I had my fortune read by a Mongolian tour guide using sheep knucklebones, a common divination practice in Mongolian culture. Yes, you read it right, with bones.
Fortune telling has been a part of many cultures. And as someone who believes in all things woo-woo, I have experienced my share of divinations – from the mainstreamed tarot cards to sitting in front of a wise man who gazed into holy water to predict the future. Still, it was the first time I partook in the Mongolian culture’s ancient tradition of divination.
Shagai – A Mongolian Culture Divination Tool
The premise of the divination was pretty straightforward: using four sheep knucklebones called Shagai. Each side of the knucklebones represents one of the four common herd animals in Mongolia (camel, sheep, cow, and horse) based on the shape of the particular side of the bones. Then, the four bones are thrown in the air like dice before falling on the surface.
The prediction read based on the way the bones appear upward.
It reminds me of the ancient divination with cowrie shells, which I have also experienced. Interestingly, shagai and cowrie shells are also used in many traditional games.
Back to the guide, Zol, who asked me what question I had in mind. I told her I wanted to know whether I would see my parents in person next year. She then whispered (presumably of the same question) onto the bones in Mongolian before rolling the bones onto the table.
“You got two sheep and two horses“, she informed me before consulting the cheat sheet (of all different varieties of the four combinations) to check what this particular combination meant. “it’s… happening“, she said finally.
Phew! I’d genuinely lose it if the bones said a variation of “no, better luck next time“.
In the end, I thanked (Bayarlaa) Zol for reading my fortune but, more importantly, for introducing me to such a fascinating part of Mongolian culture.
Pic source: Zol, who runs Airbnb experience, highlights the Mongolian culture’s nomadic lifestyle.
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