DERNIERS NOMADES de L'Himalaya _ Vie et Traditions des Bergers du Ladakh 🏔️🐏 - Documentaire - AMP

In my family, I have six children. My eldest daughter did not have the chance to go to school. My second, a boy who is not educated, prefers to take my succession and take care of goats and yaks. Do you know how to write? No, I forgot. And for reading? I also forgot. Really? You forgot everything? Yes, I forgot everything. I have a lot of hope for the four youngest. I hope they will go far enough in their studies. Tashi Palgore and his family are at the turn of their lives. We are on the high plateau of the Ladakh, in the northwest of India. Even in these remote and out of time places, the millennial traditions are questioned by nomadic farmers. The nomadic peoples have traversed space and time in an unshakable way until today. But here they are now, facing an uncertain future. The new generation is very divided. Some, like Tashi Dolma and Sengye, are lucky and have the ability to study. Others, like Karma, will follow in the footsteps of their parents. He has let the opportunity of a better future pass after three years of sterile study. As for Kelsang Chodon, the elder of the brotherhood, she sacrificed herself to support her mother. For Tashi Dolma, the 14-year-old cadet, Sengye and two of their brothers and sisters, all hopes are permitted. Her family has been one of the Tibetans exiled in India since the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. Tashi Dolma studies 150 km from her home, in Choglamsar, near Leh, the capital of the Ladakh. In the heart of this village, which has more than 3,000 Tibetans, the children make up a separate population. For several years, Tashi Dolma has lived in this structure, which hosts more than 1,000 schoolchildren aged 4 to 18 years old. This institution exists thanks to international aid. Almost all children have a godfather or godmother who lives on the other side of the world. On the high plateau, five hours away from the capital, time seems to be suspended. Floating in a valley at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the tiny camp wakes up in the shade of the great Himalaya. The nomadic shepherds start a new day dedicated to animals. We could envy them this life that has crossed time and space, but it would be bad to know its hardness. In Leh, the usual setting of Tashi Dolma, the rhythm of life is very different. The 21st century arrived without warning in this capital, which now has more than 20,000 inhabitants. In one generation, the 4x4 convoys replaced the yak caravans. A revolution on forced marches, with its frenzy of construction and consumption. In Ladakh, a former kingdom of 60,000 square kilometers, the first way of disenclosure dates back to 1960, due to frontal conflicts with China. Tourists only appeared there in 1974. Here, we took the train of globalization on the road. From dawn, Palki Dolma, the first to get up, already has her hands in the frozen water. At 7 o'clock, it's time for the hunt. Tashi Palgor, her husband, ties the animals in a beautiful wreath of horns. The herds will rhythm the day of the shepherds. The charms of the Himalayas fade before the harshness of the conditions of nomadic life. Kelsang Chodon came back under the family tent after an unfortunate marriage. She works relentlessly alongside her mother, who at 55 years old is already suffering exhaustion. Woken up at 6 o'clock, she gets active before lunch. The more the hunt is completed on time, the more the day will be profitable for the animals in the pastures. Destined to make butter and cheese, milk production barely meets the needs of the family. Around 8 o'clock, it's Karma who takes over. Lunch fixed on a goat's back, here he goes for a long journey through mountains and valleys. On the schedule of the day, 15 to 20 km to ensure the food of the herd of 300 goats and sheep, while the yaks and horses are left free. At an altitude of 5,000 meters, the grass is rare and as dry as straw. The rocks are everywhere. The itinerary changes almost every day. So many herds, so many different routes to avoid exhausting the soil. Samet's camp has about 15 Tibetan families exiled here, less than 100 km from their native Tibet. Nearby, a few twenty-year-olds of the Dakpa shepherds, who agree to share their meager pastures and water sources. After a year of work, each animal gives three to four hundred grams of pashmina wool. And for sale, you can earn about 7 euros. You can't get much out of a yak, except its milk, and use it for the bath. A sheep neither, because its wool is not as sought after as goat's wool. Wool and milk are the only income of nomads. In the best years, the family can expect an income of about 4,000 euros gross. In my case, I have to buy fodder for the winter. To feed my cattle, I need two tons of fodder and three tons of grain. This is how we have to feed the animals in winter. At the Tibetan school of Choglamsar, a new day of study begins in mid-August. In the Himalayas, the holidays take place in winter, because of the cold. We go around the Great Chorten, a symbol of Buddhist spiritual elevation, or turn the Great Mill in prayer on the way to school. Waking up at six o'clock, young and old have a busy schedule. The day begins with an hour of study. For the youngest, it starts with prayer. Buddhism embodies all thoughts and actions on a daily basis. Before the start of classes, the schoolchildren do the housework themselves. Very young, they are already learning the daily tasks. Tashi Dolma is one of the highly motivated students, who hopes to lead a better life, less rough than that of their parents. But, daughter of a shepherd, she lacks advice and guidance, as found by one of the school's managers. There are many differences between the children of the refugee villages here and those of the Changthang camps. The main difference is that the parents have never been to school. They cannot guide their children as they should. They cannot supervise their education. The children who come from Changthang return home twice, for the summer holidays and for the long winter holidays. Also, most of the time, they stay at the village school. They are far from their parents. And of course, the children need parents around them. It's important. It's a big problem for them. In this class, classes are not in English, a language that the children already master. Even modern technologies are not foreign to Tashi Dolma. Like her classmates, she knows how to use a computer. Twice a week, the schoolchildren have a computer class. With her new knowledge, Tashi Dolma is better equipped than her parents to change their lives and evolve in modern society. Today, it's a holiday for the Tibetan community, as well as for the Ladakhpa, who wear their most beautiful traditional attire, and the welcome kathas. His Holiness the Dalai Lama does not come in person to teach wisdom, as he does everywhere in the world. The Nobel Peace Prize represents the absolute for the Tibetans, of which he is the spiritual leader. He has lived in exile in India since 1959, just like 180,000 of his compatriots. Tashi Palgore's family, like most nomads, will learn from the words of his guide. We converge from all over the Ladakh, by car or bus, especially to Freté. We leave in the middle of the night so as not to miss this meeting. For three days, up to 30,000 followers will rush to collect his teachings. The Dalai Lama delivers a message of peace and truth, in respect of the transmission of the Master to the disciples since the enlightenment of the Buddha 2,500 years ago. The Dalai Lama's message of peace and truth will be transmitted to the disciples. Returning to the Changthang, the life of the shepherds resumes its course. The work is done and the animals return to the pasture, Palkyi Dolma will take care of her home. She lights the fire in a modest furnace, a simple metal box, fed with brushwood and yak fat. In a corner, in addition, a gas stove represents a real progress. Palkyi Dolma will transform the milk, basic food, into yogurt, dried cheese and, of course, butter. The butter is beaten for a long time in a pot made of goat skin and requires a lot of energy. She works in very rudimentary conditions, sitting on the rocky ground, barely protected by a carpet. In the vicinity, under a leaden sun, Kelsang Chodon is washing near a meager stream, often dry, that crosses the camp. In this country, winter is terrible with snow and cold. The greatest difficulty for nomads is winter. From December to May, because of storms and bad pastures, men and animals can be decimated. Everything is difficult in the life of nomads. Without stopping, you have to change camps to renew pastures. Among all the refugee colonies, the nomads have the hardest existence. Palkyi Dolma makes the provision of chapati for the day, bread crumbs without salt or yeast. When her daughter watches the herds in the mountains, she has to take care of the household chores alone. Reserved, all her energy is turned to the essentials. It is only once the vital tasks are accomplished that she sacrifices to the religious. Renew the lustral water cups on the Buddha's altar and revive the flame of her beliefs. She can finally devote herself for a few minutes and make her nattos from natural wicks to the Tibetan. In this remote Shantung, there used to be no cars, solar generators, gas stoves. Today we can say that the life of the nomads has improved a bit. Now we have cars, gas stoves and solar generators. As the world is moving faster and faster, the nomads also use vehicles, occasionally of course, to make life easier. For ten years now, technology has made its appearance. Material goods that make everyday life easier when families have the means to do so. Solar generators allow them to light up, whereas before they used under the tent a smoky oil lamp, a source of pulmonary diseases. As for the car, Palki Idolma, who has the practical sense, made a cheese dryer. At Choglamsar, at 4 p.m. it is the end of the lessons. Tashi Dolma regains her lodging. A neighborhood for some 300 retirees. About twenty housewives live in nature where there was only stone desert 30 years ago. Each one houses about 15 children aged 5 to 15, placed under the direction of Lama La, their second mother. Their bags and uniforms have just been placed. The schoolchildren go to the housework. There is no maintenance staff here. From the age of 14, Tashi Dolma leads the youngest. Thus, the older ones already develop their sense of responsibility. Although narrow, flower beds are maintained and even squares of vegetables that will improve the ordinary. If the lunch is taken at the canteen, the one in the evening is taken at home. Meals they make themselves. This evening, Tashi Dolma is on duty. Before eating, we do not forget the prayer offering to the deities. At 6 p.m., the stomach is full, we dive back into the studies. It is time for homework. In the absence of the mother, it is Lopsang, the eldest of the house, who is in charge with conviction of surveillance. In these model children's villages, small and large ones flourish in a context of mutual aid of every moment. The Tibetans also practice a proven pedagogy, the Montessori method. Today is a day of commemoration. 50 years ago, the Tibetans took refuge in India. In 1959, tens of thousands of Tibetans fled the Chinese troops towards Nepal and India. This is the beginning of exile. Many left their lives there. A terrible shock for this people, which has long lived in authority, isolated from the rest of the world. Nearly 200,000 Tibetans are now scattered in India and around the world, without great hope of return. The national flag is embroidered with all the more pride that it is forbidden in Tibet. The ceremony ends with a vibrant tribute to India for its indestructible hospitality for half a century. During this time, at the camp, towards the end of summer, an important puja takes place. For two weeks, the daily life will be rhythmized by the appeals to the deities. The prayer mills will turn infinitely, breaking the usual monotony. The Ladakhpa women bring out on this occasion the perak, a heavy reptilian coiffure made of turquoise, coral, amber and silver. A treasure that is passed from mother to daughter. The family of Tashi Palgore is of course among the faithful. Three to four hours of daily prayer are dedicated while drinking tea. A puja that allows the two Ladakhpa communities and Tibetans to meet in their common faith. At the bottom of the modest chapel, some young monks lead the puja. On the last day, the presence of a Rinpoche, a very precious Tibetan master from a faraway monastery, is a real blessing for the population. Early September, the Himalayan summer course is already coming to an end. The nomads set up camp as they do seven or eight times a year in search of new pastures. The disassembly of the tents is fast. Their lean material goods are quickly assembled and are kept in the vehicle that only runs in case of need. The price of gasoline is for them dissuasive. The yaks, formerly indispensable for transport, are now reduced to unemployment. The shepherds never go very far, thirty to forty kilometers at most according to a cyclic annual route. In two days, they will find a new home for their cattle, their only wealth constantly at the center of their worries. Six months have passed. Back in winter, what have they become? We are about to face the rigors of the Himalayas while we fly over these snowy chains. The plane is the only means of communication. The two access roads to Ladakh are closed for five months. Winter without snow, for the moment. The country is very arid, but the cold is fierce in early December. In the village of children of Choglamsar, what was done by game last summer becomes a crowded winter. Fortunately, the sun is generous. The time of the big holidays is approaching. Also, we wash, we clean, we repaint everything azimuth. Early December marks the end of the school year. Three months of rest before restarting in March. We do not have the means to heat the classes when the temperature is close to minus ten degrees. In these conditions, schools are closed. In the house of Tashi Dolma, it is also the big winter cleaning before closing. Children are happy. The proximity of the holidays is probably not for nothing. Holidays during which they will meet their parents that many have not seen for six months. But before being released, schoolchildren still have to pass the final exam, which will largely condition the upper class. The sun at the rendezvous, it is in the courtyard that we will work, because it is less cold than inside. It is today that the children of the upper class return home. They take care of their last toilet made in acceptable climatic conditions. Up there, by polar temperatures, it will be a challenge. They return to their camp only twice a year. This family rupture at the age of six is not always well experienced. The journey is made by bus, five or six hours for a course of 160 kilometers. A schoolchild is not alone. He is forced to stop at more than 4,500 meters because of road widening work. The climatic conditions require permanent maintenance. Then it is the crossing of the pass at 5,300 meters, the Taglong La, the second highest carousel pass in the world. It is a chance that it is not yet obstructed by snow. Scattered in several camps difficult to spot, it will only be at night that the luckiest will find their families. They will find their parents only the next day, setting up new pastures on the edge of Tsokar, a lake at more than 4,600 meters. Winter as summer, we live under the tent. We arrive at the time so feared by the shepherds. Terrible winter, even for them, because we do not get used to the permanent cold. Minus 10 degrees during the day, minus 30 degrees, minus 40 degrees. To finish, Tachipalgor installs the prayer flag mast. The demons are defeated, the gods are winners, he claims, to get the favors of the deities. At the same time, it is still necessary to take care of the animals. There are only four herds, goats and sheep give almost no milk because of the poor quality and rarity of the vegetation. In addition, there are many small ones to feed. Less work, of course, but also much less milk, yet essential to their food balance. The aridity of the Changtang and the cold explain the lack of snow that the shepherds easily pass. Finally, the family, almost completely, meet under the tent around a welcome meal. Tashi Dolma and Sang Gye, his older brother, separated during the school year, meet. They have a lot to tell their parents. Kelsang Chodon listens while preparing the chapati. At table, yak meat is widely consumed in winter in the absence of green vegetables. Palki Dolma makes the Gour Gour Chai, the usual Tibetan tea added with butter and salt. Several dozen cups are consumed daily. The rice aside, the basic Tibetan food remains the traditional Tsampa, roasted barley flour consumed with tea. In summer, yak meat is stored in the enclosure of the animals. In winter, space must be freed. The reserves are impressive, but they will not be too much for the winter months, because there is no other fuel to heat up. In winter, it is men who take care of the water supply. The Tsokar, a clear blue in summer, is frozen for nearly a meter. An ice cube that will have to be melted and then heated while the fuel is so precious. The lake attracts wild animals, birds of course, but also kiang, kind of horses, wolves, and even snow leopards, a more and more rare species. This morning, Tashi Palgore found a dead cold goat during the night. The minus 30 degrees have been exceeded. Despite the protection of the herd, engulfed in the enclosure, it happens that an animal dies of cold. For the shepherds, it is a heavy loss, their survival depends on it. They end up under the teeth of the dogs who, at night, are fed by hungry snow. The dogs occupied elsewhere, the goats take the opportunity to finish their food. Here, all food is very coveted. The cold reigns. They freeze day and night, outside and inside. In winter, the life of the shepherds becomes survival. The herds are back. They have still traveled about twenty kilometers for a very meager food. It is useless to drag the animals in these conditions. Packed, they will better bear the night cold. It is also in winter that the goats take value by covering themselves from the end of the Pashmina bay, the mythical silk wool known as Kashmir, the main source of income of the community. The cold has not only disadvantages. An endless night falls on the Changtang. The danger roars, but the dogs watch. Curiously, the thermometer is raised during the night. The sky is covered, the snow has invited. The family tent is crowded, Karma spent the night in the beautiful star. The awakening is difficult, humid. More than the cold, it is precisely the snow that the shepherds fear the most. If it is abundant, the herds will be decimated, they will starve, unable to get their food under the frozen surface. Fortunately, it has snowed little. The shepherds are already on their way for a new and long day in search of rare grass. The snow will melt quickly under the sun. It must be said that it is the king sport in India, probably the highest playground in the world. Today, with the snow, we will even be able to collect running water after breaking the ice shell. A real meeting place, the water point is located more than one kilometer from the camp. Tashi Dolma and Sangye take part in it. In this hostile environment, mutual aid is vital. Gathered for a few weeks, Kelsang Chodon and his sister are promised a very different future. Under the tent, the temperature is negative outside the perimeter of the home. Palki Dolma rekindles once again the flame of the awakening on the hotel, where Buddha is still enthroned and of course a photo of the Dalai Lama. BUDDHISM The shepherds of the Tashi Palgor generation were born nomads, Nomads, they will end their lives. Karma will be the only one to ensure the relief, because Kelsang Chodron has just found a modest job as a milk saleswoman. For the four youngest, like those who have the opportunity to study, none wish to live a nomadic existence. Tashi Dolma already envisages a career as a nurse. Karma will be a different shepherd from his parents. If he does not know how to read or write, the mechanics have no secret for him. He knows how to use modern tools. The world is going faster and faster. An embalming that disorients the elders and gives the turn to the cattle that lose contact with the yaks' floor. Traditions that until now were maintained without hours, in accordance with the laws of nature, live a real mutation in order not to disappear. For Tashi Palgore and his people, modernity is not a vain word. It improves their daily life. This comfort includes a risk, that of losing their identity, their human values, their sense of hospitality, when the nomadic myth disappears from reality. Copyright © 2020 Mooji Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved.