Old Hands, New Tools
Craft

Old Hands, New Tools

When we began planning Norlha in 2005, we knew that we could not rely on the traditional skills in spinning and weaving of the nomads we planne...

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The Machu Learning Curve
Animals and Surroundings

The Machu Learning Curve

When Dechen and her brother Genam set off to Amdo to buy yak wool in the summer of 2005, they had no idea what they were getting into, and neit...

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Hands at Norlha
Craft

Hands at Norlha

Made by hand, handcrafted, are the words that describe a product that doesn’t come out of a machine. The label it carries heightens its value, ...

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Knitting at Norlha
Craft

Knitting at Norlha

In the old days, women spun, wove and sewed all their clothes and those of their family. They spun and wove sheep wool into blankets to dry che...

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A Spinner at Norlha
Craft

A Spinner at Norlha

Dolma Tso is one of Norlha’s top spinners. She began working eight years ago, and though most women who start off as spinners move on to other ...

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Tibetan Rugs
Craft

Tibetan Rugs

Tibetan rugs are an ancient craft, practiced by the nomad/farmer communities in Central and Southern Tibet. They used the wool of highland shee...

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Spinning at Norlha
Craft

Spinning at Norlha

Spinning is a natural activity in most pastoral cultures. Tibetan nomads live among sheep and yak, and have spun and woven their animal’s wool ...

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Yak Felt at Norlha
Craft

Yak Felt at Norlha

Felting is an ancient craft, a way of binding fibers to form fabrics and rugs for everyday use. It was highly developed among nomadic population...

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The Tibetan Poncho
Clothing

The Tibetan Poncho

As in the case of its South American cousin, on the Tibetan Plateau the poncho is worn for riding, for walking in the rain and braving the ever...

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