Exit of migratory farming system
5 December 2008
For ages, Bhutanese farmers thrived on cattle rearing and it was a pride to own large numbers of cattle irrespective of their productivity. Influential people from the colder climes had their grazing lands in the warmer climates of adjacent dzongkhags. Even those in the same dzongkhag had a system of taking their cattle for grazing in different regions of the same dzongkhag.
A practice of taking their cattle and migrating to neighboring Assam also existed in Pemagatshel since their forefathers’ time. This practice slowly waned over the years and finally came to a halt during the Indian militants flush out operation in 2003.
The practice of taking the cattle for grazing in the nearby pastoral lands has been discontinued due to the changed farming system. The farmers of one particular village, Nangkor in Shumar gewog and the entire farmers of Zobel gewog took their cattle for grazing to Rigompa on annual rotation basis. The farmers usually took their cattle twice a year to the place for grazing, once in early spring and another in autumn.
According to Tashi Sonam, as a young boy, he would watch others with envy as those with more cattle took their animals parading through the village tracks. People with even a single cow or bull would join in the convoy of cattle. “It was a proud moment for those with larger herds as it was a status symbol,” he said.
Initially, only a few households of Nangkor had rights to the grazing land. Others in the village vehemently fought over the issue of claiming the right. At one time, the dispute even went to the court. Agay Ugen Tshering narrated how people of the two gewogs would fight over the grazing land. “Rigompa used to be the prized grazing land,” the Agay said.
Today, Tashi Sonam, now in his late forties cannot help recalling how people those days behaved in somewhat bizarre manner over petty matters. People of both Nangkor village and Zobel gewog no longer take their cattle to the once prized grazing land. In fact, it is many years that anyone took their animals there.
Some farmers with the orthodox attitude towards cattle rearing gave up their ways when people slowly took up rearing more productive cattle. Strict forestry regulations also forced the villages to reduce their cattle numbers.
The villages, who let loose their cattle after the last harvest about a decade back, are entirely different now. “Today, people will chase away cattle of even their neighbours if it is found grazing their fields,” said Shumar Gup, Lepo.
The situation is no different in Zobel gewog. Traditionally, people of Zobel reared more cattle compared to undertaking crop production. Since it is situated in the temperate conditions, livestock rearing has been their main stay. It continues to be one of their main incomes generating occupation but like the people of Shumar, the farmers have now changed to rearing a few productive animals. They also ceased taking their cattle for grazing to Rigompa.
Shrugging the prospect of continuing such a practice, a well-known livestock farmer of the geog Sangay said the prospect of living in a leech infested grazing land does not appeal to him anymore.
Agay Ugen Tshering reminisces about the past and says that profound changes which were unthinkable in those days had definitely taken place. While many changes had taken place for good, he said, individuals were becoming more self-centered with little or no feelings for others.
By Gyembo Namgyal
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday July 30 2010
20th Day of the 06th Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
Auspicious for: Carrying out daily chores and making offerings.
Inauspicious for: Starting construction of new house, sowing seeds, planting flowers, entering the new house, shifting houses, calling upon superiors, starting business, doing charity works in the name of deceased, taking out dead bodies, paying grain debts, undertaking long journey and holding discussion.
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Gyempo Namgyal, good article indeed! But your articles are only about Nangkor and Nangkor. Why don’t you travel some other places under Pema Gatshel Dzongkhag and bring up some news or issues which need to be raised?
Good luck, looking ahead to reading some more news!