Tibetannet

Date: 2010 Level: State-level No.: I-107

Category: Folk literature Place: Mainling, Tibet

Cultural Heritage Name: Legend of Lhoba ancestors

The legend of Lhoba ancestors is an integral part of daily life for Lhoba people, a mirror of Lhoba community, and a state of existence of Lhoba folk life. As living textbooks of preciousness, the legend can be an informative reference for people to learn the development progress of Lhoba culture. The status as a state-level intangible cultural heritage can be contributive to the protection of Lhoba folk culture and the inheritance and development of the legend.

Ancestors of Lhoba People

A philosopher once said: “The best way to learn a nationality is to learn its histories, traditions and customs.”

Aba Dani: folk customs living in legends

Aba Dani, ancestor of Lhoba people, once resided at Kongpo, and then moved via Dangga to Badeng Bangga, Mainling village. Aba Dani had three sons: Dangbang, Dangjian and Dangri. The sons respectively moved to the south and entered Lhoyul. Dangbang, with his two sons, went west, then turned southward at Lilonggou, and then went over Sedan Luoya and finally settled at Degen; their descendants are modern Degen tribe. Dangri, with his two sons, resided at Nayushangou (modern Neyul); their offspring Dangbo and Gaerbo brothers went south via Nayu Dongla, and arrived at Delengbang where they competed in archery; Gaerbo’s arrows fell into Golog Shuangshuang, modern Manigang; Gaerbo settled down where his arrows were, and his offspring is modern Bokar.

Lhoba Festival Culture

Behind legends are jubilant festivals. Festival culture is one of the most distinct features of Lhoba people compared with other nationalities.

According to Kelsang, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Mainling County Committee, due to low-density population and inconvenient traffic, the dates of festivals vary among Lhoba people; usually, festivals are fixed after the busy harvesting seasons. Among many Lhoba festivals, the most famous one is Kongpo Festival. The Kongpo Festival occurs on the first day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar. It’s the most solemn festival in Kongpo regions (Mainling, Nyingchi and Gongbo’gyamda). In Nyingchi Prefecture, all governmental offices, enterprises and public institutions recess on Kongpo Festival. A festive atmosphere prevail both in urban and rural regions.

Characteristic dances, songs and music are an important part of the spiritual and cultural world of Lhoba people. Lhoba people tend to invite folk singers to perform when they participate in collective activities like harvesting, festivals and religious services. The performing forms include solo, antiphonal singing and group singing. Singers improvise on the basis of traditional tunes. Lyrics come in with a variety of themes including myths, legends, politics, history, nature, family and marriage which involve diverse aspects of Lhoba people’s colorful life.

The dress of Lhoba people is obviously different from that of Tibetan people. With a hunting tradition, Lhoba men usually wear a long knife, leather hunting jacket and a hat. Women wear a round-collared narrow-sleeved short gown, a close-fitting skirt, and wrapping cloth around their legs. Both men and women wear heavy ornaments around their waist and neck. Both men and women like wearing an exquisite belt, made of canes or leather or wool, with colorful patterns. Apart from the function of tightening, the belt is also used to dangle small knifes, frizzens and other copper or shell ornaments.

As a consequence of the deep influence from the Tibetan culture, Lhoba cuisine is quite similar to Tibetan cooking. Lhoba people like eating roast meat, dried meat, milk dregs, buckwheat cakes, and especially rice balls mixed with maize and flavored with chili. They like eating a kind of buckwheat cakes baked on slates and flavored with pasted chili and cheese. The cakes are very sweet and delicious. Both men and women like eating chili, smoking snuff and drinking.

The totems of Lhoba tribes and clans have been passed down from generation to generation. Such custom is an important form of ancient primitive religious belief in human history. They pray to deities for peace and prosperity, usually sacrificing animals or inviting wizards to recite scriptures to deter evil spirits.