CYak : Qinghai Lake
- Catalogue Photography on Location -
CYak is a Social Enterprise in the Tibetan Area of China. They are a collective of Women who use traditional techniques of working with yak wool to make garments to sell overseas. All profits go to supporting the community schools. These images were commissioned for their catalogue with a concept to highlight a sacred lake in Tibetan culture and an intention of documenting aspects of the culture.
High altitude green summer fields. The rolling hills surround the lake and lend itself to a wonderful place to spend the summer.
Inside a typical nomad family black tent. These tents have made it possible for Tibetan communities to move easily with their herds to go up the mountains to pasture in the summer and back down to lower lands in the winter.
Prayer and meditation comes in many forms in traditional Tibetan culture. Featured here is a stone stupa with prayer flags that can be circled while spinning a prayer wheel and chanting.
Women come together to comb and spin the yak wool. The soft wool will be made into garments and the tougher top coat will be spun to make the tents and ropes.