Day six in Xinjiang: Xibe

A Xibe ethnic minority school in Yili prefecture, Xinjiang region,  as taken on Saturday 23 August, 2009. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]

We also spoke with one shy Xibe boy wearing the yellow and black tracksuit top that seemed to be part of the school uniform. He seemed a little afraid of our microphone at first and was reluctant to speak any of his local language with us. But when we asked if he liked archery he burst into life telling us not only that he was a very good marksman but also giving us a detailed description of how he makes his own arrows from the branches of trees.

Later we were driven round the corner to see the house of a local Xibe family of nine. The house was very large and completely western style. It had tall gates opening up to a driveway covered with a trellis supporting several grapevines. We climbed the steps leading up to the front door and immediately saw a plush suite with large flat screen TV, and several western style rooms including a kitchen with a small pile of local nan bread that we would happily consume later.