Highlanders attending the Nomad’s festival in Bumthang are pretty much worried that they might not be able to sell their products this time.While, for the organisers, buying and selling is just a part of the event. The main objective is to promote and sustain the Nomad’s way of life.
Nomadic communities from Bumthang, Haa, Gasa, Thimphu, Trashiyangtse and Wangduephodrang are once again displaying their products for sale. These include handmade products like bags and belts made from yak’s fur, medicinal herbs, dairy and buckwheat products. But those who participated in the festival aren’t as optimistic as they were before. Sale this time isn’t as good as it used to be before.
“We cannot make good income because all the products that we are displaying are nomadic products and this village is well known for such products. Only tourists and Dashos from Thimphu buy the products. So sale isn’t really good,” said one of the participants.
However, for those participating for the first time remain hopeful to earn some additional cash income.
“I am participating for the first time. I am hoping to sell as much as possible. Today I sold quite a few. I think sale will improve,” said Lam Dorji from Sephu Gewog in Wangduephodrang.
The festival is being organised by the Wangchuck Centennial Park. It says the festival much broader objective than the sale of products. “One of the objectives of having this festival is to encourage our nomads to continue staying in the border areas because that is very important and basically to make other citizens appreciate their lifestyle. I think it is not only how much people can sell their nomadic products or livestock products. May be they have not been able sell much but I think other benefits are equally there,” said D.S Rai, the Chief Forestry Officer of the Park.
The event is taking place at Nagsiphel under Chhoekhor Gewog. The Nomads festival was first held in December 2009.
