Why Rukor?

Why is this blog called Rukor?

In Tibetan ru means group, section, branch. The ru skor is literally an assembly of a few drogpa families of pastoral nomads, gathered to make a group decision about important matters such as when to move the herds seasonally up to summer alpine pasture, or back down to lowland overwintering pasture. So rukor, a gathering of as few as six or seven tent households, or as many as 70 in open plateau pasture lands able to sustain large herds, is a uniquely Tibetan way of making decisions.

Ru khags –assembly of drogpas, or section of a larger group.

Run gar po –hard work, competent.

Ru chen nga –the five great Ru. A classic division of Tibet into five great rus by King Songtsen Gampo.

Ru dar –flag of the Ru – Flags of the Tibetan army during the imperial era.

Ru ‘dren sde bshi –the four leading Rus – the four army groups flanking the emperor during Tibet’s imperial era, to his front, rear, right and left.