Khoomei — The Mongolian Art of Throat Singing

Khoomei — also spelled Hoomei, Xöömei, or referred to in full as Hooliin Chor meaning "throat harmony" — is the ancient Mongolian and Tuvan art of overtone singing, in which a single performer produces a sustained bass drone from deep in the throat and simultaneously isolates and amplifies specific overtones to create a second or third melodic voice floating above. The result is a sound unlike anything else in human music: one person singing in complete harmony with themselves, producing multiple pitches from a single instrument — the human body.

According to Tuvan indigenous legend, throat singing was the first way humans ever learned to sing. The tradition originated among the nomadic peoples of the Central Asian steppes — the vast open grasslands, mountains, and river valleys of what is today Mongolia, the Tuva Republic of southern Russia, and Inner Mongolia in northern China. Ethnomusicologists studying Khoomei regard it as an integral part of the ancient pastoral animism still practiced among these communities — a spiritual relationship between humans and the natural world in which the voice serves as a bridge between the two.

The open landscape of the Mongolian steppe is inseparable from the tradition. Sound carries extraordinary distances across the flat grasslands and mountain valleys. Singers travel far into the countryside seeking specific rivers, hillsides, and open steppes to find the right acoustic environment for practice. As one master singer described: "When I sing Khoomei, my heart must be in a state of joy. No matter where I am, I see the beautiful rivers and mountains of this land when I sing."

The three primary styles of Khoomei — recognized by Britannica and UNESCO — each imitate a different dimension of the natural world:

Khoomei — the foundational style — uses a mid-range fundamental drone with soft, diffused overtones above, creating a sound described as wind swirling gently among rocks or water flowing across stones. It is the most meditative and accessible style, with minimal tension in the vocal cords.

Sygyt — meaning "whistle" — tightens the tongue against the upper palate to isolate a single piercing overtone above the drone, creating a clear, flute-like or bird-like whistle. It evokes the sound of wind sweeping across the open steppe, birdsong, or a reed flute played by a herder at sunset. This is considered the most technically demanding of the main styles.

Kargyraa — the deepest style — involves constriction of both the true and false vocal cords simultaneously, producing a low, resonant growl rich in undertones rather than overtones. It evokes the sound of mountains, the rumbling of the earth, or the plaintive cry of a mother camel that has lost her calf. The same technique is independently used by Tibetan Buddhist monks in sacred chanting rituals.

Additional styles include Borbangnadyr — "rolling" — with pulsating, tumbling harmonics that imitate the sound of a gurgling mountain stream; and Ezengileer — which imitates the rhythmic sound of riding boots hitting the stirrups during a horseback gallop. The Mongolian classification system groups all techniques into two broad categories: Kharkhiraa (deep Khoomei) and Isgeree Khoomei (whistled Khoomei), with numerous regional substyles within each.

Physically, Khoomei is extraordinarily demanding. The double sound can typically be sustained for only about 30 seconds. Much of the sound is produced by vibrating the false vocal cords — a part of the throat normally kept fully open during singing. Some famous singers have passed out while performing, and blood vessels have been known to burst around the eyes during particularly intense renditions. The best singers are traditionally said to come from Tuva — the small republic in southern Russia where the tradition has been most intensively preserved.

Khoomei has always been deeply tied to ritual contexts. According to UNESCO, it was traditionally performed at ceremonial occasions to express respect and praise for the natural world, for the ancestors of the Mongolian people, and for great heroes. Today it is reserved for special events including horse races, archery and wrestling tournaments — the three traditional sports of the Naadam festival — large banquets, and sacrificial rituals. The timing and order of songs is often strictly regulated by tradition.

During the Soviet period in the 20th century, Khoomei was restricted by Communist authorities who considered the art "backward" due to its deep connections to ritual, animism, and ethnic identity. It was not until the 1980s that throat singing was fully restored and officially recognized as a national art form. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, major preservation efforts were launched, including international competitions with significant prizes for master performers.

In 2009, UNESCO inscribed the Mongolian art of singing, Khoomei, on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO stated: "Khoomei has long been regarded as a central element representing Mongolian culture and remains a strong symbol of national or ethnic identity." Despite this recognition, the tradition faces threats from urbanization, the decline of nomadic herding culture, and the dominance of popular music among younger generations in Mongolia's growing cities.