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Kabila

The pastoral year: transhumance

Transhumance is the seasonal movement of herds between fixed summer and winter pastures. The picture shows one full year.

late wintergrass returnscold arrivesthe year turnsWinter pasturesBirthing seasonSpring migrationSummer pasturesAutumn returnSale and trade

  1. Winter pastures. Start in winter. The Bakarwal of Jammu and Kashmir keep their sheep and goats in the lower hills and plains near Jammu, where the cold is milder.
  2. Birthing season. Young animals are born towards the end of winter or in spring. Herders time births so that mothers have new grass to eat when they need the most milk.
  3. Spring migration. When the snow melts, the move begins. Bakarwal families walk their flocks over high passes for weeks. Sámi herders in northern Europe follow reindeer towards summer grazing.
  4. Summer pastures. High or northern pastures are green for only a few months. Herds graze and gain weight. Moving on stops any one pasture from being eaten bare.
  5. Autumn return. Before winter closes the passes, families bring the herds down by the same routes. Fences, dams, roads and borders increasingly block these old paths.
  6. Sale and trade. Herders have always traded with farmers and towns. They sell animals, wool and ghee, and buy grain, cloth and tools. Then the herds settle into winter grazing again.

Read the lesson

  1. Pastoralists and nomadsPastoralists live by herding animals across land that is too dry, cold or steep to farm. You will learn why they move, how the yearly cycle works, and what threatens it.

Seven peoples, once a week

Every Monday: seven peoples you may never have heard of, who they are and where they live.