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Williams College

Publication Date

Fall 2018

Program Name

Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

Abstract

Tsum Valley is on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It exists as a border land and a trekking trail and a home. Despite its label as a “Hidden Himalayan Valley,” Tsum is currently undergoing changes that make it increasingly connected to the globalized world. I set out to study and learn weaving in Tsum. I dispersed within my account of learning the craft with scenes from everyday life to better understand how weaving and production of the chu pa fits into work, family, economy and community. For my study I stayed in one home in Lamaguan, Upper Tsum to understand how much a small family unit and local community could be redefining the space between what is considered old, new; local, foreign. In the end, I wanted to present an account of what I saw and what my typical day was like. I fought the impulse to label what I saw in Tsum, therefore I do not provide any analysis. In the end, I have a collection of stories, information, instructions, and a diary all wrapped up in one account of life from within my adopted family.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Family, Life Course, and Society | Sociology of Culture

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