Spinning in the Himalayas, Part 1: Shepherd, Sheep, and Wool Prep

One story of spinning wool in Nepal begins in the west central Himalayas above 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). Vivid green slopes dotted with wildflowers and the occasional blue poppy surround an alpine lake and piles of tumbling boulders. These alpine pastures support large herds of hardy Barawal sheep that graze on grass thick from heavy summer rains. Gurung shepherds, gothalos, tend sheep, goats, and yaks at these altitudes as they have for generations. The Gurungs have inhabited a broad region of the mid-hills in the Annapurna mountain range since their ancestors came over the mountains from Tibet centuries ago. Originally, they hunted and raised livestock but later established steeply pitched hillside villages at lower elevations of about 5,000–6,000 feet (1750–2000m) and began to farm.

Gurung shepherds tend their sheep, goats, and yaks high in the Himalayas.

Present-day Gurung shepherds follow the ancient ways of tending their livestock at altitude, living in long sheds, some large enough for their animals—some sheep, but mostly yaks. Caring for huge herds of sheep, goats, and yaks in such austere conditions and harsh climate can be brutally hard work. Most Gurungs are farmers, and in recent decades, many more have devoted themselves to tourism because their villages are near popular Himalayan trekking routes in the Annapurna Conservation Area. Perhaps the hardiest few among the Gurung choose the shepherd’s life. Some have their own sheep and goat herds; others are paid by members of villages at lower altitudes to care for their small flocks, which they use for wool, meat, and sacrifice during special religious festivals.

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) started nearly forty years ago to balance wilderness conservation and socio-economic development in communities within the conservation area. The Project, begun by the National Trust for Nature Conservation, recognizes community involvement is a crucial factor in conservation and provides training to village members in such activities as overseeing management of their forests, developing sustainable tourism, and engaging in preservation of both natural and cultural heritage.

Peek into the life of a shepherd and their sheep.

The Grazing Cycle

In October and November when temperatures begin to fall, shepherds, with the help of trusty Tibetan mastiffs, guide the sheep several thousand feet below the high summer grazing pastures to lower elevation farming and tourist villages. Here, shepherds shear the sheep and leave them in recently harvested farm fields to naturally fertilize them. During the day the