Shortlisted
Behind the Beauty and Wonder
St. Paul’s Co-educational College Secondary School, Lo Tsing Sum, 13
T
he Gobi Desert - a vast and growing expanse of arid terrain. A harsh and unforgiving
land, yet still an unlikely shelter for the few who call it home.
The golden sand, spread in mystical patterns, provides a backdrop for the landscape.
Mountains of rock give the scenery variation. Frost caps the hills - seemingly out of
place but at the same time strangely wonderful.
The rare lake or line of greenery marks the appearance of life. And the extraordinary sighting
of a Mongolian yurt is evidence of mankind’s capability of coping with inhospitable habitats.
The beauty of the desert is unlike that of anything else. Everything about the territory is
unique. The whole land resonates in a strange but undeniable harmony.
If you make your way across the sand dunes, battling the strong, dusty winds, you may just
see the odd leaping gazelle or hyrax. You may even meet the gray wolf, or a gold eagle.
The sun beats down on regions of the desert, baking and cracking the surface. The air is
dry, due to the Rain Shadow effect, in which mountain ranges block moisture from the sea.
The mountain range in this case is the Himalayas. There are no major lakes or significant water
sources near the Gobi Desert, so there is virtually no moist air in the area. In some parts of the
land, paired with the sporadic hot climate, this makes for a burning, parched throat.
More often, though, the Gobi Desert is cold. Snow caps the dunes in winter. Icy gales terrorize
certain regions. This creates an extreme temperature range, from –40°C to +50°C. One of the only
comforts the snow and ice brings is increased humidity.
The intense weather, coupled with the unimaginable temperature range, makes for a severe
and almost uninhabitable place, especially for humans.
But, somehow, we have overcome this. For millennia the Gobi Desert has been home to a
group of thriving but somewhat sparse cultural heritages.
Most of the people of the Gobi Desert are either of Turkish ancestry or Mongolian descent. The
people of the Gobi Desert are generally herders, and do not interact much with the outside world.
They usually speak in dialects derived from their origins.
They do not, however, follow their ancestral customs on cuisine, since the desert lacks in food
supplies - gathering and farming are impossible, prey for hunting is scarce, and trade with the
outside world is often implausible. Therefore, the people of the desert have similar eating habits -
they herd goats, horses and camels, and get products directly from their cattle.
Due to their isolated status, they are largely self-sufficient. They let nothing go to waste.
Animal skins are used for clothing. Camel dung is burnt for fuel.
Dairy is the most important staple of the Gobi-dweller’s diet. Milk is the most nutritious food
that can be found in abundance in the Gobi. Milk is mainly used in dishes and for a local tea.
Yoghurt is present in the herder’s diet, and cheese can be found on rare occasions.
The locals have elaborate rituals, like tribal dancing on special occasions. Music and dance
are the most common art forms present in the Gobi Desert, seeing paint and other materials are
not in abundance. They are also skilled in needlework, and their traditional outfits are flavorful
and beautiful.
Their spirits have not been soaked dry by the unfavorable conditions. Quite the contrary – the
