Article on Nepalese women in current 'Nat'l Geographic'

The latest (Sept. 2000) issue has an article on Rana Tharu women of Nepal. No Khukuris that I can see in the pictures, but one woman on p. 90 is holding a "Khurmi," a sickle.

You can see a picture of me on p. 25! (Believe it!)
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J

James Mattis

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
3,264
I would have started a thread on that article if Ruel hadn't gotten here first. Fascinating! A tribe/nationality of some 1500 people, newly un-isolated. Hard life.

Their language that may well disappear in a generation - a tragedy - when a language dies it's like burning a library. But one wouldn't want to tell their children that they have to remain "unspoiled" and not have opportunities in a larger economy that doesn't involve daily contact with cow-dung. How to bring them into the modern world without them being devoured and destroyed by it? Not easy.

And my complements to the young lady on page 95.
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
It's not the whole article, but here's a link to a related page at National Geographic's site.

And a related link to the art of the Tharu of the Tarai.

Fascinating material. Strange thoughts. High-caste women made refugee widows by the misfortunes of war, fleeing to the fever swamps with their male slaves, playing "Survivor" for real, forming a new society both ravaged and protected by the malaria mosquitos.

And making things of beauty from mud and cow dung.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
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