Vol. II, No. 7.) Elective Government in the Chumbi Valley, 30% 
N.S.] 
villagers, but when once elected eee to be T'sho-pus unless the 
villagers were to remove their name which would only be done 
on the ground of old age or loss at shane or ae or anything 
else that would render them unfit to hold the office of Kongdn. 
The number of T’sho-pas in each village is not limite 
Once every three years on the 15th day of the 4th month, the 
villagers all assemble at a fixed meeting-place aR Galingkha, 
the principal Segre of Upper Tromo, and present to the two 
Kongdus for the time being, a list of the T'sho-pas of their respec- 
tive villages. For the purpose of election, Upper Tromo is divided 
into two divisions, one of which consists of the upper and ane 
ly from these two divisi 
From the lists E sparited by the villagers the two Kongdus 
select the names of the four persons in the other “ener te to their 
own, whom they sanastiey to be the most suitable to be the next 
e four po aes they have selected, and the two who obtain 
the. siahereee throw are chosen as the Koscies for the coming term 
of three years. 
This ceremony takes place before an old stone altar situated 
under a tree, and sacred to the Yul-Lha or deity of the locality, before 
which is placed the banner which is the insignia of the spiced 
tween themselves which is to be the Thri-pa (RB "2)") or Chairman. 
The one who is recognised as | the pe tg wealth or social 
influence is always chosen, but if the selected candidates 
The peels sted Kongdus do not enter on office at ‘once, 
This is done in the eleventh month when another ceremony takes 
place and a yak is sacrificed at the stone altar already mentioned. 
The yak is skinned and the skin is placed in front of the 
§ hei 
on the sacrifice that they will administer a “even between 
their own son an Yk ir enemy.” Seer 
hey do not hold their power from the 
“The Kongdus say that t th ) rege ee ria, the local aaity, 
that they originally got the banner oo him and have ee 
held their power fro im. The ogee is thus theo 
cratic as well as elective, and the ] kes par — € 
selection, through the result of the Sowing of the dice before 
his altar. 
