Dawa Lepcha refused food for 63 days in “indefinite hungerstrike” and spearheaded other Lepchas from remote villages to congregate in the capitol. A “relay hungerstrike” began in which individuals took turns fasting for one to two days in succession. Though the government and private developers ignored them for nearly three years, the relay allowed the persistent activists to successfully reach an agreement. Of the six mega-hydel dams planned in Dzongu, four would be discarded and the remaining two reconsidered. Additionally, the efforts of the protesters led to an investigation of the legal and environmental assessment process of the dams. Thus, the hungerstrike accomplished many things: it exposed a corrupt development project, kept rampant development out of the Lepcha reserved area, Dzongu, and united the Lepchas around their cultural heritage. Within this, ‘Achulay!’ illustrates the bond formed within the Lepcha’s grassroots movement and spotlights Dawa’s formation as a leader among his people.