Episode 48: Yulha Lhawa on Khroskyabs Language Documentation & Revitalization

~ Field Notes

This month’s episode is with Yulha Lhawa from the University of Washington and the Endangered Languages Project. Yulha Lhawa, originally from Siyuewu Village in Sichuan, China, is a passionate advocate for her community’s traditions and language. Growing up as a yak herder, Yulha developed an interest in linguistics during high school. This interest fueled her to create the trilingual book “Warming Your Hands by Moonlight,” aimed at preserving local history and folklore. Taking her dedication a step further, Yulha journeyed to the United States from the Himalayas to study linguistics at the University of Oregon. Currently, she’s pursuing a Master’s in computational linguistics at the University of Washington, hoping to merge her linguistic knowledge with modern technology to contribute to the preservation of her community’s cultural heritage.

caption: After the dance concluded, a humble request permeated the air: ‘Can you take a picture of us all and bring it back to us?’ The local women, attired in their Tibetan robes, selectively reserved for poignant occasions such as religious ceremonies, pilgrimages, or the elegant embrace of dance performances (photo from Yulha Lhawa).

Things mentioned in this episode

caption: In a light-hearted moment, Yid She Mtso, ‘Do I need to change my clothes? Maybe not because I am so old that no one cares if I’m good-looking.’ (photo from Yulha Lhawa).

Listen to this episode here, or on your favorite podcast app! Field Notes is available on Apple Podcasts app (iPhone), Google Play Music (Android), Google Podcasts app (Android), Stitcher, Spotify, Podbean, Podcast Republic, Castbox, Player FM, and several other apps via RSS.

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Field Notes is a podcast about Linguistic fieldwork, where seasoned (and less experienced) fieldworkers can share their stories and experiences from the field.

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