Astee's memoir: Deep into the Lhop valley (Memories from an excursion to the Doya museum)

The lack of writing culture has left us with a few pictures, some utensils, a handful of household and hunting items and nothing else to keep us thinking and still thinking. Here are some memoirs from a trip to the LHOP (Doya) Land this weekend:-

http://asteesmemoir.blogspot.com/2015/08/amo-chu-and-her-ecosystem-doyas-in-focus.html (visit here for more information on the Lhops)

Deep in the lhop land with traditional lhop house in the background...

This is the food prepared for the dead members during the burials

Maize the main cereal in different stages with grander in the background

This is ROMBO/Rombu the grave yard. The lhops bury their dead member in a stone wall with fencing and roofs for protection. its believed that the most dear ones are buried nearer to home and if smell from the rot comes home its believed to be a blessing for the family

These are Rombus and the ones with roof and fencing are the recent ones.

He's Passang Dendup Doya a Tarayana volunter operating the lhop community Radio.

A little amount they charge for the announcement in the radio.

This is how Doya/Lhop men use to dress

View of Lhop village from a roadside

My students entering the Lhop Museum

A better view of the Lhop museum that displays lhop lifestyles and photos

this is the view of a typical stove and utensils used by the Lhops

Mr. Sangay Khandu a teacher posing over lhop stove..

This is an aged graveyard. when the Lhops die, a share of their belongings including grains, money,jewellery and everything they are entitled to during their life should be buried with them. Therefore its said that people trend to break into their Rombu for jewelries and money

they call it a chungchu, used for storing their utensels and meat items at times

The picture shows a roster head being offered to appease the deities. its believed that the roster should face Dechenphug as a reverence to Zhabdrung Rinpoche.