Teaching Indian Girls to Ski
The snow transformed itself this week - winter turned to spring overnight and we went from skiing chugatch powder to colorado corn. My co-guide Jamie and I planned some tours to see as many valley's as possible each day- and cheating again with an addditional heli lift in the middle of each day to change scenery and pop up again to 16,000 feet. Scott Smith and Lynsey Dyer and I have been shooting photos for Powder Mag and Patagonia on the fly, and we have also been able to get some great shots of our amazing clients - Kendra Vehik, Mark Campione, Launce Gouw, and Matt Shive. They will be stars soon!
After the gang left, we shifted gears to my new project - teaching Indian girls to ski. My friend Chuni hooked me up with Dicky Dolma, the youngest woman to climb Everest and Indian Skiing Champion. I spent hours interviewing her about her life and challenges of being a woman in India. She certainly has broken many barriers that traditional women bear everyday. On our drive up to Gulmarg to work with four young indian girls, she marched out to argue with 50 Indian men who would not let us pass further due to the Taxi Union problem. She, of course, got her way. She said that her success has really given her more confidence and power in herself. I sure feel the same about my skiing and climbing.
Teaching skiing in the Himalaya...
Shalka, Jasmine, Kirna and Shivani, ranging in age between 9-12, were stoked to go skiing with Dicki, Lynsey and I. As there are no lifts, we drove an hour to snow and the Indian circus that exists on the way to Rhotang pass. We trooped up the hill to go sledding and inner tubing first, then broke trail up to flatter snow and a place to teach. The girls were all smiles in their Patagonia coats and our too-big Garmonts and Head Sweet Fat Thangs. I watched some of the more timid ones grow taller with the attention and confidence.
Dicki and I are making big plans to arrange gear sponsorship for our newly formed Hadimba Himalaya Girls Ski Club. She also hopes to come visit me in the states and do some guide training, and I can't wait to get back to Manali and ski with the girls.
After the gang left, we shifted gears to my new project - teaching Indian girls to ski. My friend Chuni hooked me up with Dicky Dolma, the youngest woman to climb Everest and Indian Skiing Champion. I spent hours interviewing her about her life and challenges of being a woman in India. She certainly has broken many barriers that traditional women bear everyday. On our drive up to Gulmarg to work with four young indian girls, she marched out to argue with 50 Indian men who would not let us pass further due to the Taxi Union problem. She, of course, got her way. She said that her success has really given her more confidence and power in herself. I sure feel the same about my skiing and climbing.
Teaching skiing in the Himalaya...
Shalka, Jasmine, Kirna and Shivani, ranging in age between 9-12, were stoked to go skiing with Dicki, Lynsey and I. As there are no lifts, we drove an hour to snow and the Indian circus that exists on the way to Rhotang pass. We trooped up the hill to go sledding and inner tubing first, then broke trail up to flatter snow and a place to teach. The girls were all smiles in their Patagonia coats and our too-big Garmonts and Head Sweet Fat Thangs. I watched some of the more timid ones grow taller with the attention and confidence.
Dicki and I are making big plans to arrange gear sponsorship for our newly formed Hadimba Himalaya Girls Ski Club. She also hopes to come visit me in the states and do some guide training, and I can't wait to get back to Manali and ski with the girls.
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7 Comments:
Ms. Gannett,
Upon reading your most recent post, it was a pleasant reminder that most "extreme athletes" should stick to writing about their sport and not social commentary. You share your opinion of the "traditional roles" of women in India based on your upscale backcountry vacation and your conversation with another mountaineer complete with her own social commentary. I read this on the mountainzone website, complete with listings of "hotties" and ample pictures of women posing.
However, it is admirable to see people reach out and try to gain more a worldly view and to form their own opinion. Although I am not sure what your educational background is, one should not make blanket statements about the multiple cultures in India until one has truly experienced the country. So please go back to your job of riding bicycles and sliding in the snow. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, mountainzone.com is the not best forum to share your judgements. Please leave the social commentary to the educated.
Hey Allison,
Well done and I was very interested. Never mind the "professors" comments proceeding this one. What an arse.
-Greg
Allison,
Please ignore the self-righteous musings of the guy from Post #1 and keep doing your thing.
The women and girls working hard to have access same athletic, professional, and personal opportunities that men have salute you and support you.
Note to Mr. "I Speak for All Indians": Just because it's your country, not Allison's, doesn't make it wrong for her to write about the Indian women and girls she met and worked with.
Men who argue for the status quo with respect to women's status are just weak. The world is passing you by, one oversized Garmont-booted step at a time.
And THAT is a cause for celebration.
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