Interviewee Profile

Name: Sochoe
(Alias: No)

Gender: Male

Interview Age: 70

Date of Birth: 1940

Birthplace: Tomkho, Kham, Tibet

Year Left Tibet: 1959

Profession: Nomad

Monk/Nun: No

Political Prisoner: No

Interview Details

Interview No.: 7M

Date: 2010-04-08

Language: Tibetan

Location: Doeguling Settlement, Mundgod, Karnataka, India

Categories: Culture and History

Keywords: childhood memories, Chinese army -- invasion by , Chushi Gangdrug guerrillas, customs/traditions, escape experiences, houses/villages, Kham, nomadic life

Summary:

Sochoe was born into a nomadic family. His family possessed sheep, horses, yaks, dri 'female yak' and dzomo 'animal bred from a yak and a cow.' Ba and nagtsang were two kinds of tents that nomads used as living quarters. Sochoe gives a vivid account of how a ba is made from tsipa 'yak hair' and stoves are built inside from stone and clay. He also gives a clear profile of the social and religious life of the nomads. He remembers with nostalgia how it was a big challenge to protect their herd from bandits who came in groups with guns and drove away their animals.

Sochoe describes the multitude of people from different regions of Kham fleeing from the Chinese army through his nomadic region. Thousands of Chinese pursued them, shooting guns and dropping bombs on villages. Sochoe's family joined the escapees heading to Lhasa, which took four to five months. They avoided the Chinese soldiers by hiding during the day and travelling at night.

Sochoe joined the Chushi Gangdrug [Defend Tibet Volunteer Force] upon reaching Lhasa. He describes the encounters between the Chinese soldiers and Tibetan resistance group. After hearing about His Holiness the Dalai Lama's escape, Sochoe decided to flee also.

Interview Team:

  • Marcella Adamski (Interviewer)
  • Tenzin Yangchen (Interpreter)
  • Pema Tashi (Videographer)
Interview Video

Link: Watch On Youtube

Topic: Interview with Sochoe on 4/8/2010

Length: 02:03:07


Short Videos

Link: Watch On Youtube

Topic: Protecting the Animals from Tibetan Bandits

Length: 00:01:53


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