Dateline: Aug 30

Bulldozing Tibet’s Past? is a story on Dateline tonight, detailing how traditional Tibetans are being moved from earthquake prone Qinghai province to newer brick homes, but leaving a past behind.

In China’s mountainous Qinghai province, Tibetan culture has remained largely preserved, until recently.

Families in this remote rural area live in traditional homes built the same way their ancestors made them centuries ago.

In this week’s Dateline, Les Murray narrates this journey to the village of Layew, where we meet 90 year-old Soeyak, a woman who still lives in a house once shared by generations of her family. But now she lives alone with great sadness. She tells Dateline, “[translated] My mother and aunty were born here and before that my grandfather and grandmother, but they are all dead now.” Soeyak has also outlived her daughter.

Like her ancient abode Soeyak is a remarkable survivor, she has outlasted earthquakes as well as political upheaval, but how much longer will she be allowed to remain in this ancient residence, a treasure trove of family history and memories? It is estimated to be 1000 years old and made entirely from natural materials.

In this earthquake prone region a government initiative is relocating thousands of Tibetans and moving them into newer brick style homes.

Dateline speaks to some of the workers building these new homes. They don’t think much of the old structures.

“[translated] The construction of these houses is not very good, we have a new design because of the earthquake that will improve their lifestyle.”

Soeyak knows it’s almost inevitable she will have to move. She will have electricity and other mod cons, but leaving the only house she has even known won’t be easy.

“[translated] This is how I am living here. I boil hot water here. I burn this fire only in the morning and night time.”

Tuesday 30 August at 9.30pm on SBS.