Bending Bamboo Changing Winds:
Nepali Women Tell Their Life Stories
by Eva Kipp with contributions from
Kim Hudson, Lucia de Vries,
Marieke van Vliet and Alieke Barmentloo,
edited by Daniel Bayard Haber

Delhi, Book Faith India
1995, Pp. XIII + 161 + 85 color photographs
ISBN: 81-7303-037-5, Price: US $ 14.95 (paperback)

Summary. This book is a garland of vivid life stories about Nepali women coming from unique socio-cultural contexts. Rukmani Shrestha's reproductive health care practice is an emergent model of its kind that combines modern techniques with traditional belief systems. The struggles of June Maya Praja and Kausirani Praja arer epresentative of a typical woman's life in a mountain village with meager resources. They also represent the economic situation of a native mountain tribe. In the story of Anuragi Jha and Hira Karna, the authors take us down to Nepal's plain area which is not only ageographic extension of the Indian plains but also lies in a the north Indian cultural domain. What is amazing is that, despite severe socio-cultural hurdles, they succeed in reaching beyond the realm oftheir traditional world. Khedani Devi Harijan, an untouchable by birth, cannot find any optimism in her life mainly because her familyis landless, and the income from their unskilled labor is barely sufficient to support a "subsistence lyfe-style". Maya Lama of the Nuwakot district not only returned from the brothels of Bombay and rehabilitated herself, but also progressed to become a teacher and ahealth worker in her village. She provides valuable information and plenty of hope for those who continue to suffer in this miserable trail from the mountains of Nepal to the misery of Mumbai (the new name for Bombay. Bakuli Khawar's story concerns the lives of those Nepali women who stay at home, run their farms, and raise their families while their husbands work away from home. Such tough conditions continue to bring tragedy to both the individuals and the families involved. Although the communists of Nepal may be evolving to be socialists, it is easy to find hard-core young communists in Nepal. Being a woman communist, Laxmi Banskota seeks equality for both sexes. Of course, people everywhere tend to migrate toward places with better economic opportunities. Lamseki Sherpa's life story reveals this trend once more. For this family, even a relatively good opportunity created by a cheese factory was no better than (at least apparently so) that in Kathmandu. Also in Dolma Lama's case it is necessary to migrate for a better alternative. A lesson she teaches us is that success is inevitable if one does not give up. Even in her life as a nun in Nepal, gender issues have prevailed. These days in Tashi Gompa, nuns as well as monks take responsibility for scholarly and religious matters. Despite a legal framework to eradicate the caste system in Nepal, it continues to remain as one of the barriers to development. Although Maya Devi Bohara belongs to an untouchable Damai family, they do not live on their traditional profession, tailoring. A change of profession is perhaps one way to get around this problem. Jagan Gurung of Ghandruk introduces Aama Toli — a mother's group that has been instrumental in the mid-western hills in bringing about socio-cultural changes. Evidently, Aama Toli is one of the social innovations of modern Nepal. Bel Maya Shahi and Karmasilla Kami are one of the most poverty-stricken places in Nepal — Humla. In addition, they are a contrast in terms of the caste system that is one reason for Nepal's underdevelopment. The life story of Man Maya Balampaki Magar is sure to convince readers that even in a male-dominated society, women can maneuver the critical ingredients of life and success. In a nutshell, this book is an excellent exposé of the current socio-economic situation of Nepali women, and is sure to inspire many more studies of South Asian women.

Setting the Stage. The stated purpose of the book is to "gain a greater understanding of the reality of Nepali women's lives in different parts of the country, in varied socio-economic categories, and also, in most cases, how positive change in their lives has taken place." The book starts with a quotation inspired by the ancient Chinese philosophy book Tao Te Ching, "Like Bamboo, graceful, upright and strong, women bend and grow, adjusting to the winds of change." There is no doubt about the appropriateness of the quotation, but a quotation about Nepali women would have been more suitable. Each chapter is a separate story of one or two women who have gracefully shared their stories. Many of these women seem to be connected in some way with one development project or another. The book has more than 80 color photographs of women and their activities. An introduction to each chapter sets the stage for the story by describing the physical and cultural conditions of each woman and how she earns her livelihood. Then, the author takes a closer look at each woman's background and surroundings to prepare the reader for the story. Usually, the story provides glimpses of changes that reflect the evolution of the system as a whole or changes in variables associated with the women, such as children, family, living standards, and so on. The writers seem to let the life story flow, at least during interviews. Then they attempt to break it down into episodes in the presentation. This methodology gives a great deal of latitude to the account.

Reflections from Life Stories. "Rukmani Shrestha: Devotion to Duty", written by Eva Kipp and Mariekevan Vliet, is the story of a woman who is caught up in the struggle of living with her mother-in-law, and an extended family and giving birth to babies with very little institutional support. Rukmani Shrestha comes from an ordinary Newar family in the Kathmandu valley. Unlike her brothers, she could not go beyond primary school because she had to help her parents with the household chores. Fortunately, her husband, a faith healer by profession, was supportive of her decision to get a nursing diploma. Most notable about this story is that at times she now practices her modern midwifery with her mother-in-law who takes care of the spiritual part. There appears to be an emergent model of maternal health care practice in this story.

"June Maya Praja and Kausirani Praja: Back to the Roots", written by Eva Kipp deals with the difficulties women face in order to earn a livelihood in an under-subsistence economy, a situation in which they have all the human concerns, including those of children, the future, health and death. June Maya and Kausirani belong to the Chepang group. This is a tribe that is in transition from the traditional way of life to so-called modernity. In their early years, they witnessed the miseries of child mortality and premature deaths, but had a relatively large amount of food for survival. Their own childhood was without the benefit of school or modern health services. Kausirani has no children and is active in women's groups. Changes they have witnessed include a decrease inforest area, a decrease in food availability, and an increase inpopulation.

Their stories describe a situation of dire poverty. There is a clear picture of meager private resources and a dependence on decreasing forest resources that do not provide the support necessary even for an under-subsistence existence.

"Anuragi Devi Jha and Hira Karna: Artists' Impressions", written by Eva Kipp introduces women from the Mithili group. This group has a distinct set of values expressed in their culture, literature, festivals, and customs. Anuragi Devi Jha comes from a high-caste Maithili farming family. She adheres to traditions, but there appears to be virtually no respect for her identity and her personal needs in this setting. First, she must abide by the rules in her parents' home and later in her husband's house. What is amazing is that even behind these veils and curtains, she maintains the desire to improve the living standards of her family and children. Her actions have shown that she has the inherent courage to break social rules if she must. Her husband shows understanding because he sees the purpose — a better future for their children. She now is an artist at the Jankapur Art Center, under the Janakpur Women's Development Project, where marketing of Maithili paintings is in progress. On the whole, Anuragi is a solid testimony to the change and social development that can occur if and when opportunities are provided.

Hira Karna, another Maithili woman, remained subdued and followed the rules of the family and society until she became independent. She was very unhappy early in her life because her husband married another woman for reasons unknown to her. Her own parents rescued her from this situation. Finally, she got involved with the Janakpur Art Center. Now, her personal income makes her an independent, outspoken and confident individual.These Maithili women may not be typical of the thousands, perhaps even millions, of Nepali women who are still in this kind of social prison. The lives of these women demonstrate that there it is possible to find a way out of the traditional system, which is still laden with rules tending to enslave women.

"Khedani Devi Harijan: A Struggle to Survive", by Marieke van Vliet, is a story of a landless untouchable family in an agricultural economy with landlords. Khedani Devi Harijan belongs to an "untouchable" group that originally migrated from India. The family's property amounts to a hut and a few animals — cows and pigs. Khedani gave birth to four children but lost two due to epidemics. For survival, the wife, husband, and remaining children, who are about twelve years old, work at the landlord's farm for up to five months a year. During the other months, the husband earns some income from trading in vegetables, and the wife remains in with household chores. The most important of these chores is collecting firewood from public forests and drying dung for as a fuel for cooking. In recent years, she recognizes that the availability of credit without collateral has been a good thing for the village people. However, she cannot be optimistic about her family's future andbelieves that they will continue to remain poor.

"Maya Lama: A Long Way from Home", by Eva Kipp and Marieke van Vliet, is a shocking story about some villages where up to 90 percent of families are associated with prostitution. Indeed, it is an incredibly sad story, especially because it is often the parents who are involved in sending their daughters to become prostitutes. The terrible conditions in this area (Nuwakot, Sidhupalchowk, Kavre, and Dhading adjoining to Kathmandu valley) are a dark shadow on Nepalese society.

At fifteen, Maya was tricked into entering a brothel in Bombay by a village woman who promised her a good job in Kathmandu. After successfully escaping from the brothel, she managed to survive in the streets. Ultimately, she earned enough money so that she could return homewhere her parents were eager to welcome her. Maya is a woman who had the will and courage to leave the brothels in Bombay and go back to the village life. She progressed to become a village educator — a leader of a women's group in the Save the Children Project, a teacher and a health educator. She evolved into a woman with the tremendous courage that was necessary to succed against all the odds. She was definitely an extraordinary agent of change.

When the objective was to address a sensitive subject such as prostitution, there could not have been a better candidate for the job than Maya Lama. She did not hesitate to describe what she saw in Bombay's brothels. Of course, the socially valuable information she brought from Bombay is that it is a sort of hell there.

"Bakuli Khawar: You have to go through sad times to know the goodtimes", written by Alieke Barmentloo and Marieke van Vliet, is a story from a relatively well-off hill district of Salyan. At the age of fourteen, Bakuli Khawar had an arranged marriage with a military man. Since the husband was away for most of the time, she had to raise their children and manage their farm by herself. The worst part of her situation is that her husband became an alcoholic. Nevertheless, she is optimistic and excited about her work as the Chairwoman of the Forest User's Group that is responsible for the reforestation and preservation of local forests. She explains to the authors the problems involved in using the common resources of forest and water. She emphasizes the value of education, of children and of developing healthy habits, and she expresses her love for music and dance.

"Laxmi Baskota: Political Visions and New Gods," written by Lucia deVries, is an excellent life story of an umarried compassionate twenty-one-year-old woman, educated and frustrated by social and religious oppression and poverty. Fortunately or unfortunately, in this context, she has found solace in the promises of Maoism. For her, Mao Zedong has replaced Laxmi — the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity — because he has changed China and has provided practical guidelines alleviating poverty and social evils. Naturally, her ideal is an egalitarian Nepali society without the caste system, poverty and male dominance.

Despite some doubts about her ideals and promises, she is a determined young woman who has spread the message of Maoism to the villages of Nepal. She explains that the limited participation of women in politics is due to a general social discouragement and to family reasons, including male dominance.

"Lamseki Sherpa: Life in the High Pastures", by Eva Kipp, is a story of a Sherpa family from the high mountains south of Mount Everest. Lamseki Sherpa came from a family of livestock herders who traditionally moved their animals (sheep, goats, and Yak) seasonally. She is a hard-working, open-minded, decisive woman who is relatively free from tradition. Being the eldest of three female children in the family, she learned her parent's trade. Schooling was not taken into consideration. At the most, the goal was to subsist onlivestock products and a combination of wild and cultivated crops. Life in the temporary shelter — Goth — was hard, but there was enough to eat and drink. She even delivered her babies at Goth.

Despite some improvement in their income, due to the establishment of a cheese factory, their way of life became increasingly hard. A combination of "push" factors (increasing hardship in the high mountains) and "pull" factors (better education for children and economic opportunities) made this Sherpa family move into the valley, and eventually to Kathmandu, despite the husband's reluctance. Perhaps Lamseki's story represents a trend, at least among those who are relatively used to migrating for better opportunities.

"Dolma Lama: Rags to Riches", written by Eva Kipp, is the story of a progressive woman from Helembu hills who now earns a well-deserved livelihood in Kathmandu. Dolma grew up in a family that believed girls need not go to school because they would eventually go to someone else's house. Fortunately, the tradition of sending girls to carpet factories to earn a living took her to Kathmandu. Later, it was a family decision to go to India where they expected to earn more income. Unfortunately, her husband's illness forced them to return home. Finally, opportunities for trade and business in Kathmandu began to provide them with a reasonable living. In addition, Dolma who was passionately fond of dance, seized the chance to work part-time in Nepali movies. In short, despite ups and downs, Dolma did not give up, but worked hard until her family's standard of living began to improve.

"Sherpa Omu and Tupendiki: A Shelter Existence", written by Eva Kipp, is a story about two nuns from Tashi Gompa, a Buddhist monastery founded in 1932 and situated in the southwest of Gauri Shanker Himal. The name Tashi Gompa means the Pleasure Garden of the Immortal Good Fortunes. The nuns of Tashi Gompa practice Kargyng Pa Buddhism.

Sherpa Omu wanted to become a nun since she was a child and entered the Gompa at eighteen. For Sherpa, Gompa is just like a big family where everyone is busy and has responsibility. She explains that her life is free of worries about family, love, and other desires or need to work for food.

Tupendiki, a daughter of a Tibetan Buddhist text sculptor joined the Gompa, following her friend, at the age of seven. She says that her teacher taught her to keep Dharma in her heart, her soul and her brain, and that her awareness of death motivates her to dedicateher life to meditation and Dharma.

In time, the major change that affects them is a shift from mere contemplation and physical labor to scholarly activities and matters of religious significance which were the exclusive domain of monks in the past. On the whole, this story is an excellent exposé of a life style that very few Nepali are aware of, especially the fact that there are about twelve hundred nuns who learn Tibetan.

"Maya Devi Bohara: A Rigid Hierarchy", written by Lucia de Vries, is the story of a Damai (an untouchable caste) family. There are about two million "untouchables" belonging to major groups — Damai (tailors), Kami (metal workers), and Sarki (leather workers) — who continue tolive under a Nepali-style apartheid. Maya Devi comes from the mid-hills of western Nepal and her family is different from a typical Damai family because the husband is not a tailor but was in the Indian army, and now works as a driver. Because of her family's exposure to the outside world, they feel the discrimination is artificial, and that life could be much better than it is in their village. Maya Devi believes that a good education for their children will help them to have better jobs and obtain a higher social status. She stresses the need for cooperation between the lower and higher castes for development.

"Jagan Gurung: Working for a Better Environment", by Eva Kipp, is the story of a single woman from Ghandruk, a unique model village inthe Annapurna area.

Jagan is a very active woman in business, women's groups, and the Annapurna Area Conservation Project. In particular, she owns and runs an ecologically-friendly lodge. She says tourism has been a good business but at the cost of environmental damage caused by deforestation and the incorrect disposal of plastics and cans. She informs us that mother's groups — Aama Toli — have been instrumental and innovative in bringing about socio-cultural changes, particularly in reducing the oppression of women, and gambling and alcoholism. According to Jagan, recent changes have come in the form of awareness about the forests and the environment, discrimination based on castes, and modern influences on traditional songs and dances.

"Bel Maya Shahi and Karmasilla Kami: A Meager Existence", written by Kim Hudson, is a vivid story of two women from Kharpel, a village in Humla, one of the poorest and remotest areas in Nepal. The major indication of poverty in Kharpel is that only about 15 out of 80 households can produce enough food for a year, even if there has been sufficient rain. It is essential, therefore, for men to workaway from home (mostly in India) to meet basic needs.

Bel Maya Shahi is a Thakuri, a higher-caste woman, and is an exceptional individual judging from the extraordinary efforts she has made to educate her children. Her three sons now have college diplomas.

Karmasilla is in contrast to Bel Maya Shahi with respect to caste, hierarchy and income group. She belongs to Kami (blacksmith), a lower-caste group, and suffers from dire poverty. She has four sons and three daughters. One son died an early age. Her children did not go to school. These two women represent a contrast that unfortunately still exists in many parts of Nepal.

"Man Maya Balampaki Magar: At the Gates of Heaven", written by Lucia de Vries and Eva Kipp, is the life story of an eighty-four-year-old woman from Godak in the Ilam district. She is still healthy and active in the Women's Development Project assisted by the Lutheran World Service.

Man Maya is a revolutionary woman. She ploughed the land during her widowhood, an unconventional act for a Nepali woman. Later, she was able to secure a loan from the bank to start a teashop to substitute her hard work in the field. Now, she is involved in sericulture under the Women's Development Project. She perceives that in the course of time changes can be measured in terms of more people, less resources, a decline in the practice of religion, new development projects, and the opportunity for education and a better life.

Concluding Remarks. This book is a vivid account of the disadvantaged and situation of women in present-day Nepal. However, such an explicit presentation of poverty may be resented by some Nepalis, and even by foreigners who are used to seeing pretty mountains, green paddies, and ever-smiling Nepali faces.

Some may argue that these individual life stories are not useful for political purposes. We would say that they already reveal a rich variety of qualitative information for political purposes. Thus, the stories fill the gap in studies of Nepali women and pave the way for further inquiries. These women are not merely statistical samples but are themselves models and communicators of information about women's situations from their socio-economic background and experience of recent developments. Some of them are active in women's groups — grassroots level users' groups that have been popular in recent development projects in Nepal. In other words, they have been agents or catalysts of change. Thus, many of them do not represent an average or a general situation but a hope for the future for women in Nepal.

The stories may not always fulfill reader's expectations. For instance, in the story of Khedani Devi Harijan, it is reasonable to expect information related to the "untouchables", but it is non-existent.

When the authors break a story into chapters, the contents are not always coherent with this. For instance, Man Maya's story of her daughter's death does not belong under the heading "My Recipe for Good Health".

This book presents a fair representation of two major ethnic groups of Nepal, the Indo-Aryan and the Tibeto-Burmese, and yet some groups are not covered, such as the Kirat and the Tharu. There are other pitfalls, such as not covering the hills of the Seti and Mahakali zones, and other groups, such as the Muslims and the newly migrated hill people in the plains, which make the narration vulnerable to criticism.

In a nutshell, this is a unique book that begins to communicate the perspectives of Nepali women on life, family, religion, happiness, development, and it soon begins to fill the gap in women's studies in South Asia.

The colorful photographs of women and their activities enhance the effectiveness of this book. The presentation is effective because the stories are short and eloquently written. Indeed, the writers have fulfilled the purpose of the book as it was stated. They have opened a gate to many future studies on women, not only in Nepal but all over South Asia.

Damber K. Gurung and Ambika Gurung
Clemson University, SC, USA