During the spring and fall high in the Sman shod Valley of Tibet, men carry on a tradition of ramming loose earth into solid walls for temples, homes, and other structures—and singing as they do. Each with his own tall wooden rammer, they rhythmically pound the ground while dancing and alternating verses of song.

They sing constantly, believing that the walls will lack strength if they don’t. Two groups at a time will compete at who can sing the loudest and synchronize their actions with the greatest precision, imparting a sense of fun to this physically taxing work. Those who can’t respond loudly and rhythmically are mocked.

No one is paid for this work. Volunteers come together to physically and figuratively build their community. While women do not participate in the ramming and singing, since it is taboo for them to cross a wall once the foundations are finished, they also gather and deliver earth to the men.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• Villagers from Phu ma, Mda’ ma, and Hyo pa townships contributed to the construction of the temple. About 1,500 volunteers gathered to build the new walls. 
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Men ram the wall while singing and dancing.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Men sing and jump on the wall in a choreographed wall-building dance.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Using the wooden rammers and their feet, the men pound the wall in a synchronized beat.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• All the workers have lunch together. Only black tea is provided, so most of the workers bring their own food to the building site.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Most of the young rammers enjoy being part of the team. They feel that it is more like a fun competition than a laborious task.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Women relax, chat, drink, and eat during a break from transporting earth. Men have no breaks except to eat meals.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Women dig and fill bags with earth and then transport them to the top of the wall.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Women carry the earth up temporary ramps to the top of the wall where men ram it into place. The bags weigh around 130 pounds each.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Bya sa (born 1947) is one of the few older men who help build the wall. He can still remember some of the traditional wall-building lyrics. 
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Zla ba grags pa (center, born 1991) and young men his age don’t know any lyrics of the wall-building songs. It is likely that during his lifetime, wall-building songs will cease being sung.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Months later, all the workers at the monastery’s new prayer hall site pose with the head bla ma and leader.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma
• Women sit in front and men stand behind in preparation for the photograph.
  Photo by Dawa Drolma

Hear more Tibetan wall-building songs and other recordings by Dawa Drolma (Zla ba sgrol ma).

Learn more about the tradition in Silence in the Valley of Songs: Work Songs from Sman shod Valley by Dawa Drolma.

Dawa Drolma is a Tibetan photographer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur passionate about documenting and sustaining Tibetan culture and traditions. Since 2016, she has worked with the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage on Lag Zo, a Smithsonian Artisan Initiative project to support Tibetan artisans in China, by conducting fieldwork and producing of short films featuring Tibetan craft traditions.