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The Moinba Nationality
The Moinba nationality has a population of 7，400
mainly distributed over the Monyu and Metog area in southeastern Tibet
Autonomous Region. They have their own language, using the Tibetan script,
and believe in Tibetan Buddhism. Their main occupations are in agriculture,
especially planting rice. Meanwhile, they manage animal husbandry
and hunting as well. They are good at making wooden bowls and weaving
utensils with bamboo and rattan. The Moinbas have long lived together
with the Tibetans, and they have established close relationships in
terms of marriage, politics, economics, culture and social customs.
Hidden in the high mountain ridges of the Himalayas
are many "Havens of Peace" hardly known to the world. Monyu,
the homeland of the Moinba nationality, is the most beautiful and richly
endowed place of them all.
Monyu is located at the southern foot of the Himalayas. It is high in
the north and low in the south, falling from 4,000 meters above sea
level to 1,000 meters. The snowcovered northern mountains form a natural
barrier blocking the humid airflow of the Indian Ocean within the valley.
Thus, the area has sufficient rainfall, and is neither too hot in summer
nor too cold in winter.
Because the Moinbas share a close relationship with the Tibetans, they
gradually moved south to the Monyu area. "Moinba" meaning
"people living in Monyu" is what the Tibetans call them. Some
of the Moinbas there moved east to today's Metog area and have settled
down on both sides of the Yaluzangbu River, creating another residential
center of the Moinba nationality.
Their villages are relatively scattered. Villages of dozens of households
are often divided into several residential areas. The structures of
their houses are slightly different because of the climate. In the Monyu
area, they often build stones walls, and sloping roofs covered by planks
pressed with stone slabs. In their three-storied houses, people often
live on the second story and keep their grass and stalks upstairs and
livestock downstairs. The houses in the Metog area usually rise about
one meter above the ground, also having slant roofs covered by banana
leaves or planks pressed with slabs. All their buildings face east,
because they believe a shining sun in the doorway symbolizes good luck
and happiness.
Their diets also differ from place to place. Some eat corn and rice
while some others have buckwheat, wheat and highland barley. They like
to add pepper to their food. Most of their cookware are made of stones
because they think food prepared in them is tastier.
The Moinbas' customs are strongly influenced by the Tibetans. They like
to wear pulu clothes made of woven wool. In Monyu, men often wear pulu
robes or crimson cloth robe. Women often wear multicolored pullovers
under red or black coats made of pulu, and are used to padding a piece
of sheep or calf skin to the backs. They often wear stringed ornaments
made of red coral, agate and other stones. They hang around the neck
a metal box with Buddhist images or scriptures inside. It is called
Ga'u meaning "blessing and fortune." Both men and women wear
a two-meter-long, six-meter-wide red pulu belt round their waists.
When it is warm in the Metog area, women like to wear thin white-colored
little garments or vests to go with colored skirts. Matching all these
with necklaces and earrings, they look very graceful.
The Moinbas are widely famous for their household handicraft industry.
Their workmanship in making wooden bowls and weaving bamboo utensils
is ever flourishing. In order to make wooden bowls, they have to first
choose the right materials: roots of hard trees such as azalea trees,
or trunks or knots of tung and birch trees. Then they have to cut, whittle
and scrape them into the shape of bowls. An exquisite wooden bowl can
be produced only after five or six processes. Because these bowls are
beautifully patterned, durable and easy to carry, they are greatly treasured
by Tibetans and Lhobas living nearby.
Monyu, also called "Highland Jiangnan (the Southern Valley of the
Changjiang River)", is picturesque with evergreens in all seasons.
It has attracted worldwide attention because Dalai the sixth Cangyangjiaco,
a great romantic poet was brought up here. A Collection of Love Songs
by Cangyangjiaco, now translated into many languages, is said to have
been born out of Moinba folksongs. His works have kept many of the meters
and styles of the Moinba love songs. In this area, men and women are
free to make friends with each other, and love songs have naturally
become a link between young hearts. They have composed countless love
songs all through the centuries.
Love and marriage between Moinbas are quite free, too. They marry on
the basis of true love and their marriages are generally not affected
by wealth or rank. An ancient custom, "uncle on the mother's side
raising hell on the wedding," is still in existence as part of
their folkway, though no uncles today stand in the way of their nieces'
marriages. The uncle, putting on a peremptory yet humorous show, actually
adds even more fun to the wedding ceremony.
The Moinbas enjoy singing love songs, just as they enjoy toast songs.
The toasts are lively and amusing, and their tunes are merry and high.
Like springs, they are sung with deep true feelings. Singing with a
deep love for their own lives, the Moinba people are working together
with other nationalities for an even brighter future.
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