Ongon

Ongon (Mongolian; plural ongod) is a type of spirit in the shamanistic belief system of Mongolia.^[1] It is a common term in Mongol mythology. After death, all shamans become shamanic souls, ongod.^[2] Idols can be consecrated to them within three years of the shaman's death and can be placed in the home ("home ongon") or in another locale, such as a shelter out in the open ("field ongon").^[3] The ongon is also the physical representation of that spirit, made by a shaman, which plays a central part in the ritual that invokes the protection of the spirit.^[4] One well-known such spirit is Dayan Deerh.^[5]

The ongon is particularly important in black shamanism: the main function of the khar talynkh or black shaman is to bring people into contact with the ongon, whose spirit they call up "while drumming in a trance".^[6] In late-nineteenth century Mongolia, according to Otgony Purev, yellow shamanism revered ongon as well, and every three years yellow shamans gathered in Dayan Deerh monastery in Khövsgöl Province to "renew" these ancestral spirits.^[7]