FREE ROAMING
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KISHOR SHARMA
FREE ROAMING
The hunter-gatherers of west Nepal PHOTO ESSAY / SOCIETIES
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KISHOR SHARMA
the predominantly settled, farming people of the Himalayan foothills of west Nepal have many bigoted ideas about Rautes: for instance, that they make a human sacrifice every 12 years, or that, if you wander into one of their camps, you will be enchanted and made prisoner. Rautes, roaming hunter-gatherers recognised as a distinct ethnicity by the Nepali government, with their own language, customs and style of dress, are the last nomads in the area. Though there are an estimated 650 of them in Nepal today, only 140 still practise the traditional Raute way of life. They comb through forests for tubers and fruit, and the men hunt small animals, including monkeys, for meat. Suspicious of outsiders—and generally denigrated as “wild” people—they largely shun contact with mainstream society, though they have historically traded with settled folk, making wooden utensils to exchange for grain, and lately for money. Whenever resources run low, or when one of their fellows dies, they pick up and shift camp. The photographer Kishor Sharma first took an interest in the Rautes in 2011, on a visit to west Nepal from Kathmandu. It took him five days on foot to find the only remaining nomadic camp, following directions from villagers. He finally came upon it, under heavy rain, in Salyan, a hilly district on the verge of the Gangetic plain to the south. The Rautes were reluctant to be photographed, and it took the photographer two more visits—and many gifts of cigarettes, as well as liberal purchases of
wooden utensils—before they finally opened up. Even so, Sharma was barred from observing certain parts of their lives; for one, Rautes, as part of their animistic belief system, consider it taboo to let outsiders watch them hunt. Some researchers believe that, as a society of hunter-gatherers, the Rautes are among the oldest inhabitants of what is now Nepal. But since Rautes do not keep records, and given their cautious distrust and frequent migration, much of the knowledge about their history, language and ways is still speculative. Today, the old Raute lifestyle is under threat. On several occasions, the camp has come into conflict with community groups granted control of local forests by the Nepali state. Many Rautes have refused to register as citizens, and, barring an occasional health camp and small handouts of money, they receive almost no government services or aid. They are finding it ever harder to meet basic needs of food and shelter. With increasing human encroachment on the forests of west Nepal, the community could soon simply run out of places to go—in which case Sharma’s black-and-white photographs, which are part of this year’s Delhi Photo Festival, could become among the last chronicles of Raute camp life. But for now, the last nomadic Rautes hold out, preferring, in Sharma’s words, “to remain hidden in the shroud of mystery ... perhaps to shield themselves from the influence of outer society.”
opposite page: The Rautes roam, and take their camps, across the hills of west Nepal. previous spread: A Raute woman cradles her child. 69
above: In accordance with their beliefs, the Rautes move camp every time one of them dies. opposite page: A Raute man prepares to erect a new tent.
above: The Rautes are largely dependent on forests. They fell trees for timber, and use soft woods to make utensils. opposite page: Sher Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, pictured in 2011 aged 28, is married to Ganga, who was then 16. The camp’s female population is relatively low, and girls are married early.
above: Bir Bahadur Shahi, one of the camp’s four leaders, sits with his family. The leaders are tasked with dealing with outsiders, and also keeping peace within the group. opposite page top: The tradition of carving wooden utensils is passed down from generation to generation. opposite page bottom: Line Bahadur Shahi and his wife have two sons, and have lost a baby daughter. Poor living conditions and a lack of healthcare make infant deaths unfortunately common.
above: Aiyar Shahi (left) and Gurpi Shahi (right) pause for a smoke. The Rautes use leaves and tobacco to roll their own cigarettes. They also sew all of their own clothes. opposite page: Kapil Shahi, pictured here at age 16, grew up never mingling with children from beyond the camp.
above: Rautes do not drink running water, and always camp close to a spring. opposite page: The camp’s children help out with work, and none of them attend school.