Seasonal Draws
Firewood collection (daura/muda falne) season
During the cold months, villagers gather firewood, called daura in Nepali or shee in Gurung, for the upcoming year. During these months, villagers will travel to a higher-elevation jungle to collect firewood. Once the wood has been collected, collectors will walk a short distance to a nearby cliff that overlooks the village grounds. From there, the collected firewood is thrown down to the village. Once the firewood is accumulated on the village ground, it’s stored in a structure called “daura ko dhar”.
To experience this exciting age-old tradition, you can plan your visit from Mangsir to Falgun.
Nigalo kaatne/tanne season
From making baskets, trays, and fences, Nigalo is a special type of Himalayan bamboo used in various aspects of village life. During the winter months, villagers will hike to high-altitude jungles in search of this bamboo. From there, the desired length is cut and taken to the village. At the end, the Nigalo is cut into vertical little strips before being woven into a doko.
You can witness this sustainable tradition during the Nepali months Push- Magh.
Honey hunting season
Like most Gurung communities, Tangting boasts an exciting Honey hunting culture. These activities primarily take place during the Nepali Kartik/Mangsir to Baisakh. During these months, honey hunters will travel to high-altitude cliffs looking for beehives- at times walking for a day or two. Once a beehive is found, hunters will light a campfire to ward away the bees- a measure that’s taken to ensure that bees are not harmed during the extraction process.
Using bamboo, ropes, and ladders, hunters will carefully extract the honeycombs. From there, pure honey is squeezed out and sold at the village. To experience this thrilling tradition, plan your visit around Karthik- Bhaisak. Don’t forget to take a bottle of local honey home with you.