Lifestyle of Sherdukpen

Key Takeaways

Their staples include roots and shoots and dairy products made from yak milk.
They have different choreos and songs for different occasions, like in weddings, welcoming, farewells,birthdays etc.
They wear outfit in red and white combination

Various food offerings are made during the festival like ,Hakhazi, is a mixture of rice and a type of sag, Kakum and Amsing are the dried fruits, Khazi with chutney Chamin.
They have a large variety of traditional food including vegetables, meat, fish and various roots along with some chutney.
They also perform dances and songs which are mainly for merry making and welcoming guests. They have different choreos and songs for different occasions, like in weddings, welcoming, farewells,birthdays etc.
The sherdukpens have songs to celebrate the local state bird, The Great Hornbill. In the song, the people of the community ask the bird, “Why is it calling so loud?”, and meet the birds in a place called Chungso, which is located in Assam.
The women wear ankle length long clothes, red coloured full sleeve embroidered jackets and a waist cloth are worn over the cloak. The jacket is embroidered with colourful threads, both in front and at the back. They also wear a white airy cloth with light embroidered borders, tied at the neck in front with a knot, and hung over at the back like a flowing cape. The traditional shoes worn by women are called Chang-zang-Denu”.
Chitto Bothung, made from yak’s hair with tassels, the Gurgam skull cap gives a unique identity to the sherdukpens, it is decorated with a white cockade and colourful band around its brim(Stok). The Sherdukpen men wear brightly coloured clothes with a silk jacket called ringo.
They adorn themselves with beautiful stone and silver ornaments, necklaces, bangles and earrings. the broach is called Zurok, The long silver necklace is called Janjiri, the stone necklace is called Gonkor.
The beautiful weaving tradition of the Sherdukpens has also diminished over the years. The women of a self-help group still wear their traditional clothes. Sherdukpen women are skilled in making their own attire, as well as attractive carry bags, mats, carpets and other utility items.