End of the road: The changing lives of Bhutan’s yak herders

In the mountainous far east of Bhutan, the hardy Brokpa tribe have herded yak for centuries. These are the last days of their isolated existence. Will the new road bring everything these communities hope, like better opportunities for their families, or will their unique identity be lost in the race to modernize? TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS …

Saving the highlanders

In a few years’ time Yeedpa (fermented cheese) and yak meat might just make it to your last supper and chugo (hard cheese) maybe a story of a rock-hard milk candy that you tell your children about if yak herders opt off their nomadic life. This is indeed a possibility if there are no developmental activities to enhance the yak herders’ socio-economic …

How development and modernization has changed the lives of Brokpas

Although people of Sakteng Gewog under Trashigang dzongkhag are happy with development activities like road, electricity, network connection, health and education facilities, they are worried that with such development and with villagers exposed to new things, it might result in destabilization of their culture and traditions. The people of Sakteng are however determined to protect …

Illegal occupancy in Merak

Land: When herders of Chebling in Merak started replacing their bamboo roofs with CGI sheets, eyebrows were raised on whether the nomads were building permanent structures in tsamdros (pastureland). After an inspection by officials from the dzongkhag land record office, it was found that the brokpas had indeed built permanent structures. This directly translates to a …

Highlanders go the Gouda way

The profit from the Dutch cheese is far higher than that of their usual milk and cheese. Merak/Sakteng: The highlanders of Merak and Sakteng, famous for fermented or smelly cheese, have ventured into a new product.  They are making Gouda cheese from yak milk. Gouda cheese made from cow’s milk, named after the city of Gouda …

Changes coming to the land of Brahmis

The people of Thongrong Village in Phongmey Gewog, Trashigang are called Dakpas or Brahmis. Their origins are linked to the northern part of Arunachal Pradesh, India and they dress like the highlanders of Sakteng and Merak. This once remote community is now connected with road and changes have come with it. Sangla, 87, has a …

Sakteng herders no more rear sheep

Residents instead import wool from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. Unlike five years ago, a visitor to Sakteng in northern Trashigang today would not sight grazing horses, sheep and yaks. A cluster of identical houses stands in the glacial valley now with the silvery Gamri Chhu flowing across. The traditional practice of sheep rearing for wool production …

Road to Merak leads to declining tourist arrivals

Tourism: Annual tourist arrivals in Merak and Sakteng gewogs in Trashigang have dropped drastically since Merak was connected with road till its gewog centre in 2014. The annual tourism report 2015 states that 123 tourists trekked the Merak-Sakteng trail in 2014. This fell to only 88 tourists trekking on the trail in 2015. Porter group members …

A closer look at the Brokpas of Merak-Sakteng

THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Located in the two eastern most geogs in Trashigang dzongkhag and wedged between the glacial valleys of Greater Himalayas, and bordering the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the North and North East lies Merak and Sakteng. At about 3000 m above sea level-the lower limit of glaciation in Bhutan - even …

The custom of more than one spouse with Brokpas (The people of Merak)

The custom of having more than one spouse is an existing practice with the Brokpas. When Tshering got married 38 years ago, it happened very quickly. One day, her parents told her that they had arranged for her to marry a man, she had never met before, from a neighbouring village in Merak gewog. She …

Brokpa’s origin depicted in a painting

Art: As Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, India, in Tibet’s Yarlung village, Drag Singmo (a deity residing on cliff) and Triwu Jangchubsempa (Bodhisattva in the form of monkey) had six children. It is believed that the people of Merak and Sakteng in Trashigang descended from one of the children.  Known as brokpas, the nomadic community before …

Wish-granting lake is leaving its home

Environment: High up north of Khaling village in Trashigang is a sacred lake that people revere as the abode of guardian deity Meme Dangling. People seek blessing from Dangling Tsho and the deity grants them healthy livestock and bountiful harvest. This vast, holy and deep green lake, however, is shrinking and becoming smaller by the year, …

Sakteng herders no more rear sheep

Residents instead import wool from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh  Unlike five years ago, a visitor to Sakteng in northern Trashigang today would not sight grazing horses, sheep and yaks. A cluster of identical houses stands in the glacial valley now with the silvery Gamri Chhu flowing across. The traditional practice of sheep rearing for wool production …