Brokpa
Encyclopedia
The Brokpa are a small community of Dard people
residing in the Dha-Hanu valley about 163 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh
. They are thought by some to be the purist descendants of the ancient Indo-Europeans.
Dha and Hanu are two villages situated in the Dhahanu valley where they are found. They are also scattered in other parts of Ladakh. Part of the community are also located in the Deosai plateau just across the LOC in the Baltistan
. Like the people of Gilgit
, they speak an archaic form of the Shina language
unintelligible with other dialects of Shina
. They are originally said to have come from Chilas
and settled in the area generations ago. They are predominantly caucasoid in contrast to the Tibeto-Burman inhabitants of most of Ladakh
. They are nominally Buddhist, however animist and Bön rituals still survive.
Minaro is an alternate ethnic name. 'Brokpa' is the name given by the Ladakhi for the people.
The traditional Brokpa diet based on locally
grown foods such as barley and hardy wheat
prepared most often as tsampa/sattu (roasted
flour). It takes in different ways. Other important
foods include potatoes, radishes, turnips, and Gur-Gur Cha, a brewed tea made of black tea, butter
and salt. Dairy and poultry sources are out of menu
because of religious taboos. Brokpa takes three
meals a day; Chin-nana (Breakfast); Beh
(Lunch) and Ganzang (Dinner). Brokpa vary with
respect to the amount of meat (mainly mutton) that
they eat. Household’s economic position decides
the consumption of meat. It is only during festivals
and rituals all have greater access to mutton.
Dard people
The Dards are a group of people defined by linguistic similarities, and not common ethnicity, predominantly found in Eastern Afghanistan, in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir and in the Northern Areas and North West Frontier Province of Pakistan...
residing in the Dha-Hanu valley about 163 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
. They are thought by some to be the purist descendants of the ancient Indo-Europeans.
Dha and Hanu are two villages situated in the Dhahanu valley where they are found. They are also scattered in other parts of Ladakh. Part of the community are also located in the Deosai plateau just across the LOC in the Baltistan
Baltistan
Baltistan , also known as بلتیول བལིུལ་ in the Balti language, is a region in northern Pakistan which forms Gilgit-Baltistan, bordering the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. In addition, a part of Baltistan also falls into Jammu and Kashmir of India. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains...
. Like the people of Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
, they speak an archaic form of the Shina language
Shina language
Shina is a Dardic language spoken by a plurality of people in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and Dras in Ladakh of Indian-Administered Kashmir. The valleys in which it is spoken include Astore, Chilas, Dareil, Tangeer, Gilgit, Ghizer, and a few parts of Baltistan and Kohistan. It is also spoken in...
unintelligible with other dialects of Shina
Shina
Shina can refer to:* Shina , a Japanese term for mainland China* Shina , Shina Gado, a character from the Bloody Roar video game series* Shina people, Dardic people of Pakistani Kashmir* Shin of Hindukush...
. They are originally said to have come from Chilas
Chilas
Chilas is a small town located in the Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan on the left side of river Indus. It is part of the Silk Road connected by the Karakoram Highway which links it to Islamabad in the south via Dassu, Besham, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur...
and settled in the area generations ago. They are predominantly caucasoid in contrast to the Tibeto-Burman inhabitants of most of Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
. They are nominally Buddhist, however animist and Bön rituals still survive.
Minaro is an alternate ethnic name. 'Brokpa' is the name given by the Ladakhi for the people.
The traditional Brokpa diet based on locally
grown foods such as barley and hardy wheat
prepared most often as tsampa/sattu (roasted
flour). It takes in different ways. Other important
foods include potatoes, radishes, turnips, and Gur-Gur Cha, a brewed tea made of black tea, butter
and salt. Dairy and poultry sources are out of menu
because of religious taboos. Brokpa takes three
meals a day; Chin-nana (Breakfast); Beh
(Lunch) and Ganzang (Dinner). Brokpa vary with
respect to the amount of meat (mainly mutton) that
they eat. Household’s economic position decides
the consumption of meat. It is only during festivals
and rituals all have greater access to mutton.