Book Description

Hidden in the rain shadow of the Himalaya in one of the most remote corners of Nepal lies Mustang, or the former Kingdom of Lo. Hemmed in by the world's highest mountain range to the south and an occupied and shuttered Tibet to the north, this tiny Tibetan kingdom has remained virtually unchanged since the 15th century. Today, Mustang is arguably the best-preserved example of traditional Tibetan life left in the world. Mustang, though, is poised for a change. A new highway will connect the region to Kathmandu and China for the first time, ushering in a new age of modernity and changing Mustang's desert-mountain villages forever. Given special access to the restriced area, Taylor Weidman and Nina Wegner traveled through the kindgom documenting its lives and landscapes and creating an enduring record of the Loba heritage. In-depth research and interviews complement a striking visual record of the traditions of Mustang, even as it begins to cope with the forces of modernization that will dictate its future. The Vanishing Cultures Project partners with rapidly changing traditional and indigenous cultures to safeguard cultural values and practices, collaborating to document lifestyles and traditions, compile an open digital archive, educate the public about global diversity, and fund indigenous cultural initiatives. To find out more, please visit www.vcproject.org.