Culture and Traditional Wisdom

"Knowing Culture and Traditional Wisdom: a Unique Mantra for human survival"

"Let us assume for an instance when this modern and technological world gets unfortunately swip up by an uncertain natural forces, those which are not commandable to the legacies of human control. Imagine the situation when our communication systems, transport systems and many other modern gadgets get suddenly droped out by the so called disasters, and people who fortunately escape are bound to struggle for life in different environmental and topographical conditions- I think, the time would be a worst experience if we do not recall the way of life led by our ancestors; their culture, knowledge and wisdom which they had passed on to us from several generations. I think, every ethnic groups of different human population has their own cultural value system, which they thrive upon to live with. It seems that our moral responsibility is to know our traditional values with a great sense of respect to the glorious lives of our great forefathers.

Away from the present time, if I am compelled to live in Laddakh to an exact situation when our ancestors used to live, I would definitely fail to do so. But why? This may simply because of the fact that I don't know how did they thrive in such a harse condition? If I am aware about the life of our ancestor's past, perhaps I my able to survive and live up to the expectations which our ancestors had struggled to live. The life of those days, of course may give a slow and very sluggish experience if we compare to the time which we are living. But I believe that unless we know our culture and tradition, we had to suffer the consequences in front of uncertainty and sudden shift to the primitive world.

For example, if a Laddaki do not know how to live in extreme cool condition, then the question of survival for him under the sudden swift of life is very rare. If I don't know about the material used by our ancestors form making or weaving snow-walk shoes then how it is possible for me to live in a sudden swip to that age. I frequently use the phrase sudden swip of life so as to understand the abstract value of tradition and culture that one must know in his living environment. Our Laddakhi villagers has to move for trecking for a longer period in the quest food and economy from one place to other. Therefore, each and every personal requirements are carried along where most of the important items are generally suspended and hanged to our waist band. This includes cutting and chooping tools, hunting straps, tooth peg, lock, firing device, wooden case used as note book, Theche (traditional identity stamp), forecep etc. and many more. Even we carry our bowls inside our woolen suit, Kaa-oo holy text and a small altar with inscence for our safe journey and mental satisfaction as well. All these items are approriately used when one had to face a very challanging and an extreme condition. All these are the part of our culture and traditon which our younger generations must know.

Changes in the way of life is practical and such changes will continue to exist. Culture is dynamic and it will go on changing but it is injustice to forget or abandon our glorious culture and tradition. One must have the knowledge of their own culture and culture includes everything it may be their food habit, dressing patterns, habitat so on and so forth. These cultural values needs proper documentation and preservation not only in audio-and visual medium, text and inscriptions but also into the mental framework of the people concern so that the future generation may able to live up even in the sudden swip of life from one age to other because nobody knows the magnitude to which age we are moving. I believe this is the right mantra for human survival". say's Mr. Tsering Sonam Supari

- a note from author's talk with Sri. Tsering Sonam Supari from Phey Ang village, Laddakh