Nurturing our monpa tribe Heritage
The indigenous Monpa tribe and our work at Jhamtse Gatsal have co-evolved together. Our community is primarily from the Monpa tribe of centuries-old culture and heritage, now threatened by our changing times. We celebrate this interdependent, reciprocal, and sacred relationship of our place and people through our practices of cultural preservation at Jhamtse Gatsal.
Protecting our future by respecting our past
It is our belief that our children should remain deeply connected to their history and learn to respect and rejuvenate the traditions they are a part of. Culture is the cornerstone of our community vital to maintaining identities. We believe that preserving our culture and our traditional knowledge of the unique Monpa culture is key to protecting our land and future. From a very young age, we teach our children the cultural and spiritual practices of their Monpa heritage.
Culture is the highest expression of what it means to be human and is the cornerstone of community. Cultural preservation is vital in maintaining our human identities.
Holding on to roots: Language and arts
The children speak in Monpa in their family homes, a dialect that is a close relative of Tibetan with its own ethnic roots, a conduit through which we can maintain and transmit our traditional knowledge to future generations. They are taught songs, dances, and instruments and wear their traditional dresses once a week.
Our children are taught many art Tibetan and Monpa art forms and often perform at local and state-level events. Some of these dances celebrate the role of agriculture in Monpa life, while others are the famous Lion Dance or Tibetan Opera of the Tashi Shoepa or Dance for Good Luck.
Our children love performing the Snow Lion Dance about the relationship between a family of lions and one man who was meditating and hungry. The lions came to the man to give him milk, and he drank it to become very healthy. This story of interdependence has great significance in Monpa and Tibetan culture.
“I do not want my culture to disappear with time. I want to make sure that it is preserved and celebrated in the future. This is the reason I have decided to become a Monpa historian. I want to record the rich history and culture of the Monpas. It is my way of giving back to the heritage with which I have grown up. I hope this will inspire more children to embrace their heritage and find ways to contribute to its preservation.” – Namgey Chodron
Food, community, and the Tibetan New Year
Every year, we celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year, a communal event and celebration of the previous year's hard work and efforts in farming. Preparations begin a month in advance and involve a lot of food like khapse, made out of rice, maida, and soya beans. Losar is a time to relish our bonds with one another.
Nourishing the heart and mind
The children practice meditation and prayer in the mornings and evenings. Older children are taught monastic debating skills in Tibetan, learning key Buddhist philosophical texts on Mind Training and Compassion.
We believe this is a very important part of nourishing the heart; they help to create healthy emotions and mindfulness, which are universally important educational practices. The children learn to understand themselves to nurture one another and the community they live in, and we hope they will bring this care to the choices they make as they grow up.
"Near the beginning and end of the day, the children sit together and chant, meditate, or just sit for an hour. Allowing kids to sit is not a waste of time. It’s a big achievement for kids to sit. Our kids are much calmer. I notice this more and more." - Gen Lobsang Phuntsok La
Lakpar: The backbone of our community
Our community is deeply guided by Lakpar, which roughly translates as “helping hands that increase in value through service.” All children help with all aspects of the community, whether cleaning up, washing dishes, participating in the kitchen, or looking after their younger siblings.
The Lakpar attitude of service guides our sustainable living practices, in which we give back to the earth and our environment by aspiring to be zero waste, growing our own food, and building beautiful earthen homes.
Planting love and compassion for the future
Through the stability offered in our community, the celebrations of culture, and a commitment to nurture Mother Earth, we plant the essential ingredient of love, compassion, and a sense of belonging in every child. We are guided by both the past and present, with our community acting as a bridge towards the future.