“Butter lamp offerings in memory of a spiritual leader—the 33rd abbot of the Menri lineage of a pre-Buddhist religion known as Bön. Although the religious tradition of Bön is not prevalently practiced today, the small village of Ludak is one exception. This Bonpo settlement has maintained the ancient traditions of Bön and continues to guard the practices against the effects of development and social change.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

This collection of work by artists Yungdrung Tsewang and Kory Thibeault pertains to the social, environmental, political, and economic transformation among communities in Mustang, Nepal—situated along the border of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. This region is home to unique high-desert ecologies, contentious geo-political histories, plural medical systems, and well-maintained religious traditions. Despite Mustang’s reputation as a hidden kingdom, or ‘modern Shangri-La,’ the increasing number of young people leaving for employment and educational opportunities abroad coupled with the effects of climate change—including unpredictable weather patterns, flooding and landslides, new water-borne diseases, and in some cases the relocation of whole settlements—have radically changed life in these mountains.

The signs of transformation are hard to miss. They are apparent in the bulldozers and construction teams scattered along the road, in the newly constructed hotels and guesthouses advertising hot showers and free internet to passing trekkers, and in the fallow agricultural lands and empty houses. Less obvious are the class divisions that allow certain people to migrate while others stay behind, the decreasing numbers of practicing Buddhist monks, and the lack of spoken Tibetan among the younger generations.

These images were taken from 2016-2019 as part of a collaborative research project pertaining to development and social change in Mustang, Nepal. The images were shown at Liu Lobby Gallery, Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Canada in the fall of 2019, and a selection of photographs were published open-access by HIMALAYA journal.

“Wedding reception captured in the Jharkot village of Mustang, Nepal. Women carrying torma (religious sculpture of dough prepared out of flour) in the center, and chang and arak (locally-made alcohol), sing and welcome a newlywed couple to give them blessings for a prosperous future.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

“Kagbeni, or Kag as it is locally known, dates back centuries to when the fort was used as the corridor for salt moving south from what is now China’s Tibetan Autonomous Region and grains moving north. Mt. Nilgiri and the Kali Gandaki river, running south through the Tibetan Plateau to the Bay of Bengal, can be seen in the background.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

“An elderly woman doing daily prayers by rotating a prayer wheel. It is a common sight in the Himalayan region to see old women with prayer wheels and prayer beads in their hands. Many younger women can also be found making local handicrafts in the same space to socialize. Things are quickly changing, however, with younger generations migrating abroad for work or school.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

“The construction of roads is ongoing in Mustang. Though development has brought about positive changes, the consequences are serious. Many historical trade routes have been damaged, and chörtens (Sanskrit: stupas) holding great histories are in danger. Along the entrance to the once forbidden kingdom of Lo Monthang, the ancient landscape is quickly being destroyed by state development projects.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

“A reincarnated monk performs the Hom par purification ritual during Do kyap ceremony (mask dance) whereby butter and water are poured over the fire. This tradition is enacted each year to protect all living beings against misfortunes. This technique is also used for curing diseases within the communities of Mustang.”—Yungdrung Tsewang

“Elderly women of each household in the village of Lubra offer a prayer of peace and prosperity for all living beings at the end of five-day Do kyap ceremony.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

“Basic table setting during Losar (New Year). Delicacies such as khapse (fried bread), meats, fruit and alcohol are traditional throughout the Himalayas. At the front are seven cups to represent each member of the family. In many households, cups are filled for family members in their absence and kept full through the celebrations.” —Yungdrung Tsewang

Artist Bios

Yungdrung Tsewang: Yungdrung is a conservationist and photographer from Mustang, Nepal. Yungdrung has worked on research projects with Yale University and University of British Columbia faculty and students, as well as assisted with several short film and documentary productions. Yungdrung hopes to remain in Mustang to preserve local cultural practices against the effects of climate change and migration.

Kory Thibeault: Kory is from Connecticut, US and relocated to California to pursue filmmaking and photography. He studied Film Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA, where he focused on documentary filmmaking. More recently he has turned his attention towards photojournalism and currently runs a photography studio in Oakland, California.