A Tibetan Khampa woman waits to lead her clan in the opening ceremony of the Horse Racing Festival in Litang, the former Tibetan kingdom of Kham. A le
A Tibetan Khampa woman waits to lead her clan in the opening ceremony of the Horse Racing Festival in Litang, the former Tibetan kingdom of Kham. A leftover from the days when Kham was tribal, the horse festivals were better known as the Great Clan Gatherings, where tribes would come to compete for land, leadership and who had the fastest horse, taking disputes out on the sporting field instaead of the battle. Banned during the cultural Revolution, the festivals are once again the most important date on the Khampa calendar. The emphasis is changing, however, and the festivals are beginning to look more like a sideshow for Chinese tourists than a warrior convention. Clans are distinguished and identified by their attire, like this orange hat.
Size: 5469px × 3552px
Location: Litang, Garze, Sichuan, China
Photo credit: © Leisa Tyler / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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