18-23, 2011
Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia


On March 18th, the exhibition "Mother Earth" will open at the Mongolian National Modern Art gallery. Thirty years ago, the poet G.Mend-Ooyo wrote a poem called "Mother Earth," for which the composer R.Enhbazar wrote music. Performed by the snger B.Badaruugan, this work connected with people's hearts, expressing the meaning of taking care of Mother earth.
In this exhibition, G.Mend-Ooyo and the artist D.Battümör combine their work, and ask us to care for nature, our Mother Earth, through poetry and image. It has become a tradition that, every year works are exhibited from the collection of the Mongolian Academy of Culture and Poetry and thus year, apart from Mend-Ooyo's own pieces, there are also pieces, based upon Mend-Ooyo's poems, by the influential contemporary artist D.Battümör, in addition to some eighty of Mend-Ooyo's calligraphic manuscripts.
In addition to looking into the future, we are also drawn to consider the valuable objets of wisdom in the history of humanity, its lost cultural heritage, and the importance of acknowledgeing its value.
In this exhibition we will see how Mend-Ooyo's poetry, combined with Battümör's talent for calligraphic ink and brushwork, reveals a new direction for the art of images and words, and a contemporary approach to calligraphy and the tradition of Mongol language arts.
The artistic work which comes from our heart are the plants of wisdom growing in our Mother Earth. People step upon the earth, they drink water and take nutrients from Mother Earth through the plants, and so take in the riches. The two artists say that, with the work in this exhibition, they contribute the light of their hearts, they repay the kindness of Mother Earth.

American Poetry book published in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ambassador Jonathon Addleton is giving address to the audience, including poets, translator and readers.











Translator B Magsarjav is giving interview to public TVs.











Translator D Byambaa is giving speech about his translation Tamerlane by Allan Po.















Today,

We celebrated the publication of the first volume of Anthology of American Poetry. The event was held at the American Cultural Center. Organized by USA Embassy and Academy of Culture and Poetry. Here is presenting the publisher's foreword of the book.

Mongolian poet G Mend-Ooyo, editor of this book, mentioned that Mongolian readers deep gratitude to Ex-Ambassador Mark Minton, Public Affairs Officer Marissa Maurer , Yo Otgon and all the US Embassy employees who helped us in all levels of the publication process.

written by Mugi

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD

The first translation into Mongolian of American literature in the modern era was made in 1930 by the founder of our own modern literature, D. Natsagdorj. He translated, albeit from an initial German translation, Edgar Allen Poe’s story, “The Gold Bug.”
Although the history of American literature in Mongolia has been relatively brief, its impact has been great. Starting in the 1960s, my teacher, the famous poet and translator Dorjiin Gombojav, translated Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” from the Russian as a kind of reference manual for Mongolian poets. At the same time, G. Luvsantseren translated Robert Frost’s poem, “Birches”. In respect to Native American culture and history, D. Sandagdorj made a translation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s lyric poem “Song of Hiawatha,” which was also published during the 1960s. This was the period during which the flowers of American literature began to grow in Mongolian soil even as these translations were made not from the original English language, but Russian.
However, when the free spirit of American poetry encountered the closed attitudes of Mongolian socialist ideology, a period of stagnation set in as precious few translations were made from the original English. With the openness of the 1990s, however, there was an enthusiasm for studying English which led to an increasing number of original translations of American literature.
Many years have passed since the idea of putting together a large anthology to illustrate the contemporary influence of American literature. Three years ago, I discussed my idea with Mark Minton, US Ambassador to Mongolia and poet, and it was this discussion which opened the door to our book. However, to select and translate from the various styles and forms of American poetry through the ages was no small task.
We worked with many of our American friends in order to properly select the works to be translated only to realize that when our work was finished, not everything was ready. Only after we had negotiated translation rights, could the work be published. The US Embassy schooled us in the importance of protecting the intellectual rights of the poets presented here which has aided Mongolia in the development of our own system of copyright laws.
With the exception of “Song of Myself,” by the great voice of American democracy and freedom, Walt Whitman, this is the first time that these poems have been translated into Mongolian from the original English. This work reflects the great effort of G. Dombojav, B. Maksarjav, D. Byambaa, Sh. Tsog and M. Shagdarsüren as well as our young transltors Ts. Oyuundari, S. Sumiya, O. Mönhnaran, S. Soyolbold and G. Delgermaa.
Support for this book has come from the US State Department and the US Embassy in Mongolia. It is clear that the economic and political relations between our two countries have expanded through this cultural, literary and intellectual venture. I am deeply grateful to Ambassador Mark Minton, to the poet David Lehman, to Marissa Maurer of the US Embassy, and to Yo Otgon, who have valiantly labored to create this book of American poetry.
Amerikiin Yaruu Nairag then, American Poetry, this book of parallel texts, is one way in which young people might improve their English, but it is also an avenue to satisfy those interested in savoring literary translation. Moreover, it offers us the chance to refine the infelicities of translation and we await future works of translation from our readers after they have investigated, discussed and absorbed the intricacies of American literature.
There are many sides to poetic translation. Translators have individual approaches to the craft. Some are strict with meter and language while others express what has been absorbed into their hearts. Nonetheless, I trust that the world of American poetry will welcome this eighth volume in the Mongolian Academy of Poetry and Culture’s series, World Poetry.

May goodness spread and may the virtue of books increase!

G Mend-Ooyo
15 June 2010

АМЕРИКИЙН ЯРУУ НАЙРАГ МОНГОЛД

“Дэлхийн Шилдэг яруу найраг” цувралыг 2005 оноос Соёл Яруу Найргийн Академиас яруу найрагт дуртай уншигчдадаа зориулсан эрхлэн гаргаж эхэлсэн билээ. Уг цувралаар “Эртний сайхан – Монголын шилдэг яруу найраг”, “Оросын яруу найраг”, “Японы яруу найраг”, “Францын яруу найраг”, “Төв Азийн яруу найраг”, “Испани хэлт яруу найраг”, “Энэтхэгийн яруу найраг”, номуудыг эрхлэн гаргаад байгаа бөгөөд “Америкийн яруу найраг” ном нь уг цувралын 8-р боть болж байгаа юм.

“Америкийн яруу найраг” номыг Америкийн Төрийн Департмент, АНУ-аас Монгол Улсад суугаа Элчин Сайдын Яамнаас ивээн тэтгэж, Соёл Яруу Найргийн Академиас эрхлэн монгол, англи хоёр хэлээр хамт хэвлэжээ.

Уг антологид Уолт Уитмен, Эдгар Аллан По, Эмили Дикинсон, Хэнри Уодсуорт Лонгфелло , Стипин Крэйн, Роберт Фрост, Жэймис Лэнгстон Хьюс, Аллин Гинзберг, Кеннит Кох, Билли Коллинз, Дэвид Лиймэн, Шэрмин Алексий нарын зэрэг Америкийн үе үеийн алдартай яруу найрагчдын шүлэг дуулалыг багтаасан бөгөөд манай нэрт орчуулагч Доржийн Гомбожавын алдарт орчуулга Уолт Уитмений “Энэ биеэ дуулна” найраглал болон Б.Магсаржав, Д.Бямбаа, Ш.Цог, М.Шагдарсүрэн нар болон Ц.Оюундарь, С.Сумъяа, О.Мөнхнаран, С.Соёлболд, Г.Дэлгэрмаа нарын залуу орчуулагчидын дандаа шинэ орчуулгын шинэ бүтээлүүд багтсанаараа онцлогтой. Энэхүү ном нь Америкийн эрт эдүгээгийн яруу найргийн үнэт зүйлс, чиг хандлага, ур чадварын олон талыг илэрхийлж байгаагаараа онцлог бөгөөд шүлгүүдийг орчуулж хэвлэх эрхийг Америкийн оюуны өмчийн хууль журмын дагуу авсан байна.

Сонирхуулахад Америкийн уран зохиолоос эдүгээ цаг үед хамгийн анх шинэ үеийн уран зохиолыг үндэслэгч Д.Нацагдорж герман хэлнээс 1930-аад онд орчуулсан юм. Тэр бол Эдгар Аллан Погийн “Алтан цох” хэмээх романтик өгүүллэг юм байна.

'Contemporary Top 10 Poets in the World'

An anthology of 'Contemporary Top 10 Poets in the World' published in Bangladesh.
Peter Horn (South Africa),
Kazuko Shiraishi (Japan),
A Samad Said (Malaysia),
Dr Lee Kuie Shien (Taiwan), Ahmad Kamal Abdullah (Malaysia),
Germain Drogenbroot (Belgium), Manfred Chobot (Austria),
G Mend Ooyo (Mongolia),
Tobias Burghardt (Germany), Sudeep Sen (India).

Бангладешийн яруу найрагч Аминур Рахман “Дэлхийн шилдэг 10 яруу найрагч” нэртэй антологи номоо хэвлүүлжээ. Энэ антологид өдгөө бүтээлээ туурвиж, дэлхий дахинаа үнэлэгдсэн 10 яруу найрагчийг сонгон тэдний бүтээлийг төрөлх бангла хэлнээ орчуулан, зураг намтрынх нь хамт хэвлэсэн байна. Үүнд Өмнөд Африк, Япон, Малайз, Тайвань, Бельги, Австри, Монгол, Герман, Энэтхэг, Америк, Бангладеш улсын яруу найрагчид багтсан байна.

Уг антологид Монголоос яруу найрагч Г.Мэнд-Ооёогийн бүтээлүүд багтжээ. Түүний “Цаглашгүй гэрэлт”, “Чам руу би явж байна”, “Хуучин сүмийн дээгүүр саран мандах цаг дор”, “Гэрэлтэх агшин бүр”, “Дөрвөн улаан навч” зэрэг 10 шүлгийг бангла хэлээр орчуулан хэвлэсэн байна.

Энэ нь Г.Мэнд-Ооёо найрагчийн бүтээл бангла хэлнээ хэвлэгдэж байгаа хоёр дахь тохиолдол юм. Өмнө нь 2006 онд яруу найрагчийн шүлгийн түүвэр “Мэнд-Ооёогийн шүлгүүд” нэртэйгээр Бангладешт гарч байсан гэнэ.

Яруу найрагч Аминур Рахман дэлхийг тойрон энэ номынхоо нээлтийг хийх ажлыг эхлүүлсэн байна. Тэрээр өнгөрсөн есдүгээр сард Малайзын их сургууль дээр антологийнхоо нээлтийг хийжээ. Ийнхүү нээлт хийсний дараа уг номыг малай хэлээр хэвлэхээр болсон байна.

Д.Нямсүрэнгийн гурван боть ном хэвлэлтээс гарлаа

Г.Мэнд-Ооёо: “Д.Нямсүрэн яруу найргийн гэгээн сүмийг өөртөө бүтээж, тэрхүү сүмийн гэгээнтний олбогт өөрөө завилж оюуны мэлмий хийгээд сонор нь дээд аглагийн оронд оршиж туурвихуйн гэгээрлийг буй болгосон найрагч юм”
О.Дашбалбар “Түүний шүлгүүдийг манай яруу найраг дахь үзэгдэл гэвээс зохилтой. Тэр бол Равжаа, Нацагдорж, Явуухулангийн зиндааны найрагч гэдгийг хүссэн ч, эс хүссэн ч зөвшөөрөх цаг айсуй”
Я.Ганбаатар: “Нямсүрэн найрагч, VIII зууны нангиадын их шүлэгч Ван Вэй, дундад зууны үеийн Японы их хайкуч Ёса Бусон, хорьдугаар зууны Оросын алтан гургалдай Сергей Есенин нартай зиндаа зэрэгцэж очно оо”
Б.Магсаржав: “Манай утга зохиол судлал Д.Нямсүрэнг нээе гэвэл хурдан хөгжиж өндөр түвшинд хүрэх хэрэгтэй. Үнэхээр түүнийг чинээнд нь тултал нээж чадах юм бол утга зохиол судлал маань дэлхийн түвшинд хүрээд зогсохгүй, бүр дэлхийн утга зохиол судлалыг манлайлах болно хэмээн итгэнэм”

“Зөөлөн ай” хос цомог гаргалаа

Яруу найрагч Г.Мэнд-Ооёогийн “Зөөлөн ай” уянгын яруу найргийн шинэ цомог гаргасан байна. Уг цомогт түүний “Миний зөөлөн ай”, “Нээхүйн утган хэлхээ”, “Он цагийн хүрд”, “ Чам руу би явж байна” “Хүлээж байгаа ээж”, “Цагаан манан гэгээн гуниг”, “Гол ус тунгалагших цаг” зэрэг 22 шүлэг найраглал нь орсон аж. Дээрх цомогт орсон шүлгүүдийг найрагч өөрийн дуу хоолойгоор уншихаас гадна, Монгол Улсын гавьяат жүжигчин Г.Равдан, Л.Чаминчулуун, Б.Жагдаг, Ж.Батбаяр болон уран уншигч Даваа нар уншсан байна. Та бүхнийг "Зөөлөн Ай" яруу найргийн цомогоос яруу найрагчийн зүрх сэтгэлийн зөөлөн аядуу байдал болоод ухаарал бодрол хайрласан шүлэг найргийг сонсохыг урьж байна.

POET LAUREATE WITH GOLDEN CROWN

MONGOLIAN POET AWARDED POET LAUREATE WITH GOLDEN CROWN OF WORLD POETS

This year, the World Academy of Arts and Culture and the World Congress of Poets, whose work is part of UNESCO’s brief, celebrate their fortieth anniversary. The 29th World Congress of Poets, held this year in the Hungarian capital Budapest, held a ceremony at which the Mongolian poet Gombojavin Mend-Ooyo was awarded the Poet Laureate degree with Golden Crown.
Mend-Ooyo’s work has been translated into some thirty languages and his books published in India, England, Bangladesh, Taiwan, the USA, Japan and Macedonia. He has became well-known for his exposition of the nomadic cultural and spiritual world, and it is this enrichment of the treasure-house of poetry which the World Congress of Poets has seen fit to recognise. He granted him the title LittD in 2002, and, in 2005, he was awarded the Presidential Gold Medal in California, 2005. That same year, in Los Angeles, his poem named “The Moon over on old temple” was awarded first prize in the congress’s poetry festival, for poems themed around “God’s love.”