Women of the village bring water to the fields, inch by inch.
This is dur-chu, the first new water these sprouts have seen in 20 days, since the flood that women give the whole field just before plowing.
Every year, around this time, women ask each other to help, and they work together in a team, long days with small shovels, soaking the soil and preparing the gentle slopes of the fields to receive flood waterings. Once the first two careful waterings are complete, the team has crafted these areas so carefully that one woman for the rest of the summer can fill the yura every five days and water the entire field herself.
The in-field channels are called rimo when they’re first made by the plow. Once they are smoothly dug and shaped they are called shkya. The patterns over the surface of the field, between these channels, are called shau.
These cross-field channels need to be excavated and carefully shaped by hand.
These extraordinary artists we call acheypa then shape a secondary wall:
And then the women shape each nang (room). The nang are intricate and custom-made.
Stones and earth are used to make small gates, which are closed each in turn to direct water into each nang (room) in turn.
Those who tend these patterns give great care to allow just enough water to flow, evenly, for just enough time.
Here is a view of slicing the wall to allow even flow, just one of many essential steps, here on Yarpachan:
The sprouts are so small that walking on them still doesn’t cause much damage. Bright sun, dry air, and cold glacial water suit these barley plants exceptionally well.
The shovel work is large-scale artistry, finding and creating tiny channels and micro-slopes, coaxing the earth until water is flowing, evenly fanned across the earth.
Here is Manechan — one of Kotipa’s upper fields — at sunrise.
And one of the fields of Parketangpa, showing the timing of apricot blossoms and barley sprouts.
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