August 1: The living style of the people of Sephu geog is changing as people get into Cordyceps business.

The lives of Sephups have changed after the Cordyceps harvesting was legalized in 2004.

Earlier yaks and potatoes were the main source of income for the people of Sephu geog in Wangduephodrang. They also weave bamboo products in large quantities and trade them with rice and other necessary items.

But now it is no longer the same. Most Sephups do not keep yaks. They not only have a better house to live in but also better clothes to wear and good food to eat. Some have even bought cars.

Sephu Gup Rinchen Penjor said the traditional art of weaving bamboo products is also dying as people devote themselves more to the lucrative Crodyceps business.

Today bamboo products are mostly produced by the older people who cannot travel to the mountains to harvest Cordyceps. Most of the younger generations prefer to travel to the mountains to harvest Cordyceps and do some business rather than make a living out of weaving bamboo products.

Rinchen Tshering is one among few younger people who weave bamboo products to earn some extra income.

Cordyceps harvesting has no doubt made the lives of the Sephups better but it doesn’t come without its own share of hardship.

Carrying rations on their back, they have to walk for more than three days to the mountains. After they reach the mountains they sometimes face food shortages. The biggest challenge is the competition among themselves and people from the north. Some people said non Bhutanese people from the north encroach into the Bhutanese territory to collect Cordyceps.

According to Kunzang Tshering, a forest guard in Sephu geog, the forestry officials are most of the time outnumbered by the Tibetans, who are illegally harvesting the Cordyceps.

Meanwhile, the elderly people are concerned that the changing lifestyle is bringing in other unwanted changes. They said vehicle accidents, vandalism and other smaller crimes are fast emerging.