Word: lepchas
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...thumbnail of a place, hemmed in by Nepal, China, Bhutan and India. In 1975, this Hobbit-sized realm-a cute 110 km by 60 km-was annexed by India. But borders here have always been vague, making the Sikkimese a loose mix of Himalayan peoples and of forest-dwelling Lepcha, the area's earliest inhabitants. Unlike other parts of the Himalayas, few in Sikkim make their homes in the inhospitable mountains. Tending yaks and planting rice on barren slopes is a morale-draining drag, and those tough enough to do it are seldom asked for papers. Sheer survival is their...