Like a temperamental child, spring alternates between the warming sun and snow blizzards. If it lingers, delaying pasture growth, the animals, still recovering from winter, will start to perish from lack of grazing. In the past, when nomads had fewer means of providing winter fodder, they were at the mercy of nature. Today, adequate preparation for winter fodder in the form of oats cultivation allows a better chance of animal survival during the unpredictable spring.
Finally, as the grass transforms into a soft green pasture, a wave of relief washes over the Ritoma herders. The sheep gather strength, and life returns to its normal, vibrant rhythm.
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The Great Prayer Festival, or Monlam Chenmo, was established by Je-Rinpoche, or Tsong Khapa, in Lhasa in 1409. The timing, the first two weeks of the New Lunar Year, or Losar was made to coincide with the celebrated display of the Buddha's miraculous powers.
Once when the Buddha was staying at Rajagriha, six religious adepts decided to challenge him to a contest of magical powers and stated their intention to his host, King Bimbisara. The Buddha accepted, and chose a site at Shravasti. A throne was prepared for each participant and the King Prasenajit of Khoshala, his court and thousands of spectators assembled to watch.
The Buddha’s first feat was to stick a tooth stick into the ground, from which sprouted an immense tree whose fruits were as large as chariot wheels, sweet as nectar, and whose scent satisfied all desires. The trunk and leaves were radiant like the seven jewels and the rustling of the wind through the leaves transformed into the words of religious discourse. Many people developed faith in the Buddha and generated an altruistic aspiration to gain enlightenment themselves.
Turning to the six challengers, the king invited them to demonstrate their own feats and as each thought the others were capable of performing magic, but knowing they were no match, they all sat with their heads bowed.Next, a huge many coloured mountain, covered with fruit-laden trees appeared on each side of the Buddha. The food growing on one satisfied the appetite of countless people, while the grass growing on the other satisfied innumerable animals. Among the onlookers, many were reborn as gods in celestial realms and others achieved a high degree of spiritual development. Then, the Buddha created a pond which had a canal flowing into it and another flowing out in each of the four directions. The sound of running water was like a religious instruction to the people who heard it, teaching them about the five powers, the five forces, the seven branches of enlightenment, the eight-fold paths, the three doors of liberation, the five clairvoyances, the six perfections, great love, great compassion, the four immeasurables and so forth. Among those who listened, many attained one of the stages on the path of liberation, many were reborn in celestial realms and others gained much merit.
Golden rays of light radiated from the Buddha`s mouth dispelling the five poisons, anger, desire, ignorance, pride and jealousy from all beings on which they fell. People experienced a great sense of well-being in both body and mind. The Buddha then delivered a discourse as a result of which many people developed an altruistic aspiration for enlightenment. The Buddha continued to demonstrate miraculous feats until the fifteenth of the month, the length of time established for the Great Prayer Festival.
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I N S I G H T
Contemplate this imaginary collection of archaeological objects in ‘Hermes- Unesco,’ by Martin Bollati.Consider repair as a transient craft practice in “Mending at the Margins,” by Diamond Abdulrahim.
Investigate the history, ecology, and global dynamics of wool production in “Oltre Terra” by Formafantasma.
C O N N E C T
Discover the story of Moyenne Island, a place transformed into the smallest national park in the world.
Experience gold and silver weave with fibers in the work of Colombian textile artist Olga de Amaral. Explore antique maps and atlases in this vast digital archive of The Sunderland Collection.
Learn about the sacred and beautiful practice of aboriginal bark painting from Yirrkala, Australia.
N O U R I S H
Immerse in Tree Drawings, an ongoing project by Tim Knowle’s with trees. Ground in the age-old ritual of stone-stacking in the wild.
Restore with the peaceful healing mantras of Drukmo Gyal, a Tibetan born singer.
Conserve the Parana wetlands in Argentina with artist Alexandra Kehayoglou.
L O C A L N E W S
On September 11th, the men of Ritoma Village paid tribute to the local deities who dwell on Ritoma’s highest point, Amne Tongri, at 4200 mtrs above sea level. This Laptse ceremony is an integral part of pastoral life and a way to show respect to the local masters of the hills, rivers, and lakes. In Ritoma, where the most important local deity, Amnye Tongra, occupies the highest hill, the clan members pledge allegiance and request his support and protection from drought, disease, and misfortune. They make offerings of incense, food, and even brocade, which they burn, and plant their clan arrows into a tower-like structure that dominates a hill and can be seen from miles away.On the 6th of October, three days following the return of the nomads to their winter houses, a representative of each family circled Rintoma’s winter grazing area on horseback, each carrying a volume from the Monastery’s most sacred scriptures tied to their backs. This sacred circumambulation is done for the protection and good fortune of the community, who will spend the upcoming months in their winter pastures.
Norlha’s annual Tea sponsorship fell on the 22nd of November, the 10th day of the 10th Month of the lunar Calendar. A group of 15 Norlha employees made over a 1000 momos to host the day’s meal. The rest of the Atelier attended the morning prayers in the Grand Assembly Hall. The prayers were dedicated to all Norlha employees.
On a mountain pass, pilgrims and travellers will add a stone as a thanks to the deities for a safe journey. Going over the pass is seen as a victory, the culmination point of a trek often fraught with danger. In the past, offerings also included foodstuffs left on the stones for the next to come. The dumbom is the receptacle for blessings, the focal point for holding positive energy to be disseminated to overcome obstacles and bring harmony to humans and animals.
]]>Kim Yeshi, Norlha’s President and Co-Founder, says:
This circular collection speaks to the spirit of conservation that underscores everything we do. Tibetan nomads, among whom we live and work, are practical people who maximise their resources – upcycling their everyday things to make the most of everything they have. Our circular collections arose from our wish to give new life to our unused materials, transforming them into beautifully crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces.In a Ritoma Village home, a patched sheep’s wool felt blanket belonging to a local nomad.
]]>November 13th is a day that marks the passage of time. It celebrates the people who have come together to make Norlha possible and a chance to look back at the journey we began 16 years ago as a community bound by enthusiasm, artistry, and discovery.
]]>These children are not only our responsibility, but our future, and we hope that one day the atmosphere of skill and creativity that they thrive in will inspire them to continue the journey that we began together.Interview with Chonckck, Tsering and Tanzin.
T A N Z I N D O R J E E — 8 years old
—Describe Norlha
Norlha makes clothes.
— How old do you think Norlha is?
Twenty years old. Norlha has been here for a long time.
—Who in your family works for Norlha?
My Dad works at Norlha.
— What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up, I want to be a teacher and teach Chinese.
— What do you like to do after school?
I like playing basketball.
— What is your favourite season on the plateau, and why?
I love spring the most. Spring isn't so cold, and I can ride my bicycle in the
village.T S E R I N G T H O P D A N — 6 years old
—Describe Norlha
Norlha is where my mom goes to work
— How old do you think Norlha is?
Five years old
—Who in your family works for Norlha?
My mom
—What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be a monk, a doctor, or a teacher.
—What do you like to do after school?
I enjoy playing DIY games with paper.
—What is your favourite season on the plateau, and why?
I like autumn and winter. In the autumn, the grassland changes into lots of pretty colours. And in the winter, we get to build snowmen and have fun snowball fights.C H O N C K C K D H U N D U P—5 years old
—Describe Norlha
Norlha is super pretty, and the office is really big (show with arms how big it is)
—How old do you think Norlha is?
As old as me
—Who in your family works for Norlha?
My mom and my dad
—What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be a firefighter. I'll wear cool firefighter clothes and use a fire extinguisher to put out fires.
—What do you like to do after school?
After school, I love watching the Avengers. My favourites are Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, and Captain America.
—What is your favourite season on the plateau, and why?
I love the snowy season because everything turns white when it snows. It's like magic!
]]>Tibetans more commonly use white khatas, symbolising purity, and yellow ones, to mark respect to a high lama. Mongolians have blue khatas, a symbol of the sky.The Tibetan Protector Knot is believed to protect, heal and serve as a positive essence in one’s life. Each Knot is made with a prayer and while smaller Knots are worn around one’s neck, larger Knots adorn people’s homes or cars to ward off the bad and bring good fortune.
To honour, thank and welcome all new customers, we offer a Tibetan Protector Knot hand tied from a white Khata scarf.Right: Tibetan Protector Knot, hand knotted from a white Khata scarf at the Norlha Atelier
]]>Incentives for moving or staying vary. Some involve building a little house in a pleasant spot and asking the spirit to move there. It can be about digging a hole and filling it with symbolic treasure, convincing the spirit to stay around and enjoy his newfound riches. If the Land Owners are powerful, tricks to draw them out may be used. The area may be avoided altogether if the situation is considered too dangerous.
The dominant spirit in Ritoma, Amnye Tongra, is known for dwelling on the highest peak in the area, which bears his name. The site the village gave us to build the Norlha workshop is across the valley from his mountain and was known as the place where the deity tethered his horses. Asking for permission was complex, and a positive response depended on the purity of the builder's intentions. Lama Phuntsok, a young lama from Ritoma Monastery who lived and studied at Labrang Tashikyil, was asked to perform the request. He and a senior Ritoma Monastery monk returned several times, finally blessing the finished structure. Fortunately, the deity approved of Norlha, and all went well. The workshop was built, and many people from Ritoma Village gained from it.
]]>Radiating rays of Love bring warmth to beings
A life that evolves free of illness brings the mind happiness
The fulfilment of peace of body and mind is reflected by the smile on your face.
A peaceful environment gives rise to true happiness
Praying 108 times for peace. 108 is a sacred number in many cultures and religions, in Tibet this sacred number has been spun out into many areas of not only religious, but daily life. A rosary, used for counting prayers, must have 108 beads, and a nomad woman braids her hair into 108 tresses. The number 108 is also used for blessing. Mathematicians also consider it is special, Leonardo Fibonacci, born around A.D. 1170 having posited in his theory that the number 108 has a way of representing the wholeness of existence. On a cosmic level, the distance between the sun and the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the sun. The number 108 connects us both to ourselves and to the world around us. In Tibetan Buddhism, the number 108 mainly stands for the Kangyur, the Tibetan Buddhist canon, a loosely defined collection of 108 volumes of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and described as the Word of the Buddha. Also, the Lankavatara Sutra, a Buddhism Mahayana text that figures prominently in Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, has a section where the Bodhisattva Mahamati asks the Buddha 108 questions. In many places on the Tibetan plateau, and notably in Ritoma, each year in late October, when the animals are brought back to winter camp, the men of the village bless the winter grazing area with the 108 volumes of the Kangyur. They go to the monastery, where they borrow the large, cloth wrapped loose leaf books, each horseman trying several to his back and circumambulate the area several times to protect their herds from a harsh winter and bring blessings to the whole village. slideshow |
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]]>Buddhism spread into the Tibetan plateau from India in the 7th century, where the Bon religion thrived among many animistic cults. Buddhism gradually made its way, with temples and monasteries, establishing itself among the existing cults. Buddhist sages and lamas did not reject or oppose the existing order but gained its support by integrating the many deities that populated the hills, mountains, and rivers as protectors of the new faith.Tibetan Buddhists believe the human realm is just one of six. There are innumerable creatures that we do not see but are everywhere. Tibetans call them land owners; like humans, they differ in their ranks and powers. They are not considered sacred but call for respect and consideration. Like humans, they can become friends or enemies, protect or harm. With our greed and numerous concerns, we humans have moved away from the earth’s pulse, but they have not. They have become the link between the nomads, who rely on the environment for their livelihood, and Mother Earth's whims.
The Laptse ceremony, an integral part of pastoral life, is a way to show respect to the local masters of the hills, rivers, and lakes. In Ritoma, where the most important local deity, Amnye Tongra, occupies the highest hill, the clan members pledge allegiance and request his support and protection from drought, disease, and misfortune. They make offerings of incense, food, and even brocade, which they burn, and plant their clan arrows into a tower-like structure that dominates a hill and can be seen from miles away.
]]>For centuries, Tibetan nomads have nurtured a reciprocal relationship with the pastures and animals on whom they depend – guided by principles of care, respect and gratitude. These beliefs are the foundation of the nomads’ relationship with the yak, who provide communities with indispensable resources and are the backbone of their livelihoods.
The balance of colours in Norlha’s AW23 collections subtly references this fruitful coexistence. The RTW collection’s tonal browns, greys and greens reflect the muted shades of the pastures, while the highly pigmented yellows, pinks, oranges, blues and reds of the scarves and accessories nod towards the human presence on the plateau, in particular, the monks’ deep burgundy robes and the brightly coloured prayer flags that adorn monasteries and mountain peaks.A particular focus of Norlha’s collection of scarves for this season is over-felting – a technique perfected by Norlha’s artisans, wherein a base woven fabric is felted with pure khullu. This hand-finished process adds warmth and density to the weave while creating a double-faced effect through textural and tonal variance in the finished fabric.Commenting on the atelier’s over-felting technique, Norlha’s Production Manager Tsering Dhundup says:
[The over-felted scarves] best represent us, not as individuals but as a whole atelier working across […] weaving and felting. It takes not one artist but an entire atelier to make [one of these] pieces. The different textures of each piece remind you that life is not a single weave but an intricate combination of twists, turns, dips and rises that together bring about the intricate patterns of life.
Dechen Yeshi, Norlha’s CEO & Co-Founder, says:
Norlha is a community woven together by artistry. The yak is the common thread between all Tibetans and their ancestors, an animal they depended upon for survival on the plateau. Today, at Norlha, the yak continues to bind us as a community. Every year, as we deepen our connection with yak khullu, our new creations become yet one more thread that tightens the fabric of our community. This year, we introduce our over-felt creations that are a collective creation of our spinners, weavers and felters. These pieces have both the tightness of woven fabric and the softness of felt and have come to embody Norlha in all its different forms of artistry.
]]>Moments for fun and release are rare offerings, opportunities that are eagerly latched onto, and are short but intense. A beautiful summer evening will prompt a dance amongst the wildflowers, the pasture in full bloom, a sea of undulating hills turned yellow. A special visitor will be a pretext for a lavish meal followed by games that will pitch the women against the men, involve water fights or tug of war, all provoking wild laughter and what would be, in other circumstances, considered outrageous behavior.At Norlha, release has been institutionalized by the picnic, a favorite Tibetan activity. Each year, the workshop workers, staff and their families and guests dedicate three days to the pleasures of summer. The Norlha employees are all former pastoralists, and though the nature of their work has changed from pasture to work room, their sense of fun and release remains unchanged. The importance of this event is marked by the seriousness with which it is organized; the spot carefully chosen, the food planned, the tents repaired, games organized, chores distributed. The picnic framework provides the platform for the most cherished, though often unspoken, aspect of the picnic; unbridled fun. The women pounce on the men or vice versa, drenching them in water, chasing each other across the pasture. The games we introduced, many inspired by activities in kiddy parties, were enthusiastically adopted and adults can be seen trying to bite hanging apples, feeding each other yogurt blindfolded or racing in sacks. The best singers are invited to play their mandolin and everyone dances in a circle to the sound of the year’s most popular songs.
This lightness of heart is not limited to picnics; a new snowfall will precipitate a snowball fight, and lunch break on a hot day, a water fight. In the first years, it was difficult to control, and pranks were frequent, most marked by the day the weavers teased their supervisor by tying her to a loom.
]]>Don't contaminate water; it is the blood of the earth
Don't dig the ground; it is the earth's flesh and bones
Don't cut down our forests; they are the earth's skin and fur
Protect the earth; it is our home.
Buddhist teachings are based on the law of cause and effect, the belief that each individual is accountable for his or her deeds and that contentment, respect, and compassion will bring happiness and harmony. This principle has led the Tibetan nomads who live on the Plateau to develop a culture of respect and restraint towards their environment, aware that moderation is the key to maintaining the balance essential to their survival. They tune into nature's cycles and pay respect to the invisible creatures, spirits, and earthly gods, whom they believe inhabit certain areas, enlisting their support and apologizing for any faults committed by their presence. During these ceremonies, which cleanse the negative effects of any offense such as digging the ground, felling trees, or contaminating the water, they offer incense, hang wind horse flags, burn offerings, and throw papers printed with the effigy of the Wind Horse, a symbol of good luck, thus reestablishing the healthy relationship that will benefit them and the ecosystem they depend on for survival.
]]>When they tire of stories told around the hearth, people settle down to sleep. Mattresses were made of the soft hides of young yaks, which had died in their first or second year, laid over heaps of a long grass called pema, which was also used for fuel. This sleeping area was distinct from the part of the tent we used during the day, the floor of which consisted of the thick green grass of the pasture, which we took care not to spoil.
Today, canvas army tents often replace the traditional bagu, lighter and easier to transport. Families are smaller, and the sense of communal living has taken a toll. Plastic is replacing cloth and leather, and television and smart phones make up a great part of evening entertainment. Life on the pasture, as it is everywhere else, is changing.
Since resources are limited, access to grassland in each zone is organized by season, with areas divided between spring, summer and autumn pasture. While animals graze in one area, the rest is allowed to regrow. It is a delicate ecosystem, where the animals facilitate plant life by sowing the seeds with their hooves, and fertilize the ground with their droppings. Every nomad knows that when taking from the land, one has to give it the room to give back.Each year, at the height of summer, Ritoma pastors move their sheep and yak to Chakka, the furthest of the grazing areas, about 20 kilometers from Ritoma village. The pasture will be at its most lush, and a feast for the animals. Nomads arrange their tents in groups, usually on a southern facing slope, which gives them a view on the their flocks. At night, they gather the sheep into a pen near their tent to protect them from wolves, and tether the female yaks for their morning milking. The summer move is done in one go; in the past, yaks were loaded with the folded up tents, kitchen utensils and other daily necessities, but nowadays, the preferred vehicle is the three wheeler blue camel.
The yearly stint in Chakka will last as long as the grass does. On a good year, it could go one until the end of August, after which the animals and their pastors will make their way to the autumn pasture, closer to the village.
]]>Sagadawa is the full moon of the 4th month of lunar calendar. This is the day that the Buddha was born, gained enlightenment and passed away. In a culture where the next life is considered as important as the present one, people give close attention to investing in their future, that is their future life. Sagadawa is that special month that is believed to bring even more merit than usual, an opportunity for religious minded Buddhists to acquiring a good stock of merit for their karma account.
A large number of Norlha employees devote the entire 4th month to performing various acts of merit. Some become vegetarians for the month, others give alms to the poor and still others circumambulate or prostrate around the local monasteries. The 15th of the lunar calendar, the full moon, is a holiday for the Norlha employees. All the villagers assemble at the monastery for the unfurling of the large thangka (kyigu) on the hill across from the monastery and line up to receive blessings from a visiting Geshe (a degree awarded to monks on the completion of their dialectical studies) from nearby Labrang monastery.
In Labrang, one of the largest monasteries on the Tibetan Plateau, Sagadawa is a major event that attracts pilgrims from a wide radius. They begin to congregate at the beginning of the month, and by the 15th, hundreds of beggars a sitting by the linkhor to receive alms from the circumambulators. Labrang Tashi Kyil Monastery’s circumambulation route is 3 km long, and crowded with people of all ages, as well as the sick, brought by their relatives in wheelchairs to receive the special blessings absorbed on this holy day. Norlha wishes everyone a happy Sagadawa and good wishes for this life and the next.
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]]>I N S I G H T
Contemplate collecting the intangible with Cuban artist José Bedia.
Ponder the Amazon Tribe’s deep connection with the rainforest with anthropologist Eduardo Kohn.Unearth innovation in locally rooted knowledge with Marina Tabassum’s Khudi Bari (Bengali for “tiny house”).
C O N N E C T
Travel to the Dhaka Art Summit, invoking minds and bodies through art to make sense of change and summon rain. Discover the work of visual artist Aislan Pankararu from the Pankararu people of Petrolândia.Watch Velvet Queen, a moving quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard in the Tibetan Plateau.
N O U R I S H
Practice the Tibetan yogas of dream and sleep.
Immerse into the sounds of the natural world in ‘The Great Animal Orchestra,’ Fondation Cartier.
Follow the personal odyssey of three hikers meeting high in the mountains in BERG, now streaming on MUBI.L O C A L N E W S
February 15th: Norlha Atelier re-opens for a New Year of the Rabbit
The New Year annual holiday is the longest of the year, when nomads have the most time to spare. For our workshop employees, it is a time to catch up with family and friends or go to more distant areas on pilgrimage. After a month of resting and feasting everyone came back refreshed, ready to start their work anew.
March 20th: Laptse
Laptse is a festival where men from all the clans in Ritoma, riding their horses and bearing their family arrows gather to honor the local deities, pledging their allegiance and appealing for their guidance and blessings for good fortune.
The laptse held on the 11th on the second month of the lunar calendar, is the first of the year and different from those that will follow. The men ride over the Amnye Tongra, Ritoma’s highest and most sacred peak with the monks, who pray and make offerings. There, they liberate an animal, a Tsethar, meaning ‘Life that has been spared’, marking it with a ribbon. It is their attempt at negating the negative karma of having to kill for their livelihood over many years. They appeal to the local deity, who reigns over this peak, to help them begin anew in harmony, avoiding grazing disputes, animal diseases, insufficient rain and attacks from wolves.May 1st, Dukar/Dolma Prayers
These prayers take place each year at the onset of spring. Monks come to each household to pray to the two female deities Dukar, or Victorious White Parasol, and Dolma, or Tara, the female embodiment of compassion. Both, with their all-seeing compassion, project the power to appease and protect beings from disease and natural catastrophes for the coming year. In the old days, when families were not as affluent, prayers were simple, monks sometimes arriving to an empty dwelling, as all the family members would be out grazing their animals. The monks would recite the necessary prayers and leave. Nowadays, families are more affluent and preparations are lavish, often followed by a feast where friends and relatives from the village are invited. April in Ritoma is a month of prayer with the Monastery’s 104 monks making the rounds of 240 families in about 20 days.
]]>Rinchen Tso - རིན་ཆེན་འཚོ།
Rinchen Tso is 35 years old and has a 12 year old daughter. Rinchen is a knitter at Norlha and her husband is the head chef of the employee’s canteen. She has been at Norlha since 2011 and was a nomad before then.“I own a Nomad Net Scarf and often throw it over my shoulders as a shawl. I love this piece as it completes my Traditional Tibetan robe which I wear every day. The natural grey is my favorite colour. There is just something gentle and seamless about this colour, a perfect medium between the white and the brown.”Gendun - དགེ་འདུན།
Gendun and his wife Dukar are carpet weavers at Norlha. They are both skilled artisans and have been with Norlha since 2009. They have two children, and before coming to Norlha, they lived as nomads in Ritoma.“I love the Tibetan Shirt in the natural grey colour. I feel it complements our robes well and is an evolution of the much-prized Tibetan Shirt in raw silk that used to be brought from India.”Donla - སྒྲོན་ལོ།
Donla has been with Norlha for the past 12 years and today is one of Norlha’s best ‘clippers.’ Clippers finish each piece ridding it of any knots that the weavers might have added to secure thread breakages. Clippers also hand sew the edges or knot the fringes of scarves. Donlo, referred to as Acha Donla, meaning sister Donlo, is 56 years old and was a nomad before coming to Norlha. She is the mother of two children. “I love the versatility of this size. I can wear the Nomad Brown Classic Skinny daily, wrapped around my neck or over my head and around my face. It keeps the wind out and when the clouds break and there is sunshine, it is easy to tie around my waist, accessible again when the Plateau weather turns. The natural brown is my favorite colour. It is the colour of our yaks, and the colour of earth.”
]]>Water is both precious and plentiful on the Tibetan Plateau – a place of innumerable mineral springs, alpine lakes, glaciers, and the headwaters for many of Asia’s largest rivers. Rituals around water abound in Tibetan Buddhism, particularly yönchap – a daily water offering practised in shrines and homes across the plateau. Norlha’s limited-edition scarves and ready-to-wear items for spring/-summer 2023 are lightweight, flowing, and diaphanous – inspired by the Buddhist understanding of water as a symbol of purity, clarity, and calm. Many pieces are woven from fine yak khullu and silk, which, when perfectly balanced by the weaver, create a crinkled texture in the weave. The naturally formed wrinkles, creases, and pleats in these yak khullu and silk-blend pieces gently tighten and loosen in response to humidity and dryness – adding to their fluid, organic nature.
Balancing khullu and silk in the weave is a craft perfected by Norlha’s artisans, who have created these unique, experimental fabrics after many years spent mastering their practice. As Rinchen Kyi, who has been with Norlha for over a decade, explains:
‘My mind can wander when my fingers work the silk yarn, untangling each strand from the rest. The silk slithers gently against my fingers while the yak twists and curls up. From over ten years of working with these yarns, I am familiar with their behaviour and feel gratified each time I overcome a challenging knot.’
As with all Norlha pieces, these scarves demonstrate what can be achieved when yak khullu is treated with care and respect. The immense effort and precision involved in creating each of these pieces have necessarily restricted production, making them truly limited. Norlha is also releasing two ready-to-wear (and made-to-order) pieces as part of a limited spring-summer capsule range. Made with the same precisely balanced yak khullu and silk blend, the Feather Long-Sleeved Top and Feather Skirt show this exquisite fabric at its purest with casual, flowing lines and silhouettes cut for movement, comfort, and simplicity. Made from unbleached, undyed khullu, the natural grey skirt and natural white top (made from the rarest of all yak wools) echo the Tibetan Plateau’s landscape – the grey of the mountains’ rocky peaks and the white of the snow that blankets the pastures from autumn to spring and the billowing clouds that fill the summer sky.
Introducing Master Weaver Wandi Kyi Wandi Kyi (བན་དེ་སྐྱིད།) was one of the first ten nomads Norlha trained in 2007 and she has been working at Norlha Atelier ever since. Her quick mind and incredible coordination have guided her work, and she became one of Norlha’s cherished master weavers in 2007. She started her family while at Norlha, and is now a mother of three. Her husband also works at Norlha Atelier, managing our raw materials for production.
Wandi created the Mud Wall Scarf for SS23’s limited-edition range. Here, she reflects on the process of creating the scarf:
‘All these years of weaving, I felt that achieving the perfect symmetry and balance was the biggest challenge. Who would have known that creating irregularity demands an even higher level of perfection? This scarf is the series of zigzagged paths that life often takes us on, the challenge and the beauty in the unpredictable.’
]]>Its long life, made obvious by artful patches, brought out its eminence, and the quality that its makers, if they were still alive, were so proud of. Patches and artful mends are also a sign of practicality, respect for thriftiness, and ode against waste. One wears what one needs until it no longer can be worn. It is not the look that matters, or the need to show off by wearing something new or expensive. A beautiful, carefully patched old gown draws respect for its lasting quality, a form of aging that not only bears shine and beauty but a glimpse of the wearer’s contentment with what he or she has, as opposed to seeking more.
]]>As one of the 4 elements, water is precious and essential, though Tibetan culture has elevated it beyond its fundamental qualities. The Bengali sage Atisha, when visiting Tibet in the 11th century, praised its water as its greatest treasure. Giving is considered an essential virtue in Buddhist ethics, incorporated into daily rituals with offerings that regale each of the five senses; beautiful flowers for sight, a musical instrument for sound, soft fabric for touch, fragrant incense for smell, delicious sweets for taste. When Atisha came at the invitation of King Yeshi O, who reigned over the Western Kingdom of Guge, he was amazed by the qualities of Tibetan water. He said that daily offering of water surpassed any others for several, practical reasons; the water would always be pure in essence, with the qualities required for a perfect offering. It was also simple to acquire, and would not distract the practitioner. Most importantly, water has no material value, and since offerings must be made with the clearest motivation free from all regret and stinginess, it would insure the purity of the offering. Thus came the tradition, visible in all Tibetan households, of offering water, poured each morning into seven bowls, neither too little or too much, and emptied each evening, the bowls wiped, ready for the next offering.Tibet is also the place of innumerable springs, many with minerals endowed with curative properties. People on the Plateau are discerning of their water as the French are with their wine, comparing the taste of this water to that one, and prizing some above all others. Like mountains, forests and rivers, Tibetans believe springs are the abode of invisible creatures who must be treated with care. The dominant ones are the Nagas, or serpent spirits who have the power to harm those who pollute their abodes. Nagas are often the object of rituals of appeasement and of purification of their water, and some monks spend months travelling from spring to spring performing rituals aimed at the restitution of its waters.
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