MYAGDI: Once a staple of warmth and tradition in the highlands of Myagdi, sheep wool is now going to waste as demand for handmade woolen items plummets and traditional skills fade.
Purnakala Patel, 65, from Khaten village in Malika Rural Municipality-3, recalls a time two decades ago when she barely kept up with weaving demand.
“Before jackets became common, people would wrap themselves in hardublo for warmth. We used kamlo as rugs and blankets,” she said. “But as readymade blankets and mattresses became available, our traditional products started disappearing.”
The decline in demand for traditional woolen products such as rādi, pākhi, kamlo, and hardublo has led farmers to discard wool in the forests. With no market to sell the wool, farmers in highland regions like Paudwar in Annapurna-5 now throw it away after shearing.
“Sheep are sheared in mid-monsoon and autumn to prevent overheating and parasite infection,” said Kamal Paija, a sheep herder from Paudwar. “But since no one buys the wool anymore, anything we don’t use at home just gets dumped in the forest.”
Shearing is still done manually with scissors due to the lack of modern tools. Paija said the decline of skilled artisans who could spin and weave the wool has further reduced consumption. Yet, traditionally woven woolen clothes are considered environmentally friendly and sustainable.
In areas like Gurja, Malkwang, and Kuinemangle, the indigenous Chantyal community still weaves garments from sheep wool as part of their cultural heritage. However, those practices are fading.
According to the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Center in Myagdi, the number of sheep in the district has fallen from 18,567 in fiscal year 2079/80 to 17,565 in 2080/81. The goat population also declined slightly, from 61,424 to 60,423 during the same period.
“There is a significant marketing problem for wool,” said Subash Regmi, spokesperson for the center.
To address the issue, the District Social Development Office in Myagdi has launched an intergenerational knowledge transfer program to preserve traditional wool-working skills. “We’re trying to ensure these cultural practices and skills don’t disappear,” said office chief Taranath Subedi.
In Thadakhani, Raghu Ganga-6, locals have taken a collective approach to preserve their identity. “Everyone in the village wears woolen clothing to maintain our cultural roots,” said ward member Tekjit Chantyal.
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