Of Land and Water
Director Henry Brown
Countries Mongolia, United States
Duration 52 min
Synopsis
Mongolia, the most sparsely populated country in the world, is today one of the fastest growing economies in the world. In the last twenty years since the end of communist rule and its amicable transition to a market driven economy, it has seen extraordinary changes that have begun to redefine its image around the world. Mine-golia, as it has come to be known by the global mining industry, is a name that stresses a growing global awareness of the country's huge natural resources and hints at an escalating national dilemma. As mining fuelled growth reshapes Mongolia at an astonishing rate, the values placed upon natural resources are rapidly shifting. Since the days of Genghis Khan, nomadic herders, who still comprise a third of the country's population, have shared a harmonious relationship with their environment. Today, this ancient bond is being torn apart as Mongolians adapt to an ever more resource dependent lifestyle. Of Land and Water considers the importance of sustaining our traditional connection with nature in the face of industrial development. The film tracks a series of individuals to uncover how the lifestyles of Mongolia's people are changing with growing pressure to accept mining as a means for maintaining their livelihoods. Though very much a story about Mongolia, the subject of this film reaches far beyond the country's borders. As a local metaphor for a global issue, Of Land and Water illustrates what happens when traditions go head-to-head with our modern value system.
Mongolia, the most sparsely populated country in the world, is today one of the fastest growing economies in the world. In the last twenty years since the end of communist rule and its amicable transition to a market driven economy, it has seen extraordinary changes that have begun to redefine its image around the world. Mine-golia, as it has come to be known by the global mining industry, is a name that stresses a growing global awareness of the country's huge natural resources and hints at an escalating national dilemma. As mining fuelled growth reshapes Mongolia at an astonishing rate, the values placed upon natural resources are rapidly shifting. Since the days of Genghis Khan, nomadic herders, who still comprise a third of the country's population, have shared a harmonious relationship with their environment. Today, this ancient bond is being torn apart as Mongolians adapt to an ever more resource dependent lifestyle. Of Land and Water considers the importance of sustaining our traditional connection with nature in the face of industrial development. The film tracks a series of individuals to uncover how the lifestyles of Mongolia's people are changing with growing pressure to accept mining as a means for maintaining their livelihoods. Though very much a story about Mongolia, the subject of this film reaches far beyond the country's borders. As a local metaphor for a global issue, Of Land and Water illustrates what happens when traditions go head-to-head with our modern value system.