{"id":67339,"date":"2026-07-12T06:52:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T11:52:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=67339"},"modified":"2026-07-12T07:33:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T12:33:53","slug":"yaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=67339","title":{"rendered":"Yaks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We came across a delightful image on the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/2026\/jul\/08\/an-afghan-girl-calmly-milks-a-giant-yak-daniel-malikyars-best-photograph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Guardian web site<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/t36tj1p4bimvnx3t0ybj9\/10211.jpg?rlkey=beldd2rdb5g9f4hwqrfkci9p5&amp;st=raqnndco&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/t36tj1p4bimvnx3t0ybj9\/10211.jpg?rlkey=beldd2rdb5g9f4hwqrfkci9p5&amp;st=raqnndco&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The photograph is by <strong>Daniel Malikyar<\/strong>. He has traveled to 55 countries, with many trips to his birthplace, Afghanistan. Daniel speaks fluent Dari, and that allows him to connect and understand with the people of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That Guardian photograph is wonderful because it quietly overturns a lot of people&#8217;s mental picture of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That Guardian photograph is wonderful because it quietly overturns a lot of people&#8217;s mental picture of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Context of the Photo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This photograph took place in a remote village in the Pamir Mountains, one of the highest inhabited elevations in the world, where a very small population of Kyrgyz nomads still exists. The Kyrgyz move three to four times throughout the year, following the grazing lands for their livestock. It\u2019s a very undocumented place. The people do not have visitors very often, so they have no reference points or agendas for posing or presenting themselves. They\u2019re just honestly going about their day, and that\u2019s why they look so effortless in the photographs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While staying in the villages, there\u2019s salted yak milk every morning for breakfast and yoghurt made with yak milk as a side dish for dinner. You stay warm at night on the floor in the yurt burning yak dung in the furnace. This photograph documents a girl named Shargha, looking calm and casual as she milks a stoical-looking yak. In this region, the women wear red veils before marriage and white ones after \u2013 the clothing is very visually distinctive and made for an interesting juxtaposition against the beautiful landscape.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/2026\/jul\/08\/an-afghan-girl-calmly-milks-a-giant-yak-daniel-malikyars-best-photograph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Guardian<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Elder G<\/strong> reflects on the image:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some things that immediately jump out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>That enormous yak isn&#8217;t a novelty.<\/strong> In the high country, yaks are the equivalent of a pickup truck, dairy cow, furnace, and pantry rolled into one. They provide milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, meat, hair for rope and tents, hides, and dung for fuel where there are few trees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The girl&#8217;s calmness is striking.<\/strong> To someone raised around livestock, a 500 kg (1,100 lb) yak is simply &#8220;the family milk cow.&#8221; Familiarity has a way of shrinking giants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>The landscape dictates everything.<\/strong> Much of central Afghanistan sits between 2,500 and 4,000 meters (8,000 to over 13,000 feet). Winters are long and severe. Crops are limited. Animals that thrive in cold, thin air become priceless partners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/isd4c2t77wqivkjazl1xw\/qyIeZEqGvPQnzicIGhud-0-Q6o85.jpg?rlkey=fn4o9cs5kp7xbtcbtqc6ijbdm&amp;st=1lb4hi3b&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/isd4c2t77wqivkjazl1xw\/qyIeZEqGvPQnzicIGhud-0-Q6o85.jpg?rlkey=fn4o9cs5kp7xbtcbtqc6ijbdm&amp;st=1lb4hi3b&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/pm2z46wrzzlr4v3x7g08g\/Wild_oxen-_sheep_and_goats_of_all_lands-_living_and_extinct_-Plate_IV-_BHL9370000.jpg?rlkey=iwr2vevkd0fjvezl2nbp95pfv&amp;st=vafcoqso&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/pm2z46wrzzlr4v3x7g08g\/Wild_oxen-_sheep_and_goats_of_all_lands-_living_and_extinct_-Plate_IV-_BHL9370000.jpg?rlkey=iwr2vevkd0fjvezl2nbp95pfv&amp;st=vafcoqso&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Guillaume<\/strong>, a French photographer, has a beautiful photo essay of the people of the remote Pamirs region in Central Asia, including northeast Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pamirs are a mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalaya, Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges. But the word \u201cPamir\u201d actually is translated from ancient Persian as \u201crolling pastureland\u201d and refers to a fertile valley formed when a glacier or ice field melt and leave a rocky plain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/vx0rpobkp33jxsnvh8mn1\/Pamirs_47_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=cwywmwf8ocqfu5dchdtu2ughd&amp;st=c6n4qr2n&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/vx0rpobkp33jxsnvh8mn1\/Pamirs_47_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=cwywmwf8ocqfu5dchdtu2ughd&amp;st=c6n4qr2n&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of terrain is principally found in the north east of Afghanistan, an area known as Wakhan Corridor and at the south west of Tajikistan known as Wakhan Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/4ewd4p6jraa75pbzdo80v\/Pamirs_31_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=6wzjenc4pciaeavyhs505s43r&amp;st=xvm4ks3y&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/4ewd4p6jraa75pbzdo80v\/Pamirs_31_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=6wzjenc4pciaeavyhs505s43r&amp;st=xvm4ks3y&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/izhq6lz8jnjjzypmh250d\/Pamirs_26_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=qsg3313g2a6s7tdi08hgxl1g5&amp;st=dn129duo&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/izhq6lz8jnjjzypmh250d\/Pamirs_26_Guillaume_Petermann.jpg?rlkey=qsg3313g2a6s7tdi08hgxl1g5&amp;st=dn129duo&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Afghanistan, the Wakhi people live in the year-round villages extending from Qazideh at the western part of the Wakhan Corridor to Sarhad-e Broghil at the eastern end. In the region, there are no government services, large parts of the area have no roads, and people are left to their own. They are agropastoralists cultivating wheat, barley, peas and potatoes but the production is rarely sufficient because of the climate. Wakhis depend on their livestock to supplement agriculture.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/guillaumepetermann.com\/story-pamirs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Guillaume<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/y4egh8yene3qldfsntqa3\/portrait.jpg?rlkey=h6dk0ha6oyfilxsmpjz2teqto&amp;st=859ism7r&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67333 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Guillaume<\/strong> is a French photographer based in Brussels, Belgium. His work covers a wide range of subjects, with a focus on travel, cultural, social, and environmental documentary. As a photojournalist and visual storyteller, he explores themes such as nature conservation, cultural preservation, sustainability, and environmental protection.<br><a href=\"https:\/\/guillaumepetermann.com\/about.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/guillaumepetermann.com\/about.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adventure.com\/hiking-afghanistan-wakhan-corridor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adventure.com<\/a><\/strong> has another beautiful photo essay of this region. (photos by Tracey Croke and Helen Spencer)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Around 10,000 nomadic people of the Wakhi and Kyrghiz tribes live in the Wakhan Corridor. Here, women and children pose in traditional clothes, men pose with their yaks, and one man smiles for the camera with a particularly photogenic camel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/1yzt42d7r9kksmj7xqe9a\/capture_001_09072026_075408.jpg?rlkey=nepsxn4kurhont6mgnjbd1kfl&amp;st=047gqwxn&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/1yzt42d7r9kksmj7xqe9a\/capture_001_09072026_075408.jpg?rlkey=nepsxn4kurhont6mgnjbd1kfl&amp;st=047gqwxn&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/thhntbcs23iv4owqye8fq\/capture_002_09072026_075705.jpg?rlkey=g5kv8mtjbjozpacfmtow2if4w&amp;st=2tb79tm7&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/thhntbcs23iv4owqye8fq\/capture_002_09072026_075705.jpg?rlkey=g5kv8mtjbjozpacfmtow2if4w&amp;st=2tb79tm7&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yaks play a major role in the nomads\u2019 survival, providing food and transport. Wool is turned into felt for lining yurts and dung is dried for fuel. The few traders who journey here barter supplies for livestock.<\/p>\n<cite><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adventure.com\/hiking-afghanistan-wakhan-corridor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adventure.com<\/a><\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yak of Burden<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/kadpuvvfgt2x8si9vwtvj\/capture_004_09072026_080117.jpg?rlkey=lwgzcp6y0gou89h3l36vc785g&amp;st=u8s9drch&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/kadpuvvfgt2x8si9vwtvj\/capture_004_09072026_080117.jpg?rlkey=lwgzcp6y0gou89h3l36vc785g&amp;st=u8s9drch&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Hikers traverse the dramatic, changeable landscapes of the Wakhan Corridor. Photographer: Helen Spencer<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adventure.com\/hiking-afghanistan-wakhan-corridor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adventure.com<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/6v5y4xrd6z8kv2sv3f33y\/maxresdefault.jpg?rlkey=ijcm5u38vxh03pqtaex1ede7p&amp;st=zifj8e85&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/6v5y4xrd6z8kv2sv3f33y\/maxresdefault.jpg?rlkey=ijcm5u38vxh03pqtaex1ede7p&amp;st=zifj8e85&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yak Cheese<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yak cheese<\/strong>, locally known as <strong>churpi<\/strong>, is a traditional hard cheese made from yak or cow milk. While widely consumed by humans in the Himalayan regions, it is best known in the US as a long-lasting, highly digestible, and rawhide-free chew for dogs. &#8211; Gemini<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chhurpi <\/strong>(Nepali: \u091b\u0941\u0930\u094d\u092a\u0940, Tibetan: \u0f46\u0f74\u0f62\u0f0b\u0f56\u0f0d, THL: churwa), otherwise known as durkha and chogo\/chugo, is a traditional cheese consumed in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and parts of Northeastern India. The two varieties of chhurpi are a soft variety (consumed usually as a side dish with rice) and a very hard variety. Chhurpi is considered one of the hardest cheeses in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To prepare the hard variety, the soft chhurpi is wrapped in a jute bag and pressed hard to get rid of the water. After it dries, it is cut into small <strong>cuboidal<\/strong><sup>[1]<\/sup> pieces and hung over fire to harden it further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/8ijftif7t9dt5o5qdca1q\/Hard_Chhurpi.jpg?rlkey=xni7q41a6m05enl9lz8skgxsu&amp;st=qxz9txfd&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/8ijftif7t9dt5o5qdca1q\/Hard_Chhurpi.jpg?rlkey=xni7q41a6m05enl9lz8skgxsu&amp;st=qxz9txfd&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Hard Chhurpi<br>By Sumit Surai &#8211; Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=58209022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hard chhurpi is usually consumed by keeping it in the mouth to moisten it, letting parts of it become soft, and then chewing it like a gum. In this manner, one block of chhurpi can last anywhere from 30 minutes to up to <strong>five hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chhurpi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><sup>[1]<\/sup> <strong>Cuboidal<\/strong> &#8211; our new favorite word. We pledge to use it at least ten times today.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/vlnbssppgwifv36zl1knc\/capture_010_11072026_072735.jpg?rlkey=rjnyjvxeqf0591u69ixobe5m0&amp;st=37oxpzry&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/vlnbssppgwifv36zl1knc\/capture_010_11072026_072735.jpg?rlkey=rjnyjvxeqf0591u69ixobe5m0&amp;st=37oxpzry&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also challenge <strong>WLBOTT&#8217;s<\/strong> Poet Laureate, <strong>Elder JimZim<\/strong>, to craft an epic saga around the word &#8220;cuboidal.&#8221; For his convenience, here are a list of rhyming words:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/iw6t78wbnpwfawzz5bmn0\/capture_009_11072026_072727.jpg?rlkey=jl56mmmyglrqtvavvcverm576&amp;st=q7vc3on1&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/iw6t78wbnpwfawzz5bmn0\/capture_009_11072026_072727.jpg?rlkey=jl56mmmyglrqtvavvcverm576&amp;st=q7vc3on1&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yak Butter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yak butter (Standard Tibetan: \u0f60\u0f56\u0fb2\u0f72\u0f0b\u0f58\u0f62\u0f0d; Chinese: \u9165\u6cb9) is common in regions where the domestic yak is the primary source of dairy products. Whole yak&#8217;s milk has nearly twice the fat content of whole cow&#8217;s milk, producing butter with a texture closer to that of cheese. Among herder communities in Central, North, and East Asia, yak butter is a staple food and a trade commodity. It is integral to several culinary traditions in China (Tibet), India, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan (Gilgit\u2013Baltistan).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/4frifl04jekhxgap8bjkd\/Yak_butter_1000.jpg?rlkey=yl1drpdg9v34ztp6li5ju3m1b&amp;st=hmg21ke8&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/4frifl04jekhxgap8bjkd\/Yak_butter_1000.jpg?rlkey=yl1drpdg9v34ztp6li5ju3m1b&amp;st=hmg21ke8&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Yak butter for sale at a street market in Lhasa, Tibet<br>By Carla Antonini &#8211; File:Yak_butter.JPG, CC BY 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=15703148<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In western Tibet, yak&#8217;s milk is first allowed to ferment overnight. In summer, the resulting yogurt-like substance is churned for about an hour by plunging a wooden paddle repeatedly into a tall wooden churn. In winter, yogurt is accumulated for several days, then poured into an inflated sheep&#8217;s stomach and shaken until butter forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fresh yak butter is preserved a number of ways, and can last for up to a year when unexposed to air and stored in cool dry conditions. It is sewn into sheep-stomach bags, wrapped in yak skin, or wrapped in big rhododendron leaves. Once the container is opened, yak butter will begin to decompose; producing veins of blue mold similar to blue cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/musd3b4oz71bp9rolrlx0\/tibetan-butter-sculpture.jpg?rlkey=ird3b16pmjb98cez0wry3x4im&amp;st=j1w7bgy0&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/musd3b4oz71bp9rolrlx0\/tibetan-butter-sculpture.jpg?rlkey=ird3b16pmjb98cez0wry3x4im&amp;st=j1w7bgy0&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tibetan Yak Butter Sculpture<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other non-food uses include fueling yak-butter lamps, moisturizing skin, and the traditional butter sculptures for Tibetan New Year. Such yak-butter sculptures may reach nearly 10 meters in height.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wild yak is among the largest extant bovid species. Adults stand about 160 to 205 cm (63 to 81 in) tall at the shoulder, and weigh 0.5\u20131.2 t <strong>(0.55\u20131.32 short tons)<sup>[1]<\/sup><\/strong>. The head and body length is 240 to 380 cm (94 to 150 in), not counting the tail of 60 to 100 cm (24 to 39 in). The females are about one-third the weight and are about 30% smaller in their linear dimensions when compared to bull wild yaks. Domesticated yaks are somewhat smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/ri3r8tiliylhuvi9yssek\/Wild_Yak_Stuffed.jpg?rlkey=64oca99xm00vikp64ntnxpbcb&amp;st=1nhgmt64&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/ri3r8tiliylhuvi9yssek\/Wild_Yak_Stuffed.jpg?rlkey=64oca99xm00vikp64ntnxpbcb&amp;st=1nhgmt64&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By Jim, the Photographer &#8211; https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/jcapaldi\/8570800378\/, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=54045209<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary habitat of the wild yak consists of treeless uplands between 3,000 and 5,500 m (9,800 and 18,000 ft), dominated by mountains and plateaus. It&#8217;s most common in alpine tundra with a relatively thick carpet of grasses and sedges rather than the more barren steppe country.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/ppxt6tp4napsz8q13cem1\/Bos_mutus_map.png?rlkey=5fuk8uqa5aab5824satkidhib&amp;st=ks67tqi0&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/ppxt6tp4napsz8q13cem1\/Bos_mutus_map.png?rlkey=5fuk8uqa5aab5824satkidhib&amp;st=ks67tqi0&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By User:\u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05dd.\u05d0\u05dc &#8211; IUCN map, CC BY 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=54484781<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wild yaks are herd animals. Herds can contain several hundred individuals, although many are much smaller. Herds consist primarily of females and their young, with a smaller number of adult males. On average female yaks graze 100m higher than males. Females with young tend to choose grazing ground on high, steep slopes. The remaining males are either solitary, or found in much smaller groups, averaging around six individuals. Groups move into lower altitude ranges during the winter. Although wild yaks can become aggressive when defending young, or during the rut, they generally avoid humans, and may flee for great distances if approached.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wild_yak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><sup>[1]<\/sup> Let&#8217;s Talk Tons<\/strong><br><em>Adult [yaks] stand about 160 to 205 cm (63 to 81 in) tall at the shoulder, and weigh 0.5\u20131.2 t (0.55\u20131.32 short tons)<\/em> &#8211; Wikipedia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Imagine if your doctor recorded your weight in tons. &#8220;Good job, Sister Magdalena! You&#8217;ve lost 0.0075 tons!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/0v0aoy7lplby0s89qc5yy\/capture_008_10072026_053226.jpg?rlkey=ue4cpiyxk8jy89bh79lr93nd5&amp;st=x6wnnya1&amp;raw=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fi\/0v0aoy7lplby0s89qc5yy\/capture_008_10072026_053226.jpg?rlkey=ue4cpiyxk8jy89bh79lr93nd5&amp;st=x6wnnya1&amp;raw=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Farsi Dari &#8211; the Afghanistan Variety of Persian<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dari<\/strong>, also known as <strong>Farsi Dari<\/strong>, <strong>Dari Persian<\/strong>, <strong>Eastern Persian<\/strong>, or <strong>Afghan Persian<\/strong>, is the variety of the Persian language spoken in Afghanistan. Dari is the Afghan government&#8217;s official term for the Persian language; it is referred to as Afghan Persian or Eastern Persian in many Western sources. The decision to rename the local variety of Persian in 1964 was more political than linguistic to support an Afghan state narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dari is the official language for approximately 30.6 million people in Afghanistan and it serves as the common language for inter-ethnic communication in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As defined in the 2004 Constitution of Afghanistan, Dari is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan; the other is Pashto. Dari is the most widely spoken language in Afghanistan and the native language of approximately 25\u201350% of the population. Dari serves as the lingua franca of the country and is understood by up to 78% of the population.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We came across a delightful image on the Guardian web site. The photograph is by Daniel Malikyar. He has traveled to 55 countries, with many trips to his birthplace, Afghanistan. Daniel speaks fluent Dari, and that allows him to connect and understand with the people of Afghanistan. That Guardian photograph is wonderful because it quietly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[194,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-afghanistan","category-brotherhood-sisterhood-of-man-woman"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=67339"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67374,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67339\/revisions\/67374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}