Guest
John Bishop and Naomi Bishop present a portrait a peculiar life style of the Himalayan indigenous Sherpa people in their documentary , the Himalayan Herders. The 76 minutes long film is about the diverse culture and life style of herders community near Mt. Everest region of film was made in 1997 as a part of Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology Series. Popularly called as mountain people, the Sherpas, specially of Yolmo region in Solu-Khumbu live a traditional life style, defined and marginalized by their values and legacy. Mountain is a tough place to survive and for the poor villagers its hard to cope with the extremeness of climate and culture. In the Yolmo region, life is busy herding the yaks and cultivating seasonal crops like “kodo” and “Fapaar”. The herders community of Yolmo region are perfect example of transhumant nomadic agro-pastoralism. The very well exemplifies the adaptation process of human race with both culture and nature. They live a poor and rural life,living in small huts “gode“(made up of bamboo) or “Pathi” (made up of stone). The livestocks are Yaks, sheep and Zomo (hybrid of cow and Yak) and are sources of income, means of travel and symbol of richness in the society. Culturally, they practice Tibetan Buddhism but more than a religion, their culture is prescribed and modified to their life need which is continuing from ages. Herders of Yolmo region have transformed their living and culture.
