The girl below was 16 years old when I photographed her on 27th February, 2009 at Trashi Yangtse. She told me she was a weaver at Trashigang. I love her face - she exudes confidence and easy grace.
But every time I look at her face, I get this nagging feeling that she is of mixed parentage. Take a look at those hypnotic eyes. Do they belong to a pure breed Sharchop? I don’t think so.
She looks original to my ignorant eyes. But she is sure beautiful and innocent.
ReplyDeleteOne group of trainees from our college went on Whole Bhutan tour some years ago and most boys told me about how they fell for a weaver in Tashi Yangtse...Now I know who she is!
Hi Passu,
ReplyDeleteIt is quite possible.
Hi Mr. Yeshi,
ReplyDeleteI go through ur blog whenever i can steal some time, though to be honest, i have started blogging very recently and am very new to it. Nevertheless, i feel that your photographs are so genuine and touching. it protrays the culture and the hidden faces of the Bhutanese people. I can only hope and pray that your talent and contribution continues to pay off and that your photograpic talent earns you the greatest recognition, though not posthumously... You truely deserve the best in life. congrats and thanks
Hi Rinchen
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and the comments. I am happy to say that I do have a very fulfilling life - doing what I love doing best - photographing and trekking the high mountains of Bhutan. I hope to be able to continue to trek and take pictures for some years to come.
I leave for another photographic expedition in the next 3-4 days - again to Lingzhi. The last trip I couldn't make it to Lingazhi and Soe-Yaktsa because the passes were iced and I was ill prepared to tackle that. I am now better equipped and hope to make it to Lingzhi and then on the return journey to - Soe-Yaktsa, a village that is as original as it was when it was first established many decades ago.
How would you classify a pure bred Sharchop girl? I'm very curioous.
ReplyDeleteHi Anon,
ReplyDeleteIn my book, if a girl is born of a conjugal union where both the parents are original Sharchops, she will qualify as pure Sharchop. An offspring of a couple who are merely residents of Sharchok cannot qualify as pure Sharchops or even Sharchops. That is my personal opinion.
I forgot about my earlier comment..I actually made a mistake, I actually meant what you thought were the physical features that made a Sharchop identifiable? I was just curious because I've heard people say they could place a person's dzongkhag from their face but I find it hard to tell.
ReplyDeleteThe features of a Sharchop is different from that of a Ngalong or Khengpa. In 90% of the case, I can tell if a person is Sharchop. There are many tale-tell signs that sets a Sharchop apart from others. The way they speak Dzongkha is one, their body language is another, their facial features are gentler as opposed to the Ngalong's rugged ones. They are lot more courteous and they are by far the fairer of the lot.
ReplyDeleteHi Mr. Yeshey,
ReplyDeleteI have wandered through your blog from Time to Time ... I do love your photographs ... i feel there is spiritual in them, and your talent as well ... Here is Like a book for me ...
but This girl's eye and your answer about Sharchop made me to leave the words to say Thank you for your blogging and plz keep update ;)
I do really wanna go up east and experience The Sharchop people and The Eastern Land by myself ...