This video is an interview of Dawa Yangii Sherpa talking about clothing materials.
Most people get clothing in Kathmandou. And they usually go in the winter because that is when there is wool. Also, people bring clothes to Khumjung and sell it. There is barely any back and forth trade with Tibet and Nepal. Now, factories are becoming more popular than going to a local craftsman. The clothes made in factories are at much more reasonable prices. They now use more fancy materials such as, silk and brocade.
Traditionally, clothing and costumes were made locally. But now, factories are taking the place of local craftsmen. Factories are making clothing at much more affordable prices. Because of these factories, traditional costumes and clothing are disappearing quickly. Also, there is a great amount of loss of skills and craftsmanship, and is making the community more dependent on imported substitutes. In the mountains, the climate is very cold, so clothing must be thick and warm. The clothing and costumes of the Sherpa people were/are generally made from yak and sheep wool, and colored with natural dye. The wool clothing is very thick to suit the cold environment. Some more fancy materials such as silk and brocade, are purchased from outside the Himalayan highlands. Traditional men's jackets, trousers, blouses, and shoes are rarely made at home now. The uses of traditional clothing are being confined to a few ceremonial occasions. Some of the only people that still wear traditional clothing, are women, monks, and nuns. They wear traditional dresses and robes. The traditional clothing and costumes of the Sherpa are being outdone by imported, factory made clothing.
Picture:Women in traditional clothing from www.sherpayidug.com
Sherpa Jewelry Sherpa Jewelry is very different from the way it is here. There are much more options here, than Nepal. There is the apron buckle. They call this a Kyetig. It is a silver buckle that women use to hold the back and the front of their aprons. On these buckles are various symbols. Then there is the Chhuruk. This word means coral. Old Tibetan coral beads are strung onto a necklace. It’s color ranges from white to red. Also, there is the TikTik. This a traditional Sherpa necklace worn on a womens neck for special occasions. Matil, are womens bracelets made of different materials. Such as gold, silver, and glass. Lastly, there is a Alung. This is a men’s earing. These earrings are made of gold and they have turquoise or coral insets. They are usually in circular designs. These earrings are very heavy! Similarily, Maali is a kind of womens earrings designed after the earrings worn by hindu women. These are just some kinds of jewelry worn by Sherpa women and men.
Sherpa Hats
The Sherpa Culture has hats for highly ranked religious men. The first one is the tsezha, this is the ceremonial hat of the monks. This hat is a yellow felt hat. It reseambles a cock's comband is used during religious events. There are different versions of this hat for higher and lower ranks. Next, is the peering. The pering is worn by senior abbots during main religious events. It got it's name in Ancient India. They had debates and the loser of the debate had to convert religions. One day, the Buddist group designed a hat looking like the female reproductive system. When they got to the debate the other team was so puzzled and disturbed they lost the debate. Since then it is worn as a sign of victory. Next, is the shahag. It is a black hat worn by tantric priests. Worn during Mani Rindup and Dumchi festivals. It got it's name in Ancient Tibet. There was an evil king named Lang Dharma. He ws against Buddhism. Upon his head he had a horn of flesh. Whenever he had his hair done or styled he killed the man who did it. One day a tantric priest went to his palace and preformed for him a dance wearing this hat. This hat was connected to a scarf, under the scarf there was a bow and arrow. In the middle of the dance the priest brought out the bow and arrow and shot the king. These hats are now worn during important religious festivals. The Sherpa culture had many different types of shoes in the past.
Picture: Lang Dharma from www.friends-of-tibet.org.nz
Sherpa Shoes
The Sherpa cultre had many different types of shoes in the past. One shoe was the Kacha. The Kacha was made up of buffalo hide and soft, dry grass. These shoes were home- made and a commonly worn shoe in the Sherpa culture. Although they had been making these shoes for years, Kacha has completely disappeared when Western-made clothing becam more available to the Sherpas. Another shoe was called the lhaam. Lhaam means a monk’s boot. This boot is made with, leather soles, it also has pointed ends. This particular type of shoe was worn by monks and lamas. Another type of boot is the Zompa. Zompa is a boot made of multiple layers of felt. It is also made with embroidered uppers. This boot is worn by both men and women. Lastly, there is the Kosil. Kosil are boots with a felt sole. It also includes leather edging, as well as embroidered cloth. Kosil has high fabric uppers that would be need to be tied at the top. This shoe is mainly worn by men and women. The past shoes of the Sherpa culture have many similarities and differences.
Questions:
1. Do they still get silk and other fancy materials from over the Himaleyan mountains?
2. Do they still put grass in their shoes?
3. What factory/factories is/are the new clothes coming from?
Sherpa Clothing and Costumes
Lauren Bristow, Olivia Carey, Flissy Ford, Madeline Kaller
Dawa Yangii Sherpa Interview: Clothing materials and trade from Dream Flag Project on Vimeo.
VIDEO:
This video is an interview of Dawa Yangii Sherpa talking about clothing materials.
Most people get clothing in Kathmandou. And they usually go in the winter because that is when there is wool. Also, people bring clothes to Khumjung and sell it. There is barely any back and forth trade with Tibet and Nepal. Now, factories are becoming more popular than going to a local craftsman. The clothes made in factories are at much more reasonable prices. They now use more fancy materials such as, silk and brocade.
Traditionally, clothing and costumes were made locally. But now, factories are taking the place of local craftsmen. Factories are making clothing at much more affordable prices. Because of these factories, traditional costumes and clothing are disappearing quickly. Also, there is a great amount of loss of skills and craftsmanship, and is making the community more dependent on imported substitutes. In the mountains, the climate is very cold, so clothing must be thick and warm. The clothing and costumes of the Sherpa people were/are generally made from yak and sheep wool, and colored with natural dye. The wool clothing is very thick to suit the cold environment. Some more fancy materials such as silk and brocade, are purchased from outside the Himalayan highlands. Traditional men's jackets, trousers, blouses, and shoes are rarely made at home now. The uses of traditional clothing are being confined to a few ceremonial occasions. Some of the only people that still wear traditional clothing, are women, monks, and nuns. They wear traditional dresses and robes. The traditional clothing and costumes of the Sherpa are being outdone by imported, factory made clothing.Picture:Women in traditional clothing from www.sherpayidug.com
Sherpa Jewelry
Sherpa Jewelry is very different from the way it is here. There are much more options here, than Nepal. There is the apron buckle. They call this a Kyetig. It is a silver buckle that women use to hold the back and the front of their aprons. On these buckles are various symbols. Then there is the Chhuruk. This word means coral. Old Tibetan coral beads are strung onto a necklace. It’s color ranges from white to red. Also, there is the TikTik. This a traditional Sherpa necklace worn on a womens neck for special occasions. Matil, are womens bracelets made of different materials. Such as gold, silver, and glass. Lastly, there is a Alung. This is a men’s earing. These earrings are made of gold and they have turquoise or coral insets. They are usually in circular designs. These earrings are very heavy! Similarily, Maali is a kind of womens earrings designed after the earrings worn by hindu women. These are just some kinds of jewelry worn by Sherpa women and men.
Sherpa Hats
The Sherpa Culture has hats for highly ranked religious men. The first one is the tsezha, this is the ceremonial hat of the monks. This hat is a yellow felt hat. It reseambles a cock's comband is used during religious events. There are different versions of this hat for higher and lower ranks. Next, is the peering. The pering is worn by senior abbots during main religious events. It got it's name in Ancient India. They had debates and the loser of the debate had to convert religions. One day, the Buddist group designed a hat looking like the female reproductive system. When they got to the debate the other team was so puzzled and disturbed they lost the debate. Since then it is worn as a sign of victory. Next, is the shahag. It is a black hat worn by tantric priests. Worn during Mani Rindup and Dumchi festivals. It got it's name in Ancient Tibet. There was an evil king named Lang Dharma. He ws against Buddhism. Upon his head he had a horn of flesh. Whenever he had his hair done or styled he killed the man who did it. One day a tantric priest went to his palace and preformed for him a dance wearing this hat. This hat was connected to a scarf, under the scarf there was a bow and arrow. In the middle of the dance the priest brought out the bow and arrow and shot the king. These hats are now worn during important religious festivals. The Sherpa culture had many different types of shoes in the past.
Picture: Lang Dharma from www.friends-of-tibet.org.nz
Sherpa Shoes
The Sherpa cultre had many different types of shoes in the past. One shoe was the Kacha. The Kacha was made up of buffalo hide and soft, dry grass. These shoes were home- made and a commonly worn shoe in the Sherpa culture. Although they had been making these shoes for years, Kacha has completely disappeared when Western-made clothing becam more available to the Sherpas. Another shoe was called the lhaam. Lhaam means a monk’s boot. This boot is made with, leather soles, it also has pointed ends. This particular type of shoe was worn by monks and lamas. Another type of boot is the Zompa. Zompa is a boot made of multiple layers of felt. It is also made with embroidered uppers. This boot is worn by both men and women. Lastly, there is the Kosil. Kosil are boots with a felt sole. It also includes leather edging, as well as embroidered cloth. Kosil has high fabric uppers that would be need to be tied at the top. This shoe is mainly worn by men and women. The past shoes of the Sherpa culture have many similarities and differences.
Questions:
1. Do they still get silk and other fancy materials from over the Himaleyan mountains?
2. Do they still put grass in their shoes?
3. What factory/factories is/are the new clothes coming from?