Life and marriage in Skya rgya, a Tibetan village / Blo brtan rdo rje with Charles Kevin Stuart. = Skya-rgya Khul du dar baʼi gnyen ston gyi cho ga dang yul miʼi ʼtsho ba

Skya rgya is a farming village in Amdo. While Tibetans largely welcome the material benefits that have been brought to them by the march of modernity, it is also inevitable that many of their older traditions have come to be seen as outdated. By juxtaposing voices from earlier periods with those that reflect contemporary experiences, [the author] has provided us with a fascinating window onto the processes of change and development, as they are being experienced by Tibetans in this area. The author's narratives give us a direct and vivid insight into the lives, experiences and expectations of members of his home community. Acknowledgements ix Prefaces xi Lives, Experiences and Expectations xiii Fernanda Pirie Speaking to the Soul and Mind xvii Marielle Prins On the Edge of the Tibetan Cultural World xix Gray Tuttle Unencumbered by Abstraction or Systematization xxi Gerald Roche A Polyphonic View on the Reproduction of Social Life xxix Emily Yeh Listening to the Voices of the Voiceless xxxi Françoise Robin Introduction 1 A Brief Biography 3 The Yeti and the Talking Bear 3 Lha ris Leaves Her Husband’s Home 9 Little Bird 10 Uncle Lion, Uncle Elephant and Mother Rabbit 12 Background to the Study 16 Local Significance of Marriage 17 Significance of this Study 17 Informants 17 Transcription 19 Village Introduction 21 Location 23 Subdivisions and Population 23 History 23 Religion 24 Death 25 Nearby Muslims 26 Languages 27 Housing 27 Livelihood 27 Clothing 28 Recreation 28 Conflict 29 Skya rgya Oration 29 Voices 31 Introduction 33 Voice One: Bkra shis (b. 1979) Married at the Age of Fourteen 33 Grandmother Insists I Marry 34 About the Matchmaker 34 The Matchmaker and I Visit My Prospective Bride 34 The Prospective Bride’s Oldest Brother’s Song 34 The Matchmaker’s Reply 36 Agreement 38 A New Year Visit 39 My Formal Marriage 39 A Bowl Speech 40 Song to Begin the Wedding Ritual at the Groom’s Home 43 A Tibetan Love Song 46 The Bride’s Father’s Songs 48 My Last Year in Primary School 53 The End of Primary School 54 Beginning Junior Middle School 56 The End of My Marriage 57 I Begin Normal School 58 Voice Two: Sgron skyid 58 Voice Three: Nor bu mtsho 59 Voice Four: Lha skyid 61 Marriage Process 63 Night Cabals 65 Marriage Definition 66 Marriage Forms 67 Spouse Selection 67 Abduction 68 Sending the Bride to the Groom’s Home 68 The Groom Goes to the Bride’s Home with a Companion to Take the Bride 69 Songs to Awaken the Bride 69 The Bride’s Mother’s Lamentation When the Bride Departs 73 The Bride’s Response to Her Mother’s Lamentation 76 The Bride’s Departure 76 The Groom’s Side Sings Greetings to the Bride Enroute to the Groom’s Home 77 Songs Sung by Escorts From the Bride’s Side 79 The Bride’s Arrival at the Groom’s Home 89 The A zhang Assembly 90 Welcoming the A zhang 90 The A zhang’s Arrival at the Groom’s Home 91 Songs Sung by the Groom’s Side for the A zhang’s Arrival 91 A Tea Speech 97 A Liquor Speech 102 A Bread Speech 103 Songs Approving the Banquet 106 Ceremony Participants and Congratulatory Gifts 113 The Groom’s Mission During the Wedding Ceremony 114 Songs to Energize the Banquet 114 Dowries and Brideprices 126 A Ma zhang Speech 126 The Matchmaker’s Reply to the Ma zhang’s Speech 128 Livestock the Ma zhang May Demand 132 The Bride’s Father’s Oration 134 Clothing Speech 135 The Sash-tying Ritual 138 A Sash-tying Speech 139 Sash-tying Songs 144 The A zhang’s Departure 156 A Farewell Meal 156 Farewell Songs 156 Activities After the A zhang’s Departure 162 Songs Sung Competitively at Night 162 After the Big-Day Wedding Ceremony 174 Ear-pulling Ritual 174 Invitations Extended to the Bride 174 Escorting the Bride to the Groom’s Home for a Three-Day Stay 174 VI. Conclusion 175 Divorce 177 Childbearing 177 Married Men and Women and Their Lovers 177 Widows and Widowers 178 Unmarried Adults 178 VII. References 181 VIII. Photographs 185 1. Skya rgya Village in the summer of 2006 187 2. Gsung sgrog dgon pa (Sungtok Monastery) 187 3. Rin chen chos gling sgang, a Nyingmapa temple 188 4. Burning bsang 188 5. An old-style village house 189 6. Wedding bowls 190 7. A locally crafted sle bo or basket 191 8. A the’u rang 191 9. A modern village home 192 10. Women’s jewelry and ornaments 193 11. Old ornaments for women 194 12. Mr. Mgon po tshe ring 194 13. A village bride in 2004 195 14. Mr. Blo bzang chos ‘phal 196 15. Ms. Phag mo sgrol ma 196 Appendix—Chinese Ideographs 197