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Patrice Olivier wants to share his time spent with a Sherpafamily in Chepté.His photographs invite you to live their daily life. You willdiscover their games, village life, school, daily householdduties, traditions and their environment.After meeting Ngima, Deeku, Temba and Nurry, thesechildren will remain with you when you close the book.
Citation preview
Chepté A Nepalese Village
Patrice Olivier
Association
Terra Incognita
3
The aim of the association is to contribute to children’s cultural awareness and the ideas that children can have about themselves and others. We believe that understanding each other’s
cultures helps to prevent fear and discourages prejudice which is often linked to ignorance. We hope this book will contribute to exploring intercultural relationships, emphasizing
the complementary nature of the cultures instead of their differences. We consider that culture is a constantly evolving system which is enhanced by meeting others.
This book was written in October 2008. It is about daily village life for the children of Chepté. On reading this book, the reader will discover the children’s lifestyle and culture.
I feel it necessary to add that the cultural activities presented in this book are in no way representative of everywhere in Nepalese.
Association
Terra Incognita
27, rue Roederer61500 Essay - France+ 33 2 33 81 96 22
4
Chepté A Nepalese Village
Patrice Olivier
Translated by :Kathryn Pascal/Olivia Izzard
Association
Terra Incognita
Summary 5
Summary
The Himalayan Range
Page 10
The Sherpa community
Page 12
Chepté village
Page 14
The Sherpa family
Page 16
Life and the rhythm of the seasons
Page 18
Terrace cultivation
Page 20
Stock
Page 22
Feeding the animals
Page 24
On men’s backs
Page 26
Bhalthumka’s shops
Page 28
Summary
Summary
Bhalthumka’s market
Page 30
Hindu portraits
Page 32
Dashain
Page 34
The Houses
Page 36
Crafts
Page 38
Basketwork
Page 40
Children’s games
Page 42
Chepté school
Page 44
In the classroom
Page 46
Sanskrit
Page 48
Summary 7
Summary
The playground
Page 50
Children’s games (2)
Page 52
Dance
Page 54
Tibetan roots
Page 56
Buddhism
Page 58
The temple
Page 60
Shamanism
Page 62
Nepalese hospitality
Page 64
Water
Page 66
Milk
Page 68
Summary 8
Summary
Potatoes
Page 70
Sweetcorn
Page 72
Cooking
Page 74
Meals
Page 76
Scenes from the road to Chepté
Page 78
Dusk over the Himalayan Range
Page 79
Acknowledgements
Page 80
Glossary
Page 81
The Democratic Federal Republic of Nepal
Page 82
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To get to Chepté from Katmandu, you need to go to Jiri which is only 200 kms away but it takes a whole days bus ride to get there. Then you need to walk for 3 days from Jiri to Chepté. This area is at the gateway to the
Himalayan range of mountains. Above is GauriSankar which is 7 181 meters high.In Sanskrit* it translates as the goddess Gauri and her husband Sankar (a Hindu god).
Summary 10
The Himalayan Range
The Himalayan Range is one of the five natural areas in Nepal. It has nine peaks over 8 000 m, one of which is Everest (8 846 m) and a dozen peaks higher than 7 000 m. This region forms
a gigantic wall between Nepal and China. Chepté is situated in the foothills *(a sub-range) of the Himalayas, 60 kms south-west of Everest in the Okhadhunga district.In Nepalese mythology*, these mountains are sacred. They are considered to be the home of the gods. In Nepalese Everest is called Sagarmatha, the name of the goddess who is mother of the sky.
15
Summary
The Sherpa family
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Dawa and Dolma have Sherpa ethnic origins. In the village families from this ethnic group are often large: Dawa and Dolma are related to other members of the community. Their children
Tsoty, Ngima, Deeku, Temba and Nurry are aged 18, 11, 7, 4 and 2 years old.It is October, Dawa is not here. Like many of the Sherpas, he must leave the village to find work. During the tourist season in Nepal, Dawa is a porter or kitchen hand for Himalayan trekking* exhibitions. This seasonal work represents four or five months work per year (October/ November and March / April). The rest of the time he works on his farm. During his absence, Dolma and the children look after the house, the crops and the livestock.
Deeku and Nurry.
23
Dawa and Dolma own terraces next to the river. It takes 20 minutes for Tsoty to carry this load home.
Summary 24
Feeding the animals
After the harvest, the animals graze on the weeds left on the terraces. The herd needs to be moved regularly. This allows the terraces to be cleaned and fertilized before ploughing. Also,
before going to school each morning, the children pick grass to feed the herd and every afternoon they lead the animals to the non-cultivated smaller valleys.
The sweetcorn stalks are left to dry. In the dry season, there is no grass so some fodder must be kept in order to feed the animals.
43
Lessons start at 10 am. Some pupils wear school uniform. Before going into the classroom the pupils do some stretching exercises. Then they sing the national anthem whist the national flag is raised. Lessons end with
a prayer to Saraswati the goddess of art, letters and education.
Summary 44
Chepté school
In Nepal the illiteracy* rate is relatively low, it is only 49 %. There is a big difference between men (65 %) and women (35 %). There are 240 pupils enrolled at the school. There are 6 classes
of different levels. On the whole about 100 pupils are regularly absent. Families tend to keep their children off school, usually the girls, to look after the animals or to work in the fields. Some parents send their children to school on a rota basis, one at a time. In a class of 40 pupils, 14 will not reach year 6 (last year of primary school) because high school students have to travel to Bhalthuma.
Deeku is 7. She is in year 3.
63
Every morning Ngima drinks tea with buffalo milk.
Summary 64
Nepalese hospitality
Hospitality is a very important tradition for the Sherpas. It is impossible to welcome a friend, a neighbour or a stranger into their home without offering black tea with buffalo milk. There
is always tea ready on the fire or in a flask. Traditionally it is served with salt and only exceptionally is it served with sugar. It is considered an honor to be given tea mixed with a couple of spoonfuls of buffalo butter.
Dolma makes the milky tea.She mixes the tea leaves with a stick with shoots.
75
Dolma’s family eat sweetcorn puree for lunch.
Summary 76
Meals
Most meals have only one course and are eaten with the right hand. At 6am, before looking after the animals or working in the fields, the family drinks a milky tea. Breakfast is eaten between 9.30
am and 10 am. This rhythm allows the children to eat before they go to school. It depends on the daily jobs to be done, as to what time the meals are eaten, usually early afternoon and the evening.
Nurry eats a Tsampa pancake.
Summary 79
Dusk over the Himalayan Range
“When the spirit is free it is naturally calm, just as calm water is naturally limpid and clear”
This Tibetan proverb reflects the serenity, availability and open mindedness of the Sherpa community in Chepté. It also highlights the ideals of the Sherpa population : to be unselfish, to have a pure and peaceful heart,
to be wise and to be able to control oneself.
80
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Dolma and her children who welcomed me with open arms.I was able to discover and share their daily life. Thank you to Rinzi Sherpa, a villager
and member of the “Lumière d’Espoir” association who advised and guided me and successfully integrated me into the village.
Everyone who participated with enthusiasm be they near or far, in making this book.I also thank Nadine Jardin who is the president of the Terra Incognita association,
the members of the reading committee and Marielle Vitry president of the association Lumière d’Espoir for their support and their help in making this book.
Lumière d’Espoir738 avenue de l’Europe
34190 Laroque+ 33 4 67 73 69 57
http://lumieredespoir.fr/(This association helps Chepté with schooling, health and environmental issues).
This work was published with help from the human rights department of the Basse-Normandie county council.
www.region-basse-normandie.fr
Summary
81
Glossary
Buckwheat : A plant cultivated for its triangular seeds, which are used as a feed for animals or made into flour
for human consumption, as in pancakes or cereal.
Cremate : To reduce (a dead body) to ashes by fire, as a funeral rite.
Deceased : The particular dead person or persons referred to or dead persons collectively.
Dialect : A provincial, rural, or socially distinct variety of a language that differs from the standard language.
Ethnicity : Characteristic of a people, esp. a group (ethnic group) sharing a common and distinctive culture,
religion, language, or the like.
Foothills : Hilly land on the lower slopes of mountains.
Goddess : A female god or deity.
Identity : Exact likeness in nature, values, morals* or qualities.
Ideal : The idea of something that is perfect ; something that one hopes to attain a standard of perfection or
excellence; an ultimate object or aim of endeavor.
Illiteracy : A lack of ability to read and write.
Meditation : The act of meditating. Continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.
Morals : Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong.
Monsoon : The season during which the southwest monsoon blows, commonly marked by heavy rains; rainy
season.
Mythology : A set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event,
arising naturally or deliberately fostered.
Sanskrit : (Hinduism) An ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism) ; an official
language of India although it is now used only for religious purposes.
Trekking : To journey on foot, especially to hike through mountainous areas.
Unselfish : Not selfish, not greedy.
Venerate /worship : Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of/
show devotion to.
Virtuous : Conforming to moral and ethical principles ; morally excellent; upright.
Prévious page
82
The Democratic Federal Republic of Nepal
Geographic situation : The Democratic Federal Republic of Nepal is a Himalayan country bordered to the north by the Popular Republic of China (self-governing Tibetan region) and in the south, east and west by India.Capital : Katmandou.Population : 27 million inhabitants.Surface area : 147 181 km2.Official language : Nepalese.Politics : In 2008, the election of an Assembly of 601 seats was held. During the inauguration ceremony of this assembly on the 28 th May 2008, the Monarchy was abolished and replaced by a republic.Head of state : On the 21 st July 2008, the assembly elected Ram Baran Yadav, member of the Nepalese Congress, to be President of the Republic. Since 1994 Pushpa Kamal Dahal is president of the Nepal communist party (Maoist) and leader of his military field, the Nepalese people’s army. Because of this he lived in a clandestine nature from 1996 to 2006. On the 15 th August 2008, he was elected Prime Minister of Nepal by the constituent assembly and took the oath on the 18 th August before the President of the republic.Death penalty : Abolished in 1990.National economy : The annual income per person is 180 euros. The Nepalese economy is one of the poorest and least developed in the world with 42 % of the population living in poverty. The economic activity is concentrated around farming which provides employment for more than 80 % of the population.Infant mortality rate : 46 deaths per 1000 births for babies less than 1 year old (3.5 in France). Illiteracy rate : 49 %. 65 % for men and 35 % for women.Life expectancy : 53 years old for men and 53 years old for women. Nepal is the only country in the world where the life expectancy is lower than that for men.
Summary
Youth cultural awareness series
www.ass-terra-incognita.org
All rights reserved. This publication may not be translated, reproduced or changed, in any form, or by any means in any country, without the prior written permission
of the publisher, in accordance with Act 49-956 (15/07/1949) for publications destined for young readers.
Last printed in January 2009 ISBN : 978-2-919632-22-0
Summary
Chepté A Nepalese Village
Association
Terra Incognita
Patrice Olivier wants to share his time spent with a Sherpa family in Chepté.
His photographs invite you to live their daily life. You will discover their games, village life, school, daily household duties, traditions and their environment.
After meeting Ngima, Deeku, Temba and Nurry, these children will remain with you when you close the book.
ISBN : 978-2-919632-22-0