Himalayan Times (1962)

Six

Himalayan Times

July 15, 1962

Lama or a Panchen Lama
vrns born. Ultra are also
rioh individuals whose
ancestors bad rendered
gome meritorious admi-
nistrative itervko to the
country. Usually property
descends from father to
son, but if" there 19 no
■on the daughter can in-
hert it. When she is mar.
ried her husband takes
her family name.

The traders rank mid-
way between the landed
aristocracy and the pea-
sants. Although frank
and simple, the Tibetans
are also commercial mind-
ed. Though not profes-
sional some nobleB and
monks also engage in trade.
The women tolk are not,
like those in Muslim
countries, seoluded. They
of ten engage themselves
in small retail business,-
while their husband take
charge of dealings which
may require journeys even
outside the country.

There is a plenty of
cultivable land in Tibet:
but owing to shortage of
man power and modern
implements most of it is
under-developed. Though
slavery is not common
iu Tibet no peasant is
allowed to quit his land
without the landh rds per-
mission, but they are of-
ten treated better than
the paid servants or
tenants.

Among the nomads
are the shepherds' and

herdsmen who work ohicf ly
in the uplands. During
the summer ,they come
down to plains to sell
their produce of wool,
yak tails, butter, etc.,
and in return obtain com-
modities not available
there, , such as tea, barly,
wheat etc., This class is
noted for their hardihood
Tibetan women enjoy
a remarkably high status.
The son is not ranked
higher than a daughter,
and female infanticide is
unknown; but iu religious
matters she has a lower
place-Like the women of
Burma, the women of
Tibet are influential not
only in home affairs but
also in business. Marriage
in Tibet is generally ar-
ranged, but usually a son
is consulted by his parents
on the suitability of a
bride chosen for him,
wh-reas a daughter's ope-
nion on her future husband
is seldom canvassed. Mo-
nogamy is usually the
rule, but poligamy is often
found among wealthy men.
Polyandry also exists but
among broth- rs only I he
women Tirst marries the
elder brother and then
the younger. There is a
considerable divergence of
openion, but the function
of polyandry is to keep
the property within the
family and to prevent
the break up of economio
unity.

The Tibetans ' are

usually hospitable, cheer-
ful and religious minded,
but generally apathetic
as to personal cleanliness.
The houses of the citi-
zens are substantially
built of stone or sun-
baked bricks; but the
interior is squalid and
dirty and reflects the
general poverty of the
people. The better of
also live in a very simple
manner, but Bome well-to-
do imitating the Chinese,
have acquired a taste to
ornament their interiors
with paintings and furni-
ture, but very few have
glazed windows.

Their food even in
the town consists of the
very few simple staple
disbes, and as a beverage
they drink all day long
oupfuls of hot buttered
tea which is really a
soup of broth made by
boiling tea leaves with
butter and balls of dough
with a little salt. Their
strong drink is the coun-
try beer.

Tibet being a theocra-
tic state its ruler is the
Dalai Lima who enjoyed
absolute power until Chins-
brought down his autho-
rity, tie appointed and
dismissed officials and
dealt with all important
cases civil, criminal and
administrative.

In Tibet the Dalai
Lema is known as Gyalpo
Kimpoohe(gem of majesty).
Dalai Lama means "Ocean
( Continued on page 3)