Several months later, there will be many orders for agricultural tools during the busy season. Yangkyi Drolma has called her son several times. She wants to take the opportunity to urge him make a final decision.
His agreement to help her makes Yangkyi Drolma very happy. But she is still unsure if he will be a successor in the future.
Yangkyi Drolma told her son, “ my grandfather’s grandfather was also a blacksmith. So was your father’s. Older generations all lived on forging. Your grandfather was a good blacksmith, so was my grandfather. For me, I’m the sixth generation… Yes, before me, there were five generations of blacksmiths in the family, and your father is the fourth generation.”
“From my generation to your generation, you should also learn this craft. I have taught you basic skills. I really hope that. Of course, it’s not easy to be a blacksmith. Now, I feel hurt all over. I hope you, not your sister, will be my successor. You’re strong and you can learn quickly.” said Yangkyi Drolma.
Yangkyi Drolma encourages her son patiently. She hopes that he can feel the happiness and pride to be a blacksmith and that he can inherit this craft which has lasted for six generations.
Yangkyi Drolma stands by her son, watching a colter coming into being in his hands. Yangkyi Drolma has imagined this scene several times. Today, it comes true finally.
In the near future, after the completion of Shangri-La western inner ring road, Yangkyi Drolma’s place will become a roadside commercial neighbor. Today, Yangkyi Drolma returns to the village with son and daughter, hoping to stay here and continue to pass this craft down.
Having been working outside for several years, Gyaltsen knows the significance of inheriting crafts even better than his mother. He hopes that more people will pay more attention and support to his family crafts.
Gyaltsen said, “ We can apply for financial support in a governmental project aimed to support folk craftsmen. Father is the fourth inheritor in his family and you’re the sixth inheritor. According to traditional processes, we should build a workshop here and a studio over there. The key is to let people see how a traditional blacksmith works. We can do that.”
Yangkyi Drolma has seen her son’s changes. She believes that he will definitely pass down family crafts. His plans for the future even make her more confident that in this age, as long as there’s a need, traditional crafts will be passed down, and as long as they can be passed down, they will be promoted further.
