Film Review - The Salt Men of Tibet
Answer each of the following questions with a paragraph or two.
Answers will be graded with the "Writing Assignment" rubric.
You can rewatch the film on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0q2GRR7vFc.
Make sure you have switched on the "CC" button on the bottom right of the player for English subtitles.
1. The Salt Men talk about their roles as "Mother" (Margen), "Father" (Pargen), "Lord of the Animals" (Zopon), and "Son" (Bopsa). What are their responsibilities?
2. The Salt Men are a kind of "secret society." What are some of the symbols, rituals, and practices they use to do this? (You might consider why they do not allow women to accompany them. How is it related to the fact that the lake is a goddess?)
3. The film weaves together three narratives: the epic tales of Gesar of Ling, the journey of a group of Salt Men, and historical changes unfolding in Tibetan society. Give an example of how these three stories refer to one another in the film (for example, how is the Salt Men's journey like King Gesar's Battle with Jang?)