Hidden Culture in the Himalayas: Kharnaks in the Changthang

Kharnak Nomads. Source: Ronald Patrick Photography.

The Kharnaks are a nomadic group that live part of their lives in the Changthang, a plateau in the Himalayan mountains. The Changthang region is difficult to live in because of its high altitude, harsh weather, and general inaccessibility; but to the Kharnaks and other tribes of the Changpa ethnicity, it has been one of their homes since the eighth century. Their livelihood and tradition is slowly being lost as more people are staying permanently in Kharnakling, a town that, typically, they have migrated seasonally to in the past. Seventy-percent of the Kharnaks have now settled permanently in Kharnakling or elsewhere. 

The livelihood of Kharnaks consists of a holistic and interdependent lifestyle with their livestock and one another. Only about twenty families remain in this group to take care of the seven thousand sheep, goats, and yak. As elders age, losing mobility and vigor, and youth settle elsewhere to pursue education and stability, participation in the culture and lifestyle of the Kharnaks dwindles. 

In warmer months these shepherds walk about twelve miles a day, filling their long days with various duties for the survival of them and their animals, such as milking and shearing. During the winter, this nomadic group moves ninety miles from their pastures in the Himalayas — only the few left behind are responsible for taking care of the livestock. 

The practices of this group matter not only to world history and heritage, but their shearing and weaving practices that make up fifty-five percent of their income and contribute to seventy-percent of the wool produced in India. Kharnak and other Changpa groups play an important role in the resources and culture for the whole region. 

Traditions outside of the agricultural practices of Changpa are also diminishing as time moves on. Within the Changpa ethnicity, the influence of Tibetan Buddhism is prevalent, and Buddhist monasteries are present in most villages in the Changthang. The Buddhist monks hold certain rituals for astrologically significant times, as well as New Year festivals. The connection of Buddhism within this community in the past was strong, as families would have one son join the monasteries. Now, however, less sons are inducted into these monasteries. 

Older generations acknowledge the inequity that their youth face as education and healthcare are more inaccessible in recent years while the world around them technologically advances. The Indian government encourages settlement for better accessibility because the educators that previously were a part of the community no longer travel with them, which limits the resources available to them as they sustain their nomadic lifestyle. The surrounding cultures and the introduction of Anglo-Saxon beliefs has also influenced practices of the Changpa in recent years, as the polyandry of the past begins to be replaced with more nuclear families. 

Another external factor contributing to the reduction of the Kharnak culture is climate change. Climate change has significantly impacted the weather and predictability of rain patterns, a serious issue for an agriculturally based community. Additionally, water resources for the Kharnaks are reducing as surrounding glaciers shrink. As a result, many Kharnaks as well as other members of the Changpa have to seek water by begging at nearby roads where truckers pass by. The livestock that they raise and hunt, such as yak and certain species of antelope inch towards extinction. Extinction of the animals these groups care for will lead to their cultural extinction as well. The struggles that tribes in Changthang face are unfortunately echoed globally as climate change drastically impacts indigenous groups.  

The loss of practice and participation anticipates the loss of history and legacy — a connection to the people who came before, with the past and future both gone. Without a connection to the traditions and knowledge of past generations, the longevity of tradition remains insecure. Efforts towards the preservation and conservation of the people, land, and the animals have been made, but questions arise about who should be the ones deciding the preservation practices: governments, third parties, the Changpa, another group? The Kharnaks are one of four major tribes of a fading culture – a culture that has supported generations within and outside of the community with their practices and a culture that deserves to be remembered, celebrated, and sustained.