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This video is focused on the traditional ancestral culture of the Xumi Tibetans, a small ethnic group of the Shuiluo Township in Muli Tibetan Autonomous County. Every household has a spirit table set up in the living room. The place of the head of the family is below the spirit's table, facing the entrance door. From his place he can conveniently burn incense with his right hand and greet guests with his left hand. When welcoming guests, the head of the family burns incense to worship gods and bless the guests. At about 7 o'clock in the morning, Xumi people use a wooden ladder to climb the roof of the house where they have a special place to burn incense. They place cypress branches, firewood and dry grass in the incense place, ignite the firewood, and then place in the fire some minced meat and food grains. As thick smoke begins to raise into the sky, the master of the ceremony blows the conch shell. The sound is echoed by the sounds of conch shells in other households in the village. The camera zooms on the neighboring village. There, four or five families have already begun to burn incense and pray. Xumi Tibetans believe that incense smoke can reach up to heaven and transmit to gods the joys and sorrows of the world. This traditional ceremony is passed onto the younger generation. The video is concluded by shots of a grandfather performing the incense offering ceremony together with his granddaughter. Equipment: ������PWX���X70��������� ������HDR-XR520E��� ���������FOSTEX���FR������

Video for the audio file xumi096.wav. Conversation between three Xumi speakers: Lurong Duoding (from the Upper Reaches of the Shuiluo River), Garong Tshi'er (from the Middle Reaches of the Shuiluo River), and Waxia Danyong (from the Lower Reaches of the Shuiluo River). They discuss honorifics in Xumi and differences between three different subvarieties of Xumi. In the second part of the file, they narrate traditional stories. First, Lurong Duoding tells a story ("Goat's tail"), which is then re-told by Waxia Danyong. Then Garong Tshi'er narrates a story about a Xumi hero, equivalent of Gesar. Finally, Lurong Duoding tells a humorous story. Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 Beyerdynamic M88 N (cardioid) on the left channel (mono)

Conversation between three Xumi speakers: Lurong Duoding (from the Upper Reaches of the Shuiluo River), Garong Tshi'er (from the Middle Reaches of the Shuiluo River), and Waxia Danyong (from the Lower Reaches of the Shuiluo River). They discuss the origins of the Xumi people. Rituals priests of the Xumi (dombu's) as keepers of the traditional culture of the group. Equipment: Fostex Fr-2 AKG C 480 B+CK61-ULS (cardiod) + AKG C 480 B Preamplifier (stereo)

Video of a Xumi Dongba, filmed by Wang Dehe in Muli. In this recording, the Dongba (Ciren Wenzhu) is preparing for the ceremony of sending ghosts away (������). Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70

Conversation between three Xumi speakers: Lurong Duoding (from the Upper Reaches of the Shuiluo River), Garong Tshi'er (from the Middle Reaches of the Shuiluo River), and Waxia Danyong (from the Lower Reaches of the Shuiluo River). They discuss honorifics in Xumi and differences between three different subvarieties of Xumi. In the second part of the file, they narrate traditional stories. First, Lurong Duoding tells a story ("Goat's tail"), which is then re-told by Waxia Danyong. Then Garong Tshi'er narrates a story about a Xumi hero, equivalent of Gesar. Finally, Lurong Duoding tells a humorous story. Equipment: Fostex Fr-2 AKG C 480 B+CK61-ULS (cardiod) + AKG C 480 B Preamplifier (stereo)

Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder with an external microphone (Beyerdynamic M88 N)

Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder with an external microphone (Beyerdynamic M88 N)

Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder with an external microphone (Beyerdynamic M88 N)

Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder with an external microphone (Beyerdynamic M88 N)

Equipment: Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder with an external microphone (Beyerdynamic M88 N)