All the pictures I've seen of these areas strike me with their total desolation. You are left to wonder how life is supported. No trees, no crops, no water in sight. Amazing. Are those cattle that have saddles on them? Oxen?
05/27/05 12:28 AM
Anonymous said...
Tibetan nomads on the high altitude plateaus live much like American Plains Indians... but instead of buffalo they have yaks. The yaks provide everything, locomotion, shelter, clothing, food, & drink... very little comes from the outside world. There are also wooded valleys (see my Garyong Gorges set) where people live in villages and farm. They have fields of barley, onions, and all sorts of fruit trees. Occasionally the nomads will come into town and trade yak skin and meat for fruit and vegetables.
The delicate balance of life here has recently been disrupted by roads, mining, logging, Chinese settlers, and the introduction of alcohol. It is an open question how long the nomads will continue to roam free here.
Thank you so much for the further information. It is a fascinating life, like you said so much like my ancestors, American Indians. I do know that nomads in the middle east are moving into the towns that dot the edges of the desert. When asked to explain, they say ....why shouldn't we want a better life, and education for our children. Difficult life, even more difficult choices.
05/26/05 10:46 PM
the farmers wife said...
All the pictures I've seen of these areas strike me with their total desolation. You are left to wonder how life is supported. No trees, no crops, no water in sight. Amazing. Are those cattle that have saddles on them? Oxen?
05/27/05 12:28 AM
Anonymous said...
Tibetan nomads on the high altitude plateaus live much like American Plains Indians... but instead of buffalo they have yaks. The yaks provide everything, locomotion, shelter, clothing, food, & drink... very little comes from the outside world. There are also wooded valleys (see my Garyong Gorges set) where people live in villages and farm. They have fields of barley, onions, and all sorts of fruit trees. Occasionally the nomads will come into town and trade yak skin and meat for fruit and vegetables.
The delicate balance of life here has recently been disrupted by roads, mining, logging, Chinese settlers, and the introduction of alcohol. It is an open question how long the nomads will continue to roam free here.
05/27/05 07:03 PM
the farmers wife said...
Thank you so much for the further information. It is a fascinating life, like you said so much like my ancestors, American Indians. I do know that nomads in the middle east are moving into the towns that dot the edges of the desert. When asked to explain, they say ....why shouldn't we want a better life, and education for our children. Difficult life, even more difficult choices.
05/28/05 06:04 PM
Katja said...
This is a marvelous picture with the yaks!
06/06/05 07:11 AM
Paul said...
Wow...Not much to say other than a wonderful pictures.