lugpa (Cape)

The lugpa is a woman's cape, worn with the hair side in. The string is fastened across the shoulders so that the top of the lugpa comes to the shoulder blades. Made at home and worn as part of everyday costume as well as with festive garb, especially in the winter. It is worn on the back and shoulders, positioned at the top of the shoulder blades, with the hair side facing inward, serving as a layer of padding and warmth when carrying a backpack or basket. Can also be used as the seat cushion.

Woman’s unlined, untanned goat hide cape (raw hide on one side, and coarse, long, off-white, slightly wavy hair on the reverse side). The body of the cape is roughly U-shaped, with unfinished edges; on each side edge, the cape is pieced with small rectangular strips. The top edge of the cape is slightly curved, and a triangular flap of goat hide is attached at each upper corner. A length of brown braided cord connects the two flaps, and there is a piece of twisted brown and off-white wool fibre loosely looped over this cord. On the hide side, three narrow strips of hide are sewn to the top edge, with the hair side facing outward.