THE YAKHA: CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN ...

(1987) because of the Limbu orthographies it contained. They were
interested in the possibility of writing Yakha, and in using something
other than the Devanagari script to do so, as well as teaching such a
script in the school. None of the Tamaphok Yakha to whom we spoke
appeared interested in becoming involved in a po!itical movement based
on ethnic affiliation, however, although this was an option which was
being pursl~ed by certain elements in Limbu society.'' Perhaps this was
because, realistica!ly, if the Yakha followed the Limbu too c!ose!y,
they could have risked losing their ethnic identity in the process. As
we saw in Chapter Three, the Yakha steered diverse but chary courses in
their negotiation of ethnic and caste loyalties. Here perhaps we have
seen their caution exercised in the transfer of ethnic concerns to the
political arena.
8.4 Deve 1 opmen t
The trappings of development (vikas) came not just with the school
but with a host of other material and social innovations originating
outside the panchvat which influenced the Tamaphok community. Some
developments aimed for a tangible effect on the environment (e,g.
through forest management or water provision); others aimed to change
people's perceptions of the environment (through health education, for
examp!e), All, in subtle ways, affected people's sense of identity and
the worth of their community.
There were three different development projects which we observed in
oper~tion during our time in Tamaphok: the ODA's Koshi Bi!!s Development
Programme, the Health Education and Women's Literacy Project run by the
Britain-Nepal Medical Trust, and a water project run by Water-Aid. This