Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region

Summer 2004

Kathleen Young
Bancroft School
Faculty - 7th Grade World Geography


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CIRCULAR MIGRATION IN NEPAL

LESSON PLAN


Bishop, Naomi H. 1998. Himalayan Herders. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http:www.cda.ucla.edu/faculty/bishop/HHBook/intro.html

OBJECTIVE

• To help students understand the nomadic lifestyle of Himalayan nomads and the impact of c
ircular migration on villages.


http://natureproducts.net/Art/Gabrielle/sun_moon_mountain.html

TIME NEEDED FOR LESSON

• 30 minutes for preview and vocabulary
85 minutes for film
• 45 minutes for discussion and recording
• 60 minutes for murals
• 30 minutes for mural observations, follow up discussions and sharing of journal entries


PRIOR KNOWLEDGE NEEDED

• Geography of Nepal and India: especially locations of Kathmandu, Melemchi, and bordering villages of India
• Background information on the Film: Himalayan Herders, by Naomi and John Bishop (See A Day in the Gode)
• Teachers may do additional background reading of Himalayan Herders (Naomi H. Bishop) (Thomson Custom Publishing) (ISBN: 0-534-44060-6)

MATERIALS

• Film: Himalayan Herders, by Naomi and John Bishop
(Order from )
• Vocabulary List
• Section Discussion Questions
• Mural Supplies

VOCABULARY LIST

• Gode - (pronounced GO-day) - a temporary shelter (constructed from bamboo mats over a framework of poles) in which herding families live

• Gomba - a Buddhist temple

• Zomo - cow-yak hybrids, thriving in Himalayan pastures between 2134-4000 m. altitude

• Fodor - feed for livestock, especially coarsely chopped hay or straw

• Cremation - the process of incinerating a dead body.

• Circular Migration - movement to and from a village, sometimes to faraway places, in search of finding additional sources of income

• Bombos - shamans who manage day-to-day spiritual and medical problems in the villages

• Kata - a special ceremonial scarf offered during traditional ceremonies, such as weddings

PROCEDURE

• Divide class into groups of 3
• Preview movie with A Day in the Gode discussion
• Distribute "Section Questions" to the groups (some sections may be given to more than 1 group)
- ask students to read their questions prior to the film so that they know what to look for
• Show film, stopping at key moments for discussion or clarification
• Have students meet in groups to discuss questions and record their findings
• Using 3 sheets of 8" by 10" paper, have each student in every group choose and illustrate a piece of their section of the film
• Lastly, have students assemble their illustrations into one giant mural and discuss the overall product with the class


 

SECTION QUESTIONS

Section I
• Describe 5 physical characteristics of Melemchi.
• Tell 5 facts about about life in a gode - describe 5 features of what day-to-day life is like.

• Name 3 ways in which life for the women of Melemchi is especially hard.
• What are two major uses of butter in this village?

Section II
Describe the reason for fodor gathering? Name 5 steps of the process.
• What are 5 staple crops of Melemchi?
• Name 3 ways in which villagers obtain food and items that they do not produce themselves.
How is fair trade established amongst different groups?

Section III
• Aside from farming and herding, what other ways (describe 5) do the people of Melemchi make a living?
• Describe 5 elements of the process of how people traded sheep prior to 1950.
• Name 3 advantages of circular migration.
• Name 3 disadvantages of circular migration.

Section IV
• How has the creation of the national park attributed to an increase in circular migration?
• Describe 5 possible situations one might encounter during migration.
• Describe 5 characteristics of a death ceremony shown in the film.

Section V
• Describe in detail 10 things that happen during the Nara Festival in early July
• Describe, in three ways, the schools that the government set up in the village
• Name 5 ways in which life has changed for people in Melemchi.
• How do the elders feel about the future? What new ways are they finding to survive?

HOMEWORK

• Journal entry: From the perspective of an elder in Melemchi, write a 2-page description of how you feel about the changes taking place. Be sure to include factual details in your work

OR
• Journal entry: From the perspective of a circular migrator in Melemchi, write a 2-page description of how you feel about the changes taking place. Be sure to include factual details in your work

Bishop, Naomi H. 1998. Himalayan Herders. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http:www.cda.ucla.edu/faculty/bishop/HHBook/intro.html

FURTHER RECOMMENDATION

• The film by Eric Valli (a Kino International Release), Himalaya, is also a wonderful resource for middle and high school students. It meaningfully depicts the life of a Tibetan village, faced with political and physical challenges associated with long-distance trading in the Himalayas. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, it is a wonderful portrayal of the culture of this area. Go to Himalaya Film website for further information.

 

http://www.kino.com/himalaya/gb_accueil.htm


This site was created by Kathleen Young at the NEH Summer Institute "Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region," held at the College of the Holy Cross, Summer 2004