Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

livestock. Danghi Mountain faces Tsunre Township, where
residents engage in business. Locals believe this account <strong>and</strong>
consider their poverty as fated.
Brother <strong>and</strong> I found no nicely shaped pebbles, though
we searched. Father gave us a few he found that looked like
someone had carved them. Brother <strong>and</strong> I cherished these
special, sacred pebbles.
We passed three villages near our local township town
as the sun was about to say goodbye. We still had quite a way to
go <strong>and</strong> did not pause. Our home is far from the township town,
on a high hilltop at the end of a steep path. A saying about our
village goes: Be careful if you look up to Lhacar Village, or
your hat will fall to the ground <strong>and</strong> get dusty. Its nickname is
'Village of Birds' because birds often roost in its tall trees. This
name also conveys a sense of the village's isolation <strong>and</strong>
unfavorable location. I quarreled with my classmates many
times because of this rude, but factual nickname.
Our local monastery, where my oldest brother is a monk,
is near the township town. Brother wanted to stay at Monk
Brother's home, for he was exhausted. Father <strong>and</strong> I continued
home without him. It was almost dark when we arrived. Father's
hair dripped with sweat <strong>and</strong> vapor rose from it as if from a
steamer of bread buns. Mother, my sisters, <strong>and</strong> Gaga all came to
unload the mule. Mother gave me a warm kiss <strong>and</strong> said, "My
dear youngest one, I missed you," which surprised me because
only two days had passed <strong>and</strong> I had not thought about her.
Mother told us during dinner that my friend, Dorji
Tsering, had fought with a little girl who was a year younger
than he was <strong>and</strong> broken one of her front teeth. Then their
families quarreled <strong>and</strong> fought. Dorji's father had suffered a head
injury <strong>and</strong> had gone to hospital. Mother was happy I had not
been there with Dorji. She told me more things <strong>and</strong> urged me
not to play with Dorji.
I told her about worshiping at the sacred sites, <strong>and</strong> she
told many stories about them as had Father. Afterwards, I was
less naughty <strong>and</strong> told Dorji <strong>and</strong> my other friends about
circumambulating. During playtime, we pretended to circle
Heart Mountain. Later, we rarely fought or argued with our
elders <strong>and</strong> with younger children.
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