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Inner Mongolia, China

00’42-00’44

Wu Rigen

Herdsman

00’45-00’47

The government banned herding in 2008.

00’47-00’51

At that time, the prairie was very dry and damaged.

00’51-00’53

The sandstorms were very bad back then,

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so the government banned herding.

01’02-01’04

In the beginning, the policy was very strict.

01’04-01’06

We could only herd at night.

01’06—1’08

During the day, we locked sheep and goats in pen.

01’08-01’10

Officials came and fined us for herding.

01’10-01’12

We were fined for 5.000 yuan,6,000 yuan,

 

01’12-01’14

or even above 10,000 yuan.

 

01’14-01’17

Sometimes, they took away several sheep or goats.

01’17-01’20

I realized we couldn’t herd anymore,

01’20-01’22

so I went to the city and found a job.

01’23-01’27

Government restrictions and environmental degradation have been harsh on Inner Mongolia’s herders.

01’28-01’32

Climate change, industrialization and overgrazing have taken a toll on the grasslands that are vital to their way of life.

 

01’33-01’37

Some have given up their traditional herding culture for work in distant cities.

01’36-01’39

Others remain on the prairie, clinging to a threatened lifestyle.

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Personally, I prefer herding

 

01’42-01’44

because I have been doing that since I was little.

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As for working in the city, I was forced to do that.

01’57-02’01

We couldn’t afford to live on the prairie without herding.

02’02-02’05

The government gives us 30,000 yuan as compensation.

02’08-02’10

It’s so little, compared to what we earn from herding.

02’10-02’12

We could earn much more from herding.

02’14-02’16

Thirty thousands yuan is by no means enough.

 

02’16-02’18

The compensation is distributed four times a year,

02’18-02’21

but it’s not always on time.

02’22-02’24

Sometimes we organize some herdsmen to go to the government

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to ask for the compensation.

02’26-02’29

When we make a lot of noise, the government pays us a bit.

02’29-02’33

When we don’t make a scene, they stall as long as they can.

02’33-02’35

Herdsmen’s lives are very hard.

02’35-02’37

We have no choice but start herding again.

02’37-02’40

The government has eased the herding ban,

02’40-02’43

so now we make do.

02’59-03’02

If you don’t go, you will not be able to find the herd.

03’04

Go!

03’10-03’11

I will bring it back to the herd now.

03’23-03’24

Sit down!

03’49-03’51

Between the nearest town and here,

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there is a place called Ba Yin Ao Bo.

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It has become an industrial area.

04’03-04’07

Sine 2012, the prairie around ba Yin Ao Bo has been developed for industrial use.

04’07-04’12

Acresof grasslands were destroyed to make way for an aluminum factory, a cement factory and several mines.

04’23-04’25

Here is a big pit.

04’26-04’29

Even without the herding ban, herdsmen can’t herd here.

04’29-04’30

It’s too polluted.

04’37-04’39

Here is another pit.

04’41-04’43

When sheep and goats eat grass in these polluted places,

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They get sick easily.

04’47-04’49

So in a way, it functions as a herding ban.

04’49-04’51

We are unable to herd here.

 

04’53-04’54

The sky is grey

04’54-05’00

and the grassland got crushed by trucks and is no longer green.

05’00-05’02

It doesn’t look like prairie now.

05’02-05’04

When I pass by this place, I think

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that one day my homeland will become like this.

05’07-05’09

I feel heartbroken thinking about this.

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Of course, when the prairie was taken for industrial use,

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we were compensated with some money.

05’20-05’24

But I’d prefer not to take that money

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and maintain the integrity of my homeland.

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I don’t want it to become like that.

 

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We will have future generations.

05’33-05’36

If our generations takes the money

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and sells our prairie for industrial use,

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we can live our life with this money.

05’42-05’45

But what about the next generation?

05’45-05’47

When they are asked if they are Mongolians, their answer is “ Yes.”

05’47-05’49

When they are asked if they have seen prairie

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or know anything about herding,

05’51-05’53

their answer is “No.”

05’53-05’59

For our Mongolian people, it’s a shame to lose all these traditions.

 

06’13-06’17

Since last year, together with some neighbors,

06’17-06’20

we bought a car and started transporting water from very far

06’21-06’23

to start planting tree.

06’23-06’24

It’s not easy.

06’25-06’27

Our region doesn’t have much water,

06’27-06’29

but we transport water for trees.

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Here is our home.

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We really love it and want to protect it.

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We want to make the environment better.

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So the herding ban will go away.

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We can stay at home

06’43-06’44

and continue to herd.