Living on the Move: Bhotiyas of the Kumaon Himalaya

All around the world, people belonging to what are termed marginal societies are feeling the pressures of dwindling resources and a burgeoning population. Among such groups are transhumant and pastoral nomadic communities, who are particularly vulnerable to these pressures since their lifestyles are intrinsically linked to the surrounding ecosystem. Using the Bhotiyas of the Kumaon Himalaya as an example, the purpose of this study is to show how communities practising transhumance and nomadism all over the world are in a state of transition. Having spent a year living with them, Vineeta Hoon describes the traditional lifestyles of the Bhotiyas and how, despite the intrusion of the forces of modernization, history and global politics, they are still able to maintain their identity, cultural values and subsistence practices. Refuting the general belief that pastoral nomadism is environmentally destructive, the author demonstrates that transhumant lifestyles and strategies are environment