Nepal &Tibet

For centuries Tibetans have woven rugs as bedding, prayer mats and saddle blankets. When China took control of Tibet in 1959, the Dali Lama (their spiritual leader) left his country and crossed into neighboring Nepal. Many Tibetans followed his path and settled in the Katmandu valley in Nepal. There are about ten thousand of these people remaining in Nepal today, where many other thousands have immigrated to the US and western countries. In order to make a living in this new country, the Tibetan refugees began weaving carpets. Even up to today, Tibetan culture and art still thrives in this newfound homeland.

Here are some photos I have taken in Nepal...

A View of the Himalayan Range	A man spinning silk
These rugs are drying on bamboo sticks.	A weaver napping on dyied wool.
Rug clipping.	Monks taking a stroll.
A sign prohibiting child labor.	The Gate to Katmandu.
Man and women weaving side by side.	All on lunch break except these two.
More weaving.	A typical tibetan monk outfit.
An old world scale.	They are weaving a small rug.
Tibetan women tying wool into balls.	Very strick about not using child labor.
Weavers having a lunch break.	This wool is drying under the sun.
They are all hand spinning wool.	Wool is dyed in these boilers.