P.O. Box 158 Cimarron CO, 81220 Tel: (970) 249-7004
They are subsistence
farmers, growing barley in the small fields around their villages. They
trade some of their barley for salt and other goods with Tibetans to the north
and other groups to their south. They also raise sheep, goats, and yak. They
are Buddhist and highly revere their religious leaders called "lamas." The
lama names their children, handles the religious celebrations, and acts as
a faith healer in times of sickness.
Found
in the North-Western district of Dolpa
This
group is totally untouched with the Gospel. They still have no written language
or Christian literature. There are no known Dolpa believers. In order for a
church to be established within this people group, a movement
must start with the village leaders.
One of these
groups is known as the Dolpo people. They live in the region of Dolpa,
which is just west of Mustang and south of Tibet. Because the villages are
located at high altitudes, it is extremely cold in the winter with sub-zero
winds blowing continuously. Their clothing is very thick and warm and generally
consists of colors such as maroon, orange, and blue. Their hair is usually
long, plaited, and wrapped around their heads with a red cord.
Many
Tibetan-related peoples live
in the mountains along the northern border of Nepal.
Their ancestors came from Tibet many centuries ago. Most of them practice
some form of Buddhism and speak different Tibetan-related languages. Though
their languages are distinct and many of them are mutually unintelligible,
they have many similarities.
