The Nomads' Festival ran from December 26th-28th at the future site of the head quarters for Wangchuck Centennial Park. There were 90 nomads gathered from 8 different dzongkhags (disttricts). Some traveled for 7 days on foot through the Himalayas to reach the grounds. Goods, wares, and food were packed over the distance with the assistance of Yaks.
It was an amazing thing to be able to witness, contribute to, and take part in. I decided to dive in and take in everything that was offered. I tried many different kinds of Bhutanese dishes, joined in some dances around the campfire, made an honorary Bhutanese by the boss, and even rode a yak!
In these few photos I am posing with some of the nomads who made the journey. The women are from Laya in the Gasa dzongkhags and were the ones who traveled the farthest. The group of men I am standing with are from the Brokpa tribe. The youngman directly to my left was the winner of the wrestling tournament and one of the largest Bhutanese there.
The weekend was exhausting, quite cold, and my throat is still sore from breathing in campfire smoke for the majority of the last three days. I was able to make some new friends, share in the fun with old ones (Jan and Ute), and create amazing memories. All in all, the festival was a monumental success and achieved what it set out to ... "Celebrate the richness of mountain nature and culture."
Kimi,
ReplyDeleteJust catching up on your blog, it is so very interesting. It sounds like you are really enjoying the ride. I love that you are getting out there and looking for it, not just waiting to see what shows up. Keep up the amazing work! Love you, Barbara