Danku is Sanji’s step daughter, I later learned. Her mother was an orphan from a very young age and was given to a foster family who didn’t treat her well. After giving birth to Danku and her sister, not being able to produce a boy, the family kicked her out. For years, with her poor health, she took care of Danku and her sister all by herself. When she met Sanji, Danku was eight and they were dirt poor. These years, things have gotten a little better for the family, whose past hardships seem to bound them well together.

Having to help her sick mother, Danku dropped out of school after only grade two. But amazingly, she borrowed books from others and learned to read to the fifth grade level. She taught herself Mandarin from watching TV, and learned to read scriptures from Sanji and whoever she could. It was rare for girls, particularly from herder’s family to be able to read scriptures. Danku is an amazing girl. Without her there, I wouldn’t be able to do nearly as much with my project.

Sanji’s family is probably the most religious among the group. Danku insisted on bringing the full praying set with them to their summer pasture and she prayed almost everyday before breakfast. I liked the simple procedures she followed: clean the altar, add water to the small cups, burn some fragrant plant leaves as incense and share that with everyone in the family. Then she would offer some yak milk to the pictures of buddhas and lamas and go outside to burn some barley flour as a prayer to the spirits outside.

One of the afternoons, after the women had finished most of their chores for the day, I asked Danku to be my translator for interviewing the old herder’s daughter in-law, Yeedan. It took Danku quite a lot of convincing work for Yeedan to agree to talk on camera. Tibetan women, at least here, are too used to be a silent caretaker too timid to express themselves. But with some encouragement, Yeedan agreed, with the condition that Danku would translate my questions and she would answer to my camera with no one else in the tent. With the few questions I had for her, it took us many trips in and out of their family tent to finish the interview. A good start nonetheless.

For Danku, I had more in mind to ask her. On one of the mornings, we sat outside just as if we were having a conversation and she answered my questions really well. I love her voice and how she presented herself, shy but affirmative about her love for her mother and their homeland. I am super lucky.