Scholarships

Scholarships! Yes, great things, and something I am definitely depending on. Money is certainly tight when it is costing about 13,000 dollars for my husband and I to go to Bylakuppe, India. I have been working long hours when I probably shouldn't be because I have been sick but you do what you gotta do. Last week I found out that I can now qualify for the half tuition scholarship for spring and summer terms. BYU requires a transfer student to attend the school a year before academic scholarships can be received and I finally hit that mark. I was already budgeting the scholarship because I thought I would get it but now it is absolutely in the picture now.

I started filling out the Field Studies scholarship today and I feel like I am lacking substantial answers to receive funding. For example, how will this experience fit with your major/minor or career goals? I am not exactly sure. I don't know how to apply this to an Exercise Science major. I choose this project because it was interesting and I have fulfilled all my electives previous to this project. I hope that it will be beneficial as being a mother and wife in being able to garden organically and provide various fruits and vegetables that can sustain my family to some extent but that won't be for a while. I am hoping that a 6.35 GPA will help get me a substantial scholarship because who can seriously beat that?!





Ok, maybe I'm not that smart....Beau got home and I was showing him my scholarship application and he caught my 6.35 GPA. I would have never realized it. I am slightly dyslexic especially when it comes to numbers. So, maybe I have a 3.65 GPA and I don't have a great reason to do my project other than to be with my husband but that is okay with me. I am excited to be with the Tibetan people and learn about how they learned to farm in India. I am excited to talk with Tenzin Damdul, the manager of the Organic Research and Training Center, and expereience everything Bylakuppe has to offer.

Tibet's Geography and Agriculture

Shen, T.H. "Agricultural Resources of China". Cornell University Press: Ithaca, New York. 1951. Print

Shen talks just briefly of the pasture lands of Tibet. He explains them as being rugged, desolate, and barren. Most of the land is wasteland and the rest is meager grazing land. There are very limited agricultural sections. Vegetables can be grown at the bases of the highlands, and barlely and grasses at higher elevations. Food produced there is not sufficent for the populations and depends to some extent on imports through caravan routes.
This kind of information is key in comparing farming in India and the changes and adjustments they have had to make to farm in India. Rain in Tibet is between 300- 600mm while in Bylakuppe it rains approximately 35in just in the summer.

Plant Monographs

Kriechbaum, Kletter. "Tibetan Medicinal Plants". Medpharm: Boca Raton, Florida. 2001. Print.

The author gives a brief history of Tibetan medicine, medicine in exile, diet, plants, and fundamentals of collecting, storing and using the plants. Kriechbaum goes on to give plant monographs of over 50 medicinal plants. This article will be very benificial in finding out the uses of various medicinal plants and Tibetan medicine in excile as it applies to my Cultural History of Medicinal Plants in Bylakuppe, India.

My Bylakuppe Gatekeeper!!!!!

After contacting the Himalayan Institute on facebook and having them refer me to a guy, Mr. Abella, the manager of Global Humanitarian projects for the Himalayan Institute, and then he referring me to Mr Damdul, manager or the Organic Research and Training Center in Bylakuppe, I finally made my first Tibetan contact. After writing a brief email explaining that my husband and I are going to Bylakuppe for the summer for me to study agriculture and him music I received the most exciting response, if only I had this response earlier. He kindly explained the need for a Protected Area Permit, which I already knew about, and strongly suggested that the information listed should be for religious purposes in order for the Indian Government to pass it easily. More importantly, Mr. Damdul happily shares that they are more than willing to share information they have learned and experienced with organic farming and that maybe they can learn from me as well. I don't know if I will have much to share as I will be able to use my time to volunteer for them and learn from them. I did send a letter back of gratitude and asking a few more questions about volunteering for them bu I have yet to receive a response.

Having a gatekeeper is comforting. I now know that I will have at least some kind of access to farming information and very important information that is. This organization, the Organic Research and Training Center, is becoming more and more important as I see how much they have helped the community just by teaching the people farming techniques. Once I arrive in Bylakuppe I plan on making contact with Mr. Damdual and going on with my project from there.

Transformations of Tibetan Medicine

Janes, Craig R. "The Transformations of Tibetan Medicine". Medical Anthropology Quarterly. 1995. 9(1): 6-29

This aritcle presents a cultural and historical analysis of 20th century Tibetan medicine. While Tibetan medicine has acceeded instituational modernitity through transformations in theory, pactice and methods for training they have not yielded completly to the Chinese state moderization policies. This article will be very benificial in writing my preliminary report for my Cultural History of Medicinal Plants in Bylakupe paper. I understand that practices and methods do change with time and this paper will be able to outline this for me.

Gatekeepers

As part of my journal today I decided to find some people to contact in Bylakuppe that could help me find an opportunity serve on the farms. Though many of the email address I found were old I did find a few that may be able to help. One of the organizations I emailed was the Himalayan Insitiute. They are based in Pensyvaniya but have helped in several Tibetan communities all over India, particularly Bylakuppe and Rabgayling. One  of there projects is to build trees to help return chemically damaged soil to its organic state.


They have also played a part in helping diversify crops on the plantations. I hope that by contacting them I can find more specific information out about where I can help on these diversified plantations and that they can help me contact individuals that can build my rapport in the community.

One of the other organiaztions I contacted was the Bylakuppe Settlement office which is connected to the Central Tibetan Relief Commitee. They play a  key role in training and demonstrating orgainc farming  in over 10 Tibetan Refugee communities. "In each settlement one or two agriculture extensionists organize trainings and assist the farmers to adopt several organic techniques, which include both traditional and modern practices.

• Soil fertility is maintained by appropriate crop rotation, green manures, cover crops, application of compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, and traditional preparations like jeevamruth and panchagav.
• Pests and diseases are controlled through the application of home-made leaf extracts, integrated by purchased biopesticides whenever necessary.
• Biodynamic methods have been introduced and are increasingly popular among farmers."http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

As I get in contact with these different organizations I can a hoping I can gain access to farms in Bylakuppe and individuals that I may interview. I want to gain rapport with  the Tibetan refugees so that I can become involved in farming in Bylakuppe. As I gain more and  more contacts I can recieve access to the farms thourgh gatekeepers.

Project Background

As part of my project in India I had to research background information to purpose why my project would be beneficial. A I wrote it really made be begin to think about the how I am going to approach asking my questions. Using my annotated sources I was able to come up with the following: 

“The Tibetan culture will never die,” says Collen McKnown, an avid researcher and journalist for the Tibet Post International (McKnown. CST. 2011). In 1959 the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan citizens fled to India to escape the Chinese invasion (United State Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2003). Previous to moving to India, the Tibetan people’s main industry was animal husbandry and herding.  Now that Tibetan citizens no longer have the expansive land required for herding they have had to learn how to farm on the limited land offered by the Indian government.  I propose to study this transition- study how Tibetan refugees have learned to farm on India’s soil.

In Tibet families were able to provide organic crops for their own family. Though the plot of land was modest they were able to have a well balanced diet based mainly off of meat then followed by barley and seasonal crops. In India land is more space than in Tibet so the Tibetan refugees had to accommodate to farming on little land. At this point they were still farming organically as they had done in Tibet. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the green revolution began in India and the Tibetan communities caught on as well. Fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation and high-yield seeds became popular because the amount of crops that could be harvested and exported. In 2002 the Dalai Lama made a statement encouraging a balanced and healthy diet (Central Tibetan Administration. 2012).  The objectives of Dalai Lama’s organic farming policy as stated by the Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives in India Ltd. is as follows:

• “To protect, preserve and rejuvenate the environment and biodiversity.
• To offer assistance and support to the international movement against consumerism. More specifically by persistently opposing the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hybrid and genetically engineered seeds, etc.
• To make future Tibet is a storehouse of organic grains to the rest of the world.
• To achieve sustainable livelihood in the Tibetan settlements in India by turning the present agriculture land holding into a source of sustainable income generation.
• To achieve in making organic farming, animal husbandry and other allied activities as remunerative opportunities. Thereby we can encourage the educated Tibetan youth to live in settlements.” (Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives Ltd. 2009)

Bylakuppe has taken these objectives seriously and started to apply them to the community almost immediately. In 2002 the Tibetan Farm Project, an 80 acre plot of land dedicated to farming, transitioned to completely organic farming because of the Dalai Lama’s call to produce healthy organic food just as they did in Tibet. Bylakuppe is the largest Tibetan refugee settlements in India and is the sixth largest organic farming community in India(Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives. 2009). As part of my study I would like to learn how they made the adjustment from the green revolution to being an organic farm.

The Organic Research and Training Center in Bylakuppe has played a key role in educating the community about organic farming.  They have trained Tibetan exiles on the Tibetan Farm Project to rotate crops, create natural composts, and construct proper irrigation systems utilizing India’s vastly different environment (Himalayan Institute. 2011).  While all this talk of organic farming, pesticide free, and feeding the whole world is great talk there are still many concerns and problems that have to be confronted. Lobsang Chodack, a family farmer from Mundgod (the largest Tibetan organic farm community), emphasizes his concerns with organic farming stating that it requires more paid help to take care of the farm and much less product is produced than from fertilized farms. In order to maintain his organic farm teak trees must surround his farm in order to keep the cows out; the soil must be a mixture of 5kg cow dung, 1kg cow urine, and 1 kg jiggery to detract pests and still pests attack his crops somehow (McKown. Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers. 2011). Chodack shows that on his farm alone he is confronted with three specific challenges that conflicts with the Tibetan organic farming objectives. First, he is not producing a large enough crop to contribute to the storehouse of organic grains for the world. Pests are invading his crop causing  small harvests. Secondly, because pests still invade his farm even when using natural pesticides it makes it difficult to remain resistant to chemical fertilizers and pesticides because it is either lose your whole harvest or use fertilizers. Lastly, since Chodack needs extra assistance on the farm resist the pests it does not provide a sustainable income due to the loss of income to pay for the helpers. As a result of all this Tibetan youth do no find farming as a sustainable enough income to remain on the settlements (McKown.CST. 2011). Although this is in different community, I expect similar problems to be occurring in Bylakuppe. In interviewing farmers I would like to know the depth of these problems on an individual and societal level and also learn if there are other challenges specific to Bylakuppe.

      Stu Nicholls reports a brief history of Bylakuppe in which he discusses the difficulties of sustaining a family solely off of farming. Most original families have a small crop of land for agricultural use but due to the lack of irrigation facilities families have to engage in other activities such as trading, restaurants, shop keeping, etc. (Nicholls. 2011). To help with sustaining farms in Bylakuppe the Dickey Larsoe Co-operative Society Ltd. was installed to help with loaning seeds, fertilizers, urea, and other agricultural inputs on a credit basis. As a result the farmers are obligated to return agricultural products to the Dickey Larsoe Co-operative Society Ltd. warehouses where they can sell the products to open markets for gain. There is lack of further information on how this cooperation is currently being used. I hope to find out more information while I am in India.

 The growing concern among the younger generations of Tibetans in Mundgod is that farming is no longer a profitable occupation as exemplified by Chodack. As a solution the Central Tibetan Administration advises farmers to farm cash crops such as alphonso mango, coconut, cashews, and amla to boost farmers’ gain. Still young Tibetans desire to grow up and become doctors, nurses, and dentists which puts the older generation of Tibetans in fear of their children forgetting their culture (McKown.CST. 2011).

            Though there have been many implemented plans by the Dalai Lama, the Central Tibetan Administration, and the Federal Tibetan Co-Operative there are still many struggles with adapting. By going to Bylakuppe, a prime opportunity for interviewing and observation, I will be able to interview individuals like Chodack so see their experiences and how they have progressively learned and become better at their trade. By observing and meeting the the Organic Research and Training Center I hope to be able to assist in their objectives in training and assisting individual farms and farmers produce a good harvest that can sustain themselves. I also plan on looking at the Dickey Larsoe Co-Operative Society to observe how they are benefiting the community and expanding the farming community. Through each of these ideas I propose to observed how the Tibetan Refugees have adjusted and learned to farming on India’s soil.

Works Cited

United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. India: Information on Tibetan refugees and settlements, 30 May 2003, IND03002.ZNY. < http://www.unhcr.org/

refworld/docid/3f51f90821.html>. Accessed 24 February 2012

Xu, Jianchu; Yang, Yong; Li, Zhuoqing; Tashi, Nyima; Sharma, Rita; Fang, Jing. “Understanding Land Use, Livelihoods, and Health Transtion among Nomads: A Case of Gangga Township Dingri County, Tibetan Autonomous Region of China.” EcoHealth. 5,104-114 (2008).

 Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives. Untitled Document. 2009. <http://www.ftci.co.in/

consolidated-information-on-15-member-coop-socities.htm>. Accessed 20 February 2010.

Central Tibetan Administration. Department of Home: Central Tibetan Administration. “Agriculture: Tibetan Organic Farming.” 2012. Web. 10 January 2012. http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives Ltd. Tibetan Organic. 2009. <http://www.ftci.co.in

/F41923/tibetan_organic.html>. Accessed 20 February 2010.

Himalayan Institiute. “Bylakuppe Settlement.” 2011. <http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/

            humanitarian/tibetan-settlements/bylakuppe-settlement/>. Accessed 19 February 2010.

McKown, Colleen. “Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern”. The Tibet Post International. 29 Sept 2011.

McKown, Colleen. “CST Pricipal and Students on Changing Times, Tibetan Identity”. The Tibet Post International. 26 September 2011.

Nicholls, Stu. Central Tibetan Admistration: Department of Home “A Brief Story of Lugsung Samdupling, Bylakuppe, Karnataka State.” 2011. <http://ctrc.tibet.net/

settlements/india/south/lugsam.html>. Accessed 20 February 2012.

http://tdlsociety.com/tractor_Section.aspx

Celiac Disease vs. Tibetan Staple Foods

Growing up I never had any allergies or health problems until I hit 18. I was working at Marie Calenders where I would eat a piece of toast everyday which shouldn't have changed anything because that is probably what I would have eaten at home. As a few months went by I go really sick. I was constantly tiered, I experienced extremely irregular menstrual period, and I was very weak. After 1 month of doctors visits I realized that I had celiac disease.

My dad and a couple great aunts and uncles have it but I never dreamt that I would have it. I was never officially diagnosed with it because I decided that paying hundreds of dollars to see an experienced pathologist was not worth the price. I feel perfect when I am on the diet but the moment I eat gluten I am tired and restless.

When I went home this last time I talked to my uncle Walter about it, who has severe celiac disease. He told me that he has been told he has it and that he doesn't. Only expert pathologists can identify Celiac Disease which makes sense why my primary care physician couldn't figure out what was going on.

I have planned many times to go off the diet but going to Bylakuppe has made it difficult. I know that if I go on the diet perfectly I will get very sick when I have to eat food in Bylakuppe. Ever since I found out the staple food of India was barley I didn't know what to do. In my research I found that Tibetan Refugee women consume approximately 477.8 grams cereal a day which consists of barley and wheat (ie. tsampa and momos). Although I may feel the effects I am hoping that by still eating gluten every once in while will lessen the effects that I feel while I am there. If at all possible I hope to remain on my diet but considering that I don't have a whole lot of choice in what my host family feeds me I doubt it will be possible. The best I can do is deal with the problem and remain on my diet when I return back home.

Methodology

           The main goal or purpose in going to Bylakuppe India is to study agriculture and farming of the Tibetan exiles. My questions that I would like to explore are: How have the Tibetans in Bylakuppe learned to farm on India's soil? What kind of problems they have confronted (ex: pesticides and fungus)? My methodology for researching these qestions are as follows:

Plan for entry and building rapport

            Previous to arrival I am planning on contacting the Organic Research and Training Center within the Himalayan Institute and make contacts. I am hoping that they can help me with a non-profit job or refer me to other people within the community. I would like to be able to work on the farms so that I can learn how it functions and it will also help become acquainted with people I can interview.

Description of Informants

            I am planning on contacting individuals within the Organic Research and Training Center and interviewing those who are involved with its functions and teaching. I would like to interview Tibetan refugees who work on the Tibetan Farm Project, those who run the farm, and those who purchase products from organic farms.

Plan for sampling and recruitment

            I will include Tibetan refugee farmers, trainers, and merchants who work and sell organic farm products. I plan on recruiting people by building rapport in the community and being interested in what they teach me. By working on farms I hope to become acquainted with individuals who can recommend me to other individuals.

Description of Method

            As I am out in the field I plan to work on the farms and in the market. I want to observe and learn how farmers maintain the organic environment while resisting pesticides, how they prune and care for plants to prepare for a greater harvest, and how irrigation works on the farms. By learning this information I hope to build contacts and interview various individuals about how they have learned to do what they do. I also want to interview individuals that have lived in Tibet and come to India to learn how the farming industry compares and contrasts. I would like to know the struggles, how they progressed, and how they continue to advance. Through informal interviewing I hope to become acquainted with the farms and through semi-formal interviewing I would like to learn how the Tibetan refugees have come to learn to farm on India’s soil.

            A few possible interview questions include:

·         When did you begin farming?

·         What is a typical day like on the farm?

·         What parts of farming are difficult?

·         Has the farming industry changed since you began?

·         How were you taught to farm?

·         Was learning a difficult process?

·         How does the monsoon affect the harvest?

·         What seasons do you plant certain crops?

·         How do you maintain the health of the soil?

·         What do you believe your connection to the earth?

·         How important is it for you to involve your children in farming?

Macy's Participant Observation

   

For my methods practice 3 I choose do a participant observation at Macy’s, one of Provo’s local grocery stores, on Saturday night. Originally I was planning to do it at a Mexican Market so I would be able to experience not being able to understand anyone, or at least very little, but I wanted to be able to observe how popular organic produce is so I chose Macy’s. When I first arrived I made a list of all the organic produce provided in the produce area and compared it to non-organic produce. The results are as follows:

Organic                 Non-Organic Fuji Apples………$2.19/lbs……………….$1.69/lbs Blueberries……..$4.99/6 oz……………..$3.69/6 oz Avocados…………$1.29 each…………….$1.29each Baby Carrots…….$1.99/lbs………………$1.59/lbs Cucumbers………$1.29/lbs……………….$0.59 each Tomatoes………..$2.99/pint…………….$1.29/pint Celery………………$2.99/lbs……………….$1.99/lbs Salad………………..$3.99/5 oz…………….$2.99/ 5 oz Mushrooms…….$3.29/8 oz……………..$2.19/ 8 oz

 

                I was very surprised with my discoveries because a couple of the produce prices were not that different as in the case of the avocados and the baby carrots (which were $0.10 cheaper organically because they were on sale for $1.49). As I observed how people chose their produce I kept an eye out for who bought produce. In the hour that I was there I observed six individuals approach and purchase organic products out of approximately 100 individuals. These individuals, who picked out produce, were usually young or middle age women and about half were Asians. I don’t know if this is just by chance or if they just try to eat healthier but that is what I observed. I watched as women, husband and wives, and a couple families walked through to purchase a selection of produce. One family, consisting of a mother and husband and son, were walking through, the husband and son were on their cell phones while the mom picked out the food. Pretty typical, I would say. There were very few men by themselves picking out produce and most, that I observed, where older men (probably above 50 years). The ratio of women to men in the produce area was approximately 10: 3 in the time I was there. There were two male clerks stocking bananas and salad while were there. The man stocking bananas had mentioned to one of the customers that bananas go really fast on Saturdays so he is always stocking them.

I was thinking of the way I buy things when I am at the store and then comparing it to the way other chose their produce. I am one to compare prices of items I want and may need and then decide what I will buy for the week. I usually make my grocery list based on what items are for sale or may be a little cheaper. I usually take my time at the grocery store making the produce section my first stop so that I can chose what I want from there and base my meals off of it. Individuals I saw walk through there went directly for an item debated which one looked the tastiest, bagged it up and when to choose the next item on their list. There wasn’t much price comparing going on. The customers generally knew exactly what they wanted, which you could tell by the look on their face and there “don’t get in my way” type of walk.  It was the same thing in the organic section. If someone wanted organic items they knew it. They would walk straight there, pick the item they wanted and leave. There were very few who actually do what I do. I began to wonder whether location of store items affect what people purchase. Would people look more at organic items if they were right next to the non-organic equivalent? The way the store was set up the organic items were more difficult to find because they were off in the corner where apples and oranges, bananas, and potatoes all had their own table to be displayed. Is it done this way because it has been tested that these have always been purchased the most, therefore, you have it on its own table easily displayed because a lot of people will purchase these items? Is it possible that if they displayed their organic produce in a more noticeable spot that more people would purchase them?

                Lastly, I wanted to observe how the produce area was decorated and designed.  The produce area was located in the back right corner of the store. Brightly colored decorations hung from the ceiling and bright fruits and vegetables were painted around the area. The vegetables lined the outer edge of the area where they could be kept moist by the misting heads while apples, bananas, ground vegetables and several other items were stacked on the center produce racks. The brighter fruits and vegetables were scattered throughout the area maybe to help catch people’s attention. There was a rack of seeds in the area for those who would like to grow their own vegetables. I found this interesting because I don’t often see this in a grocery store or maybe I just never observed it.

                This whole experience was very interesting to me. It makes me wonder how it will be different in Bylakuppe. I imagine there will be more organic crops with how big organic farming is there. As I continue this same project in Bylakuppe I hope that I will be able to first observe how things work and then maybe talk to a store clerk. At Macy’s I was able to talk to a clerk for a little while. He was getting curious about what we were doing so I explained that it was for a school project. He mentioned that some stores have scouts come out and compare prices to other stores and he thought we may be doing that. Other than him we didn’t have people getting suspicious of anything because the turnover rate in the produce area was about every 10 minutes. This made me realize that although I probably don’t need to explain to customers about my studies but I should probably mention it to the store owner or manager so that I don’t seem suspicious of anything strange.

Mundgod: Mini Tibet

The last article I read " Mundgod's Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern" really cemented or, at least, made me more confident on what I want to research. I love the personality of the paper  even though it may not go as deep into the topic as I plan on going. I keep on being tossed back an forth on how much farming actually happened in Tibet.

This article made it clear that it was little and of the farming done it was mostly family farms. In Tibet they did have pesticides so they just maintained natural organic farming. Once they were exiled to India they immediately were taught about pesticides and they became widely used. Now the Dalai Lama is highly advising against it because organic foods are healthier for the body.

Over the years Mundgod has become known as a "Mini Tibet". Mundgod is a showcase of Tibetan culture and life style. It is considered to be one of the largest Tibetan settlements. Its main industry is agriculture but this may change as it continues to transition from a traditional society into modernity. If it is possible I would like to visit Mundgood to see the differences between Bylakuppe and Mundgod. From the readings it seems as though Bylakuppe's farms are more governmentally controlled where Mundgod seems more family oriented but I guess I will never really know until I can see for myself.

Mundgod Tibetan Settlement

McKown, Colleen. “Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern”. The Tibet Post International. 29 Sept 2011.

This article discusses concerns with farming and organic farming, the monsoon, and having the future generation continue the farming tradition. In Mundgod, a Tibetan settlement about seven hours south of Bylakuppe, there are nine camps six of which are fully organic. The Dalai Lama expresses the importance of producing organically, just like they did in Tibet, in order for good, healthy food. Lobsang Chodack from camp eight emphasizes his concerns with organic farming stating that it requires more paid help to take care of the farm and much less product is produced. In order to maintain his organic farm teak trees must surround his farm in order to keep the cows out; the soil must be a mixture of 5kg cow dung, 1kg cow urine, and 1 kg jiggery to detract pests and still pests attack his crops somehow. The Central Tibetan Administration is beginning to advise farmers to grow cash crops such as alphonso mango, coconut, cashews, and amla to boost farmers gain. There is a roaming fear that the younger generation will not keep the family tradition. The younger generations are leaving the farm to the parents care and Lobsang believes the only way to keep them involved is to gravitate towards modern technology. Lastly the monsoons of the last few years have been unpredictable so it is impossible to know how to protect the crops. My questions are if they could predict the weather how would it change farming techniques? Would location be different? Does the future generation plan on eventually continuing the farm? If so, will they continue organic farming?

Yamaguchi, Takayoshi. “Transition of Mountain Pastoralism: An Agrodiversity Analysis of the Livestock Population and Herding Strategies in Southeast Tibet, China”.  Human Ecology (2011). 39:141-145

In this paper Yamaguchi discusses his findings of the current status of mountain pastoralism and its future viability. In the past vertical mobile grazing was typical but as social, economic and political changes are occurring in Southeast Tibet so do modes of grazing.  Through analyzing rangeland environment, livestock variety, and grazing form it made it possible to look at livestock distribution. Yamaguchi states that his purpose is to evaluate the relationship between rangeland policy and the actual situation in the environment.  In the research conducted management diversity, agro-biodiversity, biophysical diversity and organization diversity were all taken into consideration. Yamaguchi also looked at the number of households engaged in mobile pastoralism in 1983, 1990, and 2003. This information will help supply the data needed to look at the difference from when mobile pastoralism was more of a government mandated job or community job than a family household based job. In conclusion, data showed that grazing was shifting from mobile pastoralism to sedentary forms of farming. Animal husbandry is dying out and farming is becoming more prevalent than in the past.  In the Southeastern Tibetan communities observed it was shown that families will resort to trading butter for their herds grazing on the neighbors property. It is being shown that milking yaks can be more profitable than eating the animals.

As I read this study I began to realize how much animal husbandry was previously a part of Tibet. Farming was not profitable in the past but now it is becoming more and more popular. Understanding this makes it understandable why Tibetan refugees had to be taught and trained how to work the soil in India. By going to Bylakuppe I hope learn the process that they had to go through to learn farming techniques.

Proxemics and Kinesics

Today I am leaving to go home for my brothers wedding. I am beyond ecstatic. I get to see all my nieces and nephew, my mom and dad, and I guess I am pretty excited to see my siblings. As I was getting my suitcase packed I started to let my mind wonder about proxemics and kinesics. I started to think about where my boundaries are and how I respond to someone who stands to close or touches to much. I don't think I have a reaction other than, "Oh, that was nice". A friend of mine just got back from Jordan in December. When he returned he taught Beau and I to kiss once on the right cheek and three times on the left. Most people, I would say, consider this kind of strange in the US. I feel perfectly comfortable with it. One of my best friends has no problem changing in the same room, being in the bathroom at the same time, or sleeping in the same bed. I personally think this is pretty normal among girls who grow up together but it certainly was appalling to my previous bishop. In an interview with my friend (while she was preparing to get married) he suggested that we don't change in the same room. I laughed at the thought of this. Now I realize it is a matter of kinesics. When he thought that was strange and impermissible we found it totally normal.

As I thought about these different scenarios I considered doing a participant observation while I am in the airport, at the temple, and at the wedding and reception. I notice more and more that everyone has their own idea of proxemics and kinesics that they show but without, not always, realizing it. I would like to observe and see how close people stand, how they touch and move, how do people show that they are happy or mad. How do they stand relative to another when they are in different moods. I want to observe people reactions to someone standing too close, to being hugged, or kissed. I am sure my brothers fiance/wife will accept a kiss a little differently than a stranger on the street. Through participating in this observation I will be able to better build the skill for when I am in Bylakuppe, in a new culture and place.

Subsistence and Rural Livelihood

Fischer, Andrew M.. “Subsistence and Rural Livelihood Strategies in Tibet under Rapid Economic and Social Transition”. Journal of the International Association of Tibetan Studies. 4 (Dec 2008).

This article discusses the role of subsistence in the livelihood strategies of rural Tibetan households during rapid economic and social transition. Fischer argues that subsistence is highly valued in these rural communities because it provides a choice. First, this is observed through “subsistence capacity” and income poverty and asset wealth. Second, Fischer relates that many rural Tibetans rely on low wage manual jobs despite the fact that this kind of work is used for a transition out of agriculture and low levels of education.

By observing the first paradox Fischer is able to account for not only physical wealth but also the aspects of wealth that are difficult to capture through conventional measures. He looks at wealth in terms of being able to subsist in household production. In one graph it shows the per capital rural household incomes. It appears that Tibet is fairly well off but in reality the graph does not account for inflation. Once again when looking at agriculture productivity it seems as though Tibet is above the national average but when you look at output to worker they fall far behind the national average. Conclusions show that low wage jobs are not worth it for small families because inflation will continue because of the rise of the nearby privileged public job sector. For my project I am curious how much economy affects the wages of Bylakuppe farmers. Do the farm workers tend to be of lower income families? What kind of wages do they make? How important is their job to them? How often are they finding new help?

Participant Observation

On Saturday Beau and I decided to go out to a restaurant to complete our participant observation assignment. We walked into the restaurant and I immediately noticed the many TVs scattered across the wall all playing the sports game. The lights were dimmed, shades half closed and blues and mainstream rock was playing in the background. There were beer advertisements on the walls, in the menus, and the servers made beer suggestions. Their "special" BBQ sauce was also advertised by placing bottles in perfect view upon entrance and in the menu. Red, blues, yellows, and black decorated the restaurant and small tin pails were used as light fixtures and decorations. I have been in many restaurants and worked at a few and I begin to realize how much the place caters to its customers.

For the assignment (seen above) I documented the place (Wingers), The actors (customers, waiters, manager, etc), and the activity (eating, socializing, serving). Though this is a very basic and common activity I began to realize things I probably would have never noticed. At one point our server brought our dessert without spoons and said that someone was washing them... 5 min later we finally got spoons. Our ice cream was partly melted and our mouths were salivating like crazy. I thought that as a server I would just go wash my own spoons for a customer and, not to mention, the team focus in the back said "dishes are everyones responsibility". I reality those things don't really bother me but it was neat to notice those kind of inconsistencies. It was neat to realize the differences between what Beau and I noticed. I payed quite a bit of attention to what servers were doing that they shouldn't do while Beau really looked at the atmosphere. In most of the situations I was able to understand what they were doing and draw pretty accurate conclusions but I can imagine that in a place and culture that is very different from ours it will be more difficult to make conclusions. I noticed that sometimes it is had to make observations about your own culture because we just do what we do and don't try to make sense of why we do things. It will be a different experience trying to figure out and ask with out drawing quick conclusions.
Working on the farm in Bylakuppe is most likely a different experience that it is here. I am interested to see how people work together and their theories on gardening. I am curious what part girls play on the farm and working in general vs. boys. I am imagining that observations may be easier there because it is different than what I am use to but conclusion may be much more difficult. I guess I shall find out.

Hmmm.... Animal Volunteer?

You never know what you will find online! I was looking up Tibetan herbal pharmacology  and I found "Bylakuppe's Rabies and Disease Control Programme". It is a rather fascinating project. It is a no kill volunteer program to help dogs. It is located on one of the monasteries grounds in Bylakuppe. The program is partnered with Sera Mey Social Services which has large set ups for health care. The property is large enough to accommodate shelters for dog recovery and long term palliative care shelter.

Rules:

For cultural reasons you will not be able to consume meat or alcohol on site :(

Clothing should be discreet for both men and women;

If you are with a partner please be very discreet in how you relate to each other in public;

The monastery is a working university with schedules in operation, so while interaction with the monks here is a special feature of this project, this may be limited.

Aurora and Derrick (one of my nieces and nephews) and I at the Phoenix Zoo

The program provides living space and some food for the duration of your stay. The only dilemma is that you have to be a vet or vet's nurse to do the program. Oh why didn't I become a vet? Since I was a kid I had a passion for animals (except house cats). I am not one of those crazy obsessed animal people but I would love to work around them.

 I never knew till a couple years ago that I actually got this passion from my dad. His dream job was to be a vet but he chose construction instead. I always recognized his love and acceptance for my crazy pets. At one point I had convinced them to let me have an African spurred tortoise ( the 3rd largest land tortoise) or a poisonous dart frog (they aren't really poisonous in captivity) but I never got either of them because they are so expensive to take care of. I did have dogs, cats, leopard geckos, frogs, chickens, a duck and a goose growing up- granted, most of them were at different times. Most of our pets were a product of one of my sisters bringing home and animal and my parents feeling guilty enough to take care of it. I am now committed to having a  poisonous dart frog when we come back from India (Beau is more than willing to accept). Yay!!!!!

I wish this was a possible project for me. I am still interested in seeing if I can but I am kinda doubting it because I don't want to get the rabies shot and I am betting there is a risk in that type of situation. But we shall see:)

Tibetan Medicine Plurality

Salick, Jan; Byg, Anja; Amend, Anthony; Gunn, Bee; Law, Wayne; Schmidt, Heidi. “Tibetan Medicine Plurality.” Economic Botany. 60 (3): 227-253. 2006.

This article overviews the centralization and standardization of Tibetan medicine. In past history Tibet relied on medical canons and medical practices passed down through ancestors. The authors use past history and present standardization to investigate how much medical plants have varied in contemporary Tibetan medicine. Salick gathers data from fifteen Tibetan medicinal institutions, markets, doctors, and two non-Tibetan markets. The four districts they define are:  government Tibetan medical Institutions in Lhasa and elsewhere, local herbal doctors in the eastern Himalayas, Tibetan medicinal markets in Lhasa and near Mt. Khawa Karop, and non-Tibetan medicinal markets near Dali and Kunming. The purpose is to document the plurality of Tibetan medical traditions (official, local and market) also differentiating them from non-Tibetan markets. This article will help me in my project to understand the similarities and changes in historic and contemporary Tibetan medicine. It helped me understand that medicine widely varies from location to location. I am curious to see how Bylakuppe is unique in its natural medicine. Is it more uniform with other Tibetan settlements? Does it follow a lot of the Tibetan Buddhist medicinal practices? Do those in Bylakuppe tend to self treat according to their ancestral medicine practices or is it more hospitalized now?

Organic Research and Training Center

While I was researching the Tibetan Farm Project I found a brief description on tibet.net suggesting that the name has been changed to Organic Research and Training Center (ORTC). Part of the reason for this change is that the farm has been expanded from testing organic farming to being committed to organic and, as a result, using it to train others on organic farming. The project is now used for various organic crops, fruits, vegetable training and demonstration, and herbs for medicinal and kitchen purposes. Bylakuppe plays a critical role in sharing their knowledge about organic farming and teaching other Tibetan farmers and community leaders how organic farming works.

I am particularly interested in the medicinal herbs that they are growing on the farm and how they are used in the home. My hope is that I will be able to attend meetings at the ORTC and work on the farm so that I can understand how it works and how they learned to work it. I would like to talk to the leaders of the program to interview how they have created such a program and how it is benefiting the Tibetan Settlements.

Agriculture: Tigetan Organic Farming

Central Tibetan Administration. Department of Home: Central Tibetan Administration. “Agriculture: Tibetan Organic Farming.” 2011. Web. 10 January 2012. http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

                Previous to the exile of Tibetan citizens, families were able to provide organic crops for the whole family. When they arrived in India families were not provided with enough farming area for families, particularly for organic farming, so individuals had to leave the home to find work. In 2002, the Exile Tibetan Government set up a plan to encourage settlements to provide for their families, Indians, and the whole world through organic farming. This is being achieved through training Tibetan exiles to rotate crops, create natural composts, and construct proper irrigation systems utilizing India’s vastly different environment. The connection with my project is that I want to see how effectively these methods have been employed in Bylakuppe, and how sufficient the community has become because of them. Is Bylakuppe able to grow most of its own food, or does it rely heavily on importing? Has the diet of the Tibetans there adapted to the crops that grow in southern India, or have methods been found to cultivate traditional foods for a taste of home?