ABSTRACT
Chumik is situated along an old caravan route that links Mustang and Tibet with the central hills and the towns of Pokhara and Baglung, following the Kali Gandaki River as it cuts its way between the towering Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Ranges. Tourism and Increased mobility related to improved transportation links and new trade opportunities undoubtedly have contributed to more relativistic self-image among young Chumikwa, but to exaggerate the impact of modernization would be misleading. For centuries, Tibetan monks, magicians, beggars and other itinerants visited Chumik, and the people of Chumik travelled to Tibet to visit holy places, receive religious training and pay homage to spiritual masters. The chapter illustrates some of the constraints and options in their lives, deriving from their hereditary status, access to economic resources, marital relationships and work. Some Chumikwa customs such as cross-cousin marriage are practiced rarely in Tibet, but are common among many of the ethnic groups who inhabit the middle hill regions of Nepal.
