Projects: Preserving Culture
A new generation leads into the future
The Bista Boys
Mustang, Nepal
Once a flourishing Tibetan stronghold, the kingdom of Mustang, located high in the Himalayas of western Nepal, was slowly dwindling as local Lobas left for India or Kathmandu, hoping to find work and a better quality of life. That is all changing, thanks to the heart and vision of the Bista Boys, four individuals who founded the Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation. Having grown up in Mustang, they have made it their mission to bring education, health care and opportunities back to the villages, and joy and pride in being Loba.
As the work to restore the magnificent 15th century monasteries in Mustang draws to a close, AHF’s partnership with the Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation is taking shape. They all volunteer their time and oversee education, day care and heritage conservation work. They command the respect of the people of Mustang and their proposals reflect their needs – and their hopes. Upper Mustang is coming back to life.
Mustang, Nepal
Once a flourishing Tibetan stronghold, the kingdom of Mustang, located high in the Himalayas of western Nepal, was slowly dwindling as local Lobas left for India or Kathmandu, hoping to find work and a better quality of life. That is all changing, thanks to the heart and vision of the Bista Boys, four individuals who founded the Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation. Having grown up in Mustang, they have made it their mission to bring education, health care and opportunities back to the villages, and joy and pride in being Loba.
As the work to restore the magnificent 15th century monasteries in Mustang draws to a close, AHF’s partnership with the Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation is taking shape. They all volunteer their time and oversee education, day care and heritage conservation work. They command the respect of the people of Mustang and their proposals reflect their needs – and their hopes. Upper Mustang is coming back to life.
Preserving History Inch by Inch
Upper Mustang, Nepal
Saving treasures
Conservation training
Nine years ago, AHF started a race against time. In the fabled kingdom of Lo, called Mustang in the west, spectacular gompas built in the fifteenth century were on the verge of collapse. Earthquakes, weather and time had taken their toll on these Tibetan Buddhist cathedrals; portions of the roofs were sagging, soot and dust obscured the sacred images, and sections of some of the 20-foot paintings were hanging like curtains, literally detaching from the walls.
The daunting mission: to restore them. Without careful intervention, these rare treasures would be lost forever.
Restoration architect John Sanday, always up for a challenge, led the AHF team of carpenters and wall-painting conservators. Together, season by season, the team painstakingly restored the structures and the astonishingly beautiful wall paintings. As they went, they trained a local Loba team in the art and science of conservation: replacing roofs, fixing twisted structures and meticulously removing centuries of black grime from the paintings.
Thubchen Gompa, Champa Gompa, Lo Gekar, Tsarang Gompa and two giant chortens have all been rescued. As work draws to a close, the results are stunning. And, as important, the Loba community has new connection to their heritage and 100 new local artisans have the skills they need to save other treasures.
Saving treasures
Conservation training
Nine years ago, AHF started a race against time. In the fabled kingdom of Lo, called Mustang in the west, spectacular gompas built in the fifteenth century were on the verge of collapse. Earthquakes, weather and time had taken their toll on these Tibetan Buddhist cathedrals; portions of the roofs were sagging, soot and dust obscured the sacred images, and sections of some of the 20-foot paintings were hanging like curtains, literally detaching from the walls.
The daunting mission: to restore them. Without careful intervention, these rare treasures would be lost forever.
Restoration architect John Sanday, always up for a challenge, led the AHF team of carpenters and wall-painting conservators. Together, season by season, the team painstakingly restored the structures and the astonishingly beautiful wall paintings. As they went, they trained a local Loba team in the art and science of conservation: replacing roofs, fixing twisted structures and meticulously removing centuries of black grime from the paintings.
Thubchen Gompa, Champa Gompa, Lo Gekar, Tsarang Gompa and two giant chortens have all been rescued. As work draws to a close, the results are stunning. And, as important, the Loba community has new connection to their heritage and 100 new local artisans have the skills they need to save other treasures.
Preserving Unique Cultures
Dolpo, Nepal
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is pre-Buddhist. It's Bon, or Bonpo, and has played a major role in shaping Tibet's unique identity. In Dolpo, a remote and sparsely populated district in northern Nepal, the practice of Bon religion continues.
Six years ago AHF helped the community in Dolpo rescue Hurikot Gompa, one of the few functioning Bonpo monasteries left in Nepal. Although old and crumbling, it was precious to the local community and they wanted to save it. Villagers volunteered their labor and woodworkers, thangka painters and carpenters were found. Over the course of four years, the monastery was reconstructed with AHF's help.
Now that Hurikot Gompa is finished, AHF is helping with another rare Bonpo monastery, Thyaktsen Rapgyal Gompa. Water was leaking into the gompa, damaging the paintings and statues. These are small monasteries, in remote and nearly forgotten villages. They are vital to their communities and keeping the Bon tradition alive.
Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is pre-Buddhist. It's Bon, or Bonpo, and has played a major role in shaping Tibet's unique identity. In Dolpo, a remote and sparsely populated district in northern Nepal, the practice of Bon religion continues.
Six years ago AHF helped the community in Dolpo rescue Hurikot Gompa, one of the few functioning Bonpo monasteries left in Nepal. Although old and crumbling, it was precious to the local community and they wanted to save it. Villagers volunteered their labor and woodworkers, thangka painters and carpenters were found. Over the course of four years, the monastery was reconstructed with AHF's help.
Now that Hurikot Gompa is finished, AHF is helping with another rare Bonpo monastery, Thyaktsen Rapgyal Gompa. Water was leaking into the gompa, damaging the paintings and statues. These are small monasteries, in remote and nearly forgotten villages. They are vital to their communities and keeping the Bon tradition alive.