Ewi Tsering Bhuti and that Photo... #dolpowomen
Since my ‘baal-kuney’ Jai-Nepal (one of the oldest cinema
halls in Kathmandu, Nepal) times watching ‘Caravan’ directed by Eric Valli, I
have always remained curious on how Eric Valli saw and projected ‘Dolpo’, one
of the Himalayan Indigenous community. Besides how Valli and his team
economically benefited, I was (and still) more attuned in understanding how
various peoples from Dolpo and the larger scattered community as a whole
(socio-culturally, economically, and politically) benefited or not benefited.
Thanks to some critical piece/reflection by Ken Bauer, Sara Shneiderman/Mark
Turin, Puspa Damai and Gerda Pauler, we’ve alternative vantage points on how
the ‘Himalaya’ project can be critically analyzed. In past, I have chosen to
reflect on gender narratives and consequently, thanks to both Manjushree Thapa
and Phurwa Tashi, my work on the late Tsering Yangzom (who played as a wife of Meme Thinley in the film) is already published in a Lalit Magazine, one of
those literary initiatives to bring all voices from margins together. I have
also shared that link here. https://dolporises.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-late-yangzom-tsering-as-published.html?spref=tw&fbclid=IwAR0IdMHuALk4uZyLrrCrLMkY-dc3gRt_AWoIdY1cyoCr19lcHsq1qUjFAMU
Meanwhile, Eric Valli went on to write and publish few other
related books that again have used various peoples also from Dolpo. Especially
when I critically see those books, I am also interested in a book cover while
assuming that a good book cover can also become one of the means to persuade
readers/buyers to buy and maintain that socio-economic relations of
(re)production with a larger capitalist market.
Photo 2: The Book Cover where 'Tsering Bhuti' can be seen
While sharing some 'invisible' thoughts on that big heavy photo books
that also includes figures from Dolpo both in my Instagram and Facebook accounts, a
friend shared the name of a ‘Dolpo’ woman who is not facing directly on the
camera but used in the book cover. Upon few requests also on about her
whereabouts, he told me that she is now in Boudha, Kathmandu. Possibly a part
of that larger seasonal migration of Dolpo from highlands to lowlands during
Winter, I thought.
Immediately I requested a brother and a friend Nyima
Gyaltsen (who is also from Dolpo and now in Boudha for his study) to meet and
talk to her and listen her experiences if she is willing to share. Briefly I
also shared what I would be interested to know. Therefore, after few days,
Nyima Gyaltsen accompanied by a friend spent around six minutes with her. Considering
that they all met and interacted in Boudha possibly at a tea shop, what we
could know from this is still interesting.
Below is a brief description how it (that interaction)
unfolded.
Photo 3: Ewi Tsering Bhuti sharing her thoughts to Nyima Gyaltsen
[Note: NG below stands for Nyima Gyaltsen and TB stands for Tsering Bhuti]
NG: Your’s name?
TB: Tsering Bhuti.
NG: ho, Lasso (thank you). Your’s age?
TB: He (possibly pointing towards his son) might know… [His
son saying 72 years old]…
She [upon hearing] nods and insists… “I am the oldest one in
Vijer (a village in the north-west part of Dolpo and at-least five days walking distance away from Dunai, the district headquarter) and there is not anyone who
is elder than me”.
[She is originally from a Tra village in Vijer].
NG: Then Ewi (a grandmother) what are some of the tasks that
make you happy?
TB: I don’t really do anything but various field works and milking…
NG: Then Ewi what are some other things if other do that
make you unhappy?
TB: I haven’t really thought in that way (while nodding with
her head and smiling)… [Meanwhile she shows her neighbor)
NG: Since you are the eldest, what are some of the changes
you’ve witnessed in Dolpo?
TB: Before we didn’t have any property and poor, now the
situation has somewhat improved.
NG: Any changes in Vijer? Are they also building roads?
TB: Yes they said they are making one but have not yet seen
one. I am yet to see any ‘motro’ (a vehicle).
NG: Any schools?
TB: Yes there is a school (again pointing to the same
villager who has completed his education from the same school)… there is also a
good ‘meyn-khang’ (a small health post)… and it is my sixth time that I have
been here in Boudha…
NG: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced?
TB: There are many and it is hard to get an airport ticket
even after waiting for seven, eight days in Jhuphal, a district airport [this
time both her hand and head are moving; both completely showing disapproval]
and have to walk from Dunai if I am willing to come to Kathmandu…
NG: How many children you have?
TB: I have one son in a foreign land (USA) and remaining
three children are here…
NG: and what they’ve been doing?
TB: I don’t really know… one (pointing to her son close-by)
is doing some business and another one is in ‘a-ri’ (USA). Rest live in a
separate household as we do not live together back in a village…
NG: and Ewi, the photo clicked by Eric Valli, one I showed
you, did he help you in anyway?
TB: No, he has not helped (gyab-gyor chig-gya mey-di-kay) after that photo clicked by Valli
with the help of ‘Meme’ Thinley… [she clearly shows her frustration here again
while moving her right hand; soon she moves her head in a different direction and
keeps on staring for few more seconds; she clearly is unhappy]
NG: Rest do you have anything to share Ewi?
TB: Not really… I am somewhat happy praying for everyone
while coming down here… Before I didn’t even know ‘bha-yul’ (Kathmandu)…
NG: What are some of the changes you see here?
TB: Oh, here in ‘yum-bu’ (Kathmandu), there are many
houses/buildings… in terms of roads and an airport, this time only it took me
one day in Jhuphal to wait for an air ticket (somewhat signaling a relief)...
This is where the conversation ends. I just would like to thank everyone including Nyima Gyaltsen and Mingyur (who is also from Vijer) who helped me to put this together. In addition, the full consent of Ewi Tsering Bhuti and her family in making this public can hardly be forgotten.
Horchey!
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