Sichuan's Tibetans cashing in on crafts

CHENGDU — Tucked away in the snowy valley of Maisu township, Dege county in the Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, the Khyenle Guesthouse on the scenic Sichuan-Xizang Highway is buzzing with activity.

"We've been fully booked recently with magazine teams and social media influencers coming to capture our culture," says Dawa Drolma, the young Tibetan proprietor.

Dawa Drolma is from a family steeped in the ancient craft of Lima copper casting. This intricate technique, involving a blend of gold, silver, tin, zinc and other metals, has been passed down for six generations in her family.

Despite its beauty, she grew up understanding the challenge of taking such treasures beyond her hometown. The aspiration took her to the United States in 2013, where she pursued marketing and business management studies.

Taking a global perspective, including an internship at the Smithsonian Institution, she drafted a business plan for a workshop which she called Khyenle. In 2017, armed with new skills and insight, she returned home, determined to transform the family workshop.