The main food crops are wheat and barley supplemented with various vegetables and some fruit (mostly apricots). They also rear sheep and goats and catch fish from the lake, although the latter is very closely controlled - over fishing could easily destroy this food source.
One interesting addition to their diet - in each village is an area of low bushes which produce a small black berry which looks a like a blackcurrant. They call it ‘kalkos’. Virtually every meal contains a few of these berries for flavouring.
The people have a strong tradition of storytelling. Each village has one person, who could be a man or a woman, who holds the position of ‘chief storyteller’. Most of the stories appear to be fictional but there are a few relating to the peoples’ origins and traditions which are held in great reverence. Apparently, these are passed on from generation to generation and for this purpose each storyteller has an apprentice whose most important task is to learn these old tales. Great importance is laid on getting them word perfect.
I have started to transcribe some of these tales. Here is the one of them:
(the text that follows is quite badly damaged)
‘…… with 550 people and was pleased with the what he saw. The mountains were high and forbidding but the valley was well watered and Chenem knew that the people could live here in peace and without trouble. So he led them into the valley. They did not look back for there was no going back. As time passed they grew wheat and barley and…….…….some people questioned the law and wanted to know what was beyond the mountains…..’
‘…..led well for his 22 year term. He was succeeded by Lalike who led our people for just a year before the infamous Robi…..'
The Sholu do not use much metal, but they do operate a few small mines producing copper and tin which they use to produce bronze. Apparently, the surrounding mountains are quite rich in these metals – this valley was obviously well chosen.
Each village has a blacksmith who is allocated a certain weight of copper and tin each year in proportion to the village's population. Some is also kept separate to produce their coinage.
They are very conscious of recycling old and broken items. I suppose that they must be careful to conserve what they have because if the ores around the valley run out their reclusive nature is going to make it difficult to find further reserves.
One factor in their favour is that they have no need of metal for weapons, armour and such like. Indeed, they seem to have no military apparatus at all.