© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

3/31/1984 - Opening the Floodgates by Bryn E. Barnard

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS BEB 28892 Top World Opening The Floogates Laguna Beach CA 92651 March Peter Bird Martin Institute Current Worl Affairs eelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover N 03755 Dear Peter Tourism river current nourihsS sustains erode occasion destroy Many Asian anxious foreign exchange welcomed tourist waters scoured return India Thailand Malaysia Indoensia pulled mixed catch tourist increased income ructrali enhancement tainted rapid acculturation artis trinketizhtion rampant commer cialism Environme deterioration local economic dislocation often followed tourist Only hardiest cultures managed retain their intact Most uccumbing mammon deteriorated appendages Western vacatieh machine Nepal isolated consequently fragile suffers disproportionately bigger flood rising torrent foreign visitors threaten undermine culture overwhelm environmental resources mountain nation The problems inherent tourist deluge recognized scrutinized analyzed Nepal poorest nations earth viable foreign exchange alternatives available The tourist economy simply another making living survive Only square kilometers square miles Nepal about Illinois The country squeezed between India Tibet terrain varies densely populated level tropical Terai rugged gorges desolate ridges plateaus Himalayas between temperate midlands region spaed country politicall dominant Hindu civilizationand supports capital Kathmandu Fifteen million people Nepal number double A D They divided thirty distinct ethno religious groups scattered across ridges midland valleys level plains villages Small towns SSme groups large Kirantis Tmangs number hundreds thousands Some Dolpos Lopas barren Mustang valley number hundreds A famous GUrkhas general encompassing ethnic groups known service British Army Sherpas earned noteriety their mountaineering expertise Officially Hinu thefiner hotels Kthandh Gideon style copies BasadVad Gita sacred Hindu every nightstand Nepalese citizens practice syncretic blend Hinduism Tantric Buddhism Buddhist Bo___n eligion A Muslims spice convoluteo ethni melange Bryn Barnard Institute Fellow stud2 visual communication South urism Nepal Southeast Asia His current interest Nepal cultural wealth offset suffocating material poverty For Nepalese short harsh infant mortality thousand highest Asia For survivors expectancy averages about years S bslstence farming animal husbandry occupy waking hours Of harder widespread deforestation depletion erosion Communication villa another animal track condition helped maintain nation heSerogeneity education difficult Only twenty percent population literate Population pressure exacerbates znese probl birth control programs limited success Massive foreign arunu fifty seven percent annual budget brought Nepal hospitals public health airline airports bridges schools electrical power civic improvements green revolution Nothing however saved Nepal forests Most former charcoal smoke Most latter flushed Bay Bengal The scenery spectacular difficult simple cultures colorful archaic For Western visitor Nepal Asian Disneyland visit fifteenth century fantasy world The scenes familiar National Geographic travel magazines television specials On insulated hotel window camera visitor absorb ambience pastoral countryside medieval architecture bizarre customs strange costumes exotic Then after weekS S month foreigner praise hardiness these quaint mountan praise God technological bliss Tough hosts ideal guests these conditions destined Nepal Western tourist attraction It began The first tourist trickle persons Oscar Houston party small group Americans visited Nepal guests ruler Rana Maharaja The visit unusual Ranas Nepal sealed virtually outside contact century Moreover Houston Khumbu valley meter Mount Everest reconnaissance mission future summit These first tourists eventually followed others increase possible happenstance politics In China invaded Tibet annexing coveted region following The Nepal Tibet border sealed ending lucrative Tibetan trade Thousands Tibetans Nepal eventually settled around country mountain villages ref_ugee camps Indian eventually replaced Tibetan product helped in4Idence goiter iodine mountain areas mountain Communities deprived trade income As Tibet closed world Nepal international debut In dynastic Ranas overthrown monarchial power resord followingyear nation borders opened Hoteliers restauranteurs invited capital Foreign missions courted Indian National initial toUrist dribbles Airways began scheduled service Kathm began arrive first mountaineers trekkers later package The alternative Tibetan trade Japan Ranas replace NePalese monarchy shoguns Of merely usurped power being careful however throne legi_timate Mountaineers climb mountains Nepal world highest among Annapurna I meters Dhaulagiri meters Kanchanjunga meters 28208 prize Sagarmatha Everest highest mountain earth Many expeditions tried failed reach Everest summit Tibetan George Mallory tried because there closest success partner Andrew Irvine hundred meters summft They never returned The opening Nepal opened accessible route Everest deadly Khumbu icefall South Col Eric Shipton Everest reconnaisssance wsstymied icefallo The Swiss passed icefall almost climbed untain A later British expedition foreigner Edmund Hilla Sherpa Tenzing Norgay The Swiss seconded No other attempts Everest during remainder decade Everest expeditions organized during Nepal closed mountai neering during decade result illegal climbs activites Khambas CIA backed times CIA trained Tibetan refugees Nepal their military forays against Chinese ClA Khamba operations ceased Nepal reop4ned mountaineers These expeditions enormous impact local economy They often hired whole villages porters Sherpas hardy Buddhist ethnic group migrated Khumbu centuries before became guides altitude porters Soon dependent expedition income survival Upon departure foreigners simply their equipment their porters other locals generous actions current Nepalssenotions inexhaustable Western wealth Much simply dumped mounds cnned oxygen bottles twisted aluminum ladders tents plates other edStiom material that_li tered major sites provided graphic foreign riches Certainly_ deccimated forests nearby leveled expedition firewood wasevidence manpower foreigners could harnass their altitude forays Whatever claims later visitors locals expected otherwise The successful ascents Everest other climbs Maurice Herzog expedition Annapurna helped promote Nepal tourist destination Individuals dribbled throughout staying Kathmandu hiking mountain trails their Even venerable Thomas Cook organi zation progentiors modmn tourism included Nepal their round world tours By dribbles become streamlets Though Nepalese govern forbidden climbing expeditions prohibitions applied trekking In recognizing privations mountaineering closure caused expedition dependent Sherpa villages Khumbu Nepalsse government endorsed promoted trekking alternate source income In Jimmy Roberts established Nepal first trekking organiza Mountain Travel Organizer British Nepalese Indian climb Annapurna IV meters member American Everest expediton Roberts convinced adventurous tourists would willing organized through Himalas Their carried porters their cooked Sherpas these package trekkers enjoy scenery Yet another facet added business opening Royal Chitawan National Park ancillary Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge The Mountain Travel caught slowly Roberts ogganized first group three women A later eight total visitors listed trekking mountaineering their reasons visiting Nepal By however Out trekkers climbers That Roberts establ ished branch United States Eight years later seventy trekking agencies registered Nepal thousand travel agencies other countries advertising treks their tourist itinerary That people applied trekking permits total visitors The dgates really opened In tourists visited Nepal these trekkers climbers funneled popular Khumbu Everest Base Camp Pokhara Mutinath treks latter estimated foreigners season inter monsoon trekking months October April Tourist arrivals leved Asia trend Tourist derived income continued however lockstep inflationary prices Each trekking mountaineering claimed larger share tourist Last mountaineering ditions Nepal peaks including separate assaults Everest three climbs other peaks Not trekkers participated organized Mountain Travel style Often groups budget travelers individuals could their porters heavily veled areas travel light depend burgeoning village hotel restaurant sector provide sustenance duration Such treks hundred dollars month travel Organized treks however developed expensive propositions Partici pants often twenty sometimes thirty dollars someone organize supply their Up porters trekker times necessary carry tables chairs tents stoves personal foreigners The trekkers expected carry small rucksack water little perhaps basic medical supplies The group medical carried porter administered necessary trekking physician eigner price break services Emergency medical treatment expensive available Royal Nepalese Army helicopter Eathmandu truly Lear Jet Western hospital their choice Porters Sherpas rarely access medicaI supplies They after paying Though responsible trekking companies efforts workers suffered AMS Altitude Mountain Sickness ailment fatal pulmonary oedema other disabilities urlhg course often porters trail themselves More treatment Increased tourism Nepal limited exchequer More tourists money translate schools better roads improved medical smaller foreign debts Tourism however short answer Nepal serious financial problems usually reates plenty problems The cultural environmental costs foreign innundation accurately assessed With increase intrekking guests traveling Nepal changed their hosts Hashish still available Ne still powers sadhusthe Hindu wander trails pilgrimage The WeStern hippies junkies however dregs sixties seventiesj surpassed number preppies yuppies The hepatitis cafes shops opium giving quiche perrier restau mountaineering supply stores antique dealers Not thing would forgetting these New Age tourists heading hills armada increasing pressure local supply These tourists easily their meals lodging improve Nepal archaic agricultural system already lagging damands local population Nor replace their meals their water The results devastating uktinath example popular pilgriamge The opened trekking Here rainshadow Annapurna Himal plant groth centuries required produce forests cottonwood birch juniper still cling hillsides areas Local pilgrim demands however created supply problem before arrival first tourists Too efforts replant Little survived topsoil ocean The stripped etched erosion gullies The local residents devote travel further further gather Little cultural pursuits Mukt Jharkat Kagbeni villages immediate vicinity pilgrimage becom decr__epit_ The buildings crumbling paintings neglected thankas Buddhist devotiooal paintings cloth faded Civilization dying In Ehumbu Nepalese government tried prevent similar trophe establishment Sagarmatha National Park Here strict regulatioos prevent cutting locals supercede traditional system village forest guards Instead Sherpas asked expensive kerosene their cooking needs request foreign travelers Paradoxically however Park lodge other construction denuded Suoundi_ng orests timbers felled walls fences oth4r Structures The Sherpas seeing their forests decimated government begun hackihg every himself regulations damned Most Sherpa homes stocked today juniper birch forests cloaked hills Edmund Hillary nearly Traditional fading Few locals carve devotional stones traditionally important Sherpa Buddhism Nor willing lamas devoting their lives prayer meditation Here region where tourists outnumber locals those Sherpas mountaineering expeditions become menials Everest View Hotel travel Kathmandu migration south Terai Undoubtedly Nepalese encouragement tourism particularly trekker tourism israeli intended And undoubtedly today regiser receipts nvillages government offices probably vindicate bureaucratic enthusiasm Without prescient planning however Nepal hideous environmental cultural costs current gains Without vision tourist flash flood leave barren behind world cover empty attic devoid culture This newsletter concludes fellowship Institute Current World Affairs I deeply grateful members trustees Institute these years fufill fascinating haveeVer I especially thankful Peter support criticism Roger Reynolds avuncular counterpoint course Louise Cunningham whose efficient administrative informed while field I these twenty newsletters given taste ambiguities contradictions involved Asian visual communication More importantly I fellowship demonstrated worth visual study cultural understanding My doing observing begun penetrate beyond surface cultural mirror I somewhere sometime someone opportunity To delve little deeper I Siocerely Bry larnard Eathmandu staurant advertisement BAITOI SCALE O0 DOTI Joo Nogor Map Nepal Saturday market Kathmandu Knife sharpener Kathmandu The fellow serves engine wielding bicycle chain while colleague hones knife edges rotary sharpening stone Mechanical water buffalo Kathmandu Japanese buiit substitutes draft animals imported fields Kathmandu valley More often hoever streets pulling agons passengers Pedestrians scatter these noisy smoke belching knobby tired creatures rattling cobbles Moving Patsn Just gcross Bagmati river Kathmandu Patan alsooalled Lalitpur Boasts biggest Buddhist populations Kathmandu valley plenty Tibetan refugees orerunner budget cinema Viewers through windows unrolling scroll inside framed miniatu stage On scroll pasted magazine pictures Indian movie photos advertisements other visual material Radio Nepal provides soundtrack rative montage Scroll speed deter mined craoks The clientele served these enterprises ranging emaci French junkies German Greens portly Australian businessmen Well scrubbe American college An ecclectic assortmenh restaurants serves interna tional crowd Trekkers mountaineering expeditions equipment Not adequately prepared To service their needs trekking supply shops sprung throughout Kath mandu The prosperous stocked shops located market Thamel Most Tibetan boast mountain altitude tents water purification tablets black market money changing facilities large denomination US dollar notes prefered Prices euipment bargain prietors often latest US Catalogs prices their standard Most shops stock Tibetan Nepali handicrafts BEB Locals responded tourist needs hotels restaurants souvenirs Like countries along South Southeast Asia tourist corridor Nepal variety foreign oriented handi craft enterprises centered I athmanu Patan Pokhara other major Nealese iaioh Ctr The majority these souvenir traditional forms redfined tourist milieu sometimes technology materials occasionally Cheap cothon clothing Nepalese peasants festive often embroi For tourist market machine embroidered cotton pants shirts loose style preferred youthfu budpet travelers venir shops Other entrepeneurs specialize embroidery Usin brightly colored thread produce mandalas Buddha marijuana leaves Sa skrit Om smbols Tibetan signs relroCuctions Grateful Dead album covers Tl large Tibetan refuees spawned tourist oriented Tibetan industrx Tibetans warmth decoration walls their homes These tourist floors Usin Indian Tibetan traditional innovative patterns colors veetab artificial factories shops tourists forei import export houses BEB Other souvenirs include incense Gurkha daggers ankas Tantric eligious variety Nepali paper products These usually rough textured tourist market finer paper quality popular omestic markets responding Western notions pro4ucts Wood block printed painted traditionally spired designs Hindu Buddhist legend paper crafted covers stationary postcards wrapping paper frameable images shown calendars Tourists choice either Western Nep calendrical Systems Many street vendors shops Tibetan antiques Though first waves Tibetan refugees Nepal indeed their family heirlooms survival contemporary produced especially tourist trade Opium bottles votive lamps ritual silver lined skull prayer wheels bells similar hawked Nepali tourist destinations The Real Thing Whatever object hawkers usually claim horns hOoves altitude draft animal component apparently tourist proof authenticity II Advertising important component Nepalese tourism The country T 4inistry Tourism national carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation RNAC produce posters brochures billboards designed attract tourists Nepal guide their activities while there RNAC advertising however fledgling craft product often seems better suited domestic consumption international markets Foreign oriented often employ traditional Hindu Buddhist iconography othersymbols familiar locals arcane outsiders Out context foreign environment ideas communicated uninitiated often bizarre confusing This RNAC decal example incorporates company symbol White Bhairab terrifying avatars incarnations Hindu deity Shiva A statue hideous celestial Stands Kathmandu Durbar Square invoked deity Hindu areas country Here advertise Boeing macihg Whir Bhairab hardly image reassure foreigners considering RNAC their travel plans particularly Americans whose advertising airliners usually smile In USA grimaces often associated fighter aircraft Flying Tigers ordnance cruise missile commercial airlines The decal image Nepal communi cation positive Similarly Yeti Service RNAC motto presents forei other unintended images Nepal proud legendary abominable snowman creature familiar Westeroers popularized animated cartoons popular fiction shaggy intelligent buffoon Undoubtedly whoever dreamed Yeti Service slogan intended bring something Nepal popfllar cultureinto airline ima_e Alas lumbering Bifoot picture jured phrase little attract foreign omers aproned drink bearin caricature adorns RNAC posters reinforces inept symbolism This hardly justice RNAC attractive ressonably icient Considerin RNAC antiquated bookin system sporadic arrival record however perhaps image A bronze version caricature stands outside airline offices Kathmandu testimony RNAC faith symbol The Bhairab images serve positive communication function outside Nepal Hindu pilgrims velers India significant percentage airline passenger total Many these tourists Nepal doubt comfort these religio symbols For Western audiences however RNAU better unadorned photo posters Nepal spectacular mountain scenery Enlsh lanEuae signs sacred Muktihath shrine Annapurna their point Here methane flames dance river under round caves meeting earth water considered auspicious Hindus This pilgrimage popular foreign tourists interested natural beauty ethnic local color religious signi ficance Thus signs erected Ministry Tourism Apparently Nepali guage cigarette effec Printed metal signs posted villae sSops throuh Nepalese country domestic brand cigarette Crumpled discarded packs mountain trails evidence briand popula Incidentiy cigarette packs about railside refuse found Nepal Dust about everything recycled BEB On Muktinath pilgrimage route lodges advertise English Nepali taking advantage heavy local Indian tourist traffic Devanagri script Used write Nepali other Sanskrit based languages Hindi This painted This advertises Tibetan rides Highly effective advertisins produced village level Entrepeneurs heavily touristed areas Nepal produced signs advertising their foreign orlentedwares Signs increased tourist traffic today virtual imperative villager wishing foreign deluge homes without often passed foreign velers looking lodging Foreign saphistication crumbles circumstances travelers beeline fanciest Such apparent gullibil produced plague misleading advertising tourist villages Advertising promise entrepeneurial reality always correspond The Best Address Besi Shahar actua proves airless spider infested attic Solar Heated Rooms another means windows Still signs reasonably albeit matical convolutsd attempts competition Even intentioned signs language barriers civic inded restauranteur S Sppar offer refuse BEB Kathmandu hotel Touristdodging takes variety forms epending environment surround culture In relatively cosmopolitanKath mandu Pokhara numerous hostelries consturcted especially foreign ation They gamut bottom international class hotels complete swimming pools conditioning Nost these lowland accomodations built materials baked brick concrete sionally Though usually urban block house genre display least traces Hindu architectural ornament traditional valley homes carved ooden sashes lattice pagoda lines perhaps bronze ardian Though buildin shown Islamic Hindu basic ISb Slate roofed wooden homes Lumle thick retir British Gurkhas lines common contem porary urban architecture Nepal As tourists Kathmandu valleys ridges Nepalese country other hotel types appear Bhattis traditional thatch roofed floored house stops scattered through lower elevation areas These provide accomoation steady stream porters skinners other ttiner travel Nepal A slate roofed stone hotel Sikha Magar mountain traiIs village meters above level Few foreigners bhattis instead relying tents local homes villages along route Either remodeled accomodate foreign traffic these buildings stylisically consonant architectural traditions ethnic dominant Thus hotels lowland Brahmin villaes usually constructed stene Naudanda Brahmin village meters stretched along ridge above Pokhara Most buildings built stone thatch augmented qorrugated coated roofs thatch corrugated Lowland Chetri Thakali buildings similarly styled The Gurungs Magars Tamangs higher elevations stone Tor their walls their homes wooden sometimes slate shingles weighted stones protection winds The Sherpas Manangbhots Lopas Dolpos Tibetah peoples higher still roofed homes unlike pueblos Americas In altitude region mainly support beams Roofs slate usually stacked firewood Decoration scanty occasional carved window Walls sometimes coate painted white These stylistic variations rigidly defined course blend ethnic groups region another Dharapani village meters Central Nepal transition between primarily Hindu lowlands mostly Tibetan Buddhist uplands Though typically Tibetan marks entrance village houses sloped shingled roofs weighted rocks Walls piled slate chinked ISf Tal downslope Dharapani meters transition village shingled weighted roofs Formerly dependent On radpwi Tibet village relies herding culture tourism Corn barley buckwheat potatoes grown valley former surrounds Village This carved poden pillar capital village Chame meters typical ofthe imple decoration southern regions Tibetan infldenced Nepal The closer Tibet stronger influence elaborate decoration Detail cairn These devotional carved Buddhist inscriptions found throughout Tibetan influenced Nepal Manang meters village closely packed slate homes upper reaches Marsyandi valley This extremely regionis geographically contiguous Tibetand Tibetan influence strong Window shutters sashes elaborately carved painted Buddhist symbols prayer flags sprout every This sparsel populated traditionally xenophobic opened trekking Few foreigners visited before though Manangbhots themselves cause royally decreed trading privleges developed extensive Asia trading network today includes import transistor radios watch Levis jeans other value items An airport graces Manang central government plans luxury hotel Early morning cooking fires above Manang thick From trekkers traders travel small house Phedi meters above level thence Thorong La meters Opeing Manang trekking allows visitors three Dure Manang Muktinath Kali Gandhaki gorge Pokhara This circumnabulation Annapurna Himal becoming increasingly popular Porters laden trekking climb Thorong La Jharkat decrepit Tibetan village meters 11550 perched ridge above Kali Gandaki gorge Onl Muktinath Jharkat suffers excessive deforestation plagues Nepal popular tourist sites The cottonwoods foreground alltharemains forests cloaked these hills The eroded barren moonscape A Tibetan Diagram Nepalese sawmill Water powered mills found throughout Nepal Most grind grain between stone mortars lower stone fixed upper stone connected water turned shaft revolves located diversion channels built streams rivers Buddhist villages usually small mills Hindu areas however mills there castes Peace Corps efforts improve mills success foreigners s_uggested cupping paddles efficient water The faster turning Krinding stones grind grain faster quickly replaced sooner effect improvement locals The ntroduction small electriaal urbines generate light mills proved popular Apparently h0rizontal vertical gearing unknown Nepal The vertiCal water wheel I sawmill which course vertical rotary Interior Nepalese Pisang Water paddles diverted along wooden aquaducts cross A wooden channels water paddle wheel under building Grain poured conical wooden container mortars dropping through rotating upper mortar grinding planes beneath Grooves mortar surfaces ground grain outer edges grinding surfaces where collected stored During harvest season these mills hours BEB Village scales Botiwadar These scales taller found villages along round Annapurna Used weigh grain other trade goods important asures porter loads Barefoot nothing forehead tumpline support porters often carry thirty kilograms pounds twenty miles single Forty rupees about standard daily trekking portage considered local standards Stan dardiz metric weights weigh loads remote villages Water rotated Buddhist prayer wheel Muktinath This version rotated cylinders found throughout Tibetan Buddhistworld sends perpetual prayers heaven rotation Man inscribed prayer flags similar manner making merit Nepalese ferris wheel EreCted weeks during Hindu festival Dashain lages Central Npal these provide welcome source festive relief drudgery daily peasant existence Large swings built during Dashain season BEB Map round Annapurna becoming popular Nepal List Illustrations Kathmandu restaurant advertisement BEB Map Nepal Majupuria Chandra Trilok Indra Majapuria Guide Nepal M D Gupta Lashkar Saturday market Kathmandu BEB sepia gomache bristol board Knife sharpener Kathmandu BEB Mechanical water buffalo BEB bristol board Moving picture Patan BEB Trekking Thamel BEB Trekkers BEB bristol board Restaurant signs Kathmandu BEB Souvenir shirt Kathmandu BEB Souvenir embroidery Kathmandu BEB Tibetan Kathmandu BEB Nlese calendars Kathmandu BEB Souvenir dealer Jomsom BEB bristol board Tibetan souvenir antiques BEB IIa RNAC decal Muktinath BEB IIb RNAC poster Kathmandu BEB Ministry Tourism Muktinath BEB Ministry Tour Muktinath BEBo Cigarette Botiwadar BEB See YOu Lodge Kalopani BEB Devanagri script advertisement Tatopani BEB Tibetan factory advertisement Chairo BEB Restaurant Marpha BEB Yeti Trekking Ltd advertisement Pokhara BEB Gurkha L_ode advertisement Pokhara BEB CosmosHot Re__tau9oD Pokhara BEB OM Buddha Hotel Marpha BEB Hgtel North PQ_ Muktinath BEB Restaurant Pokhara BEB athmandu hotel BEB Bristol board Lumle landscape BEB sepia gouache bristol board Hotel Dhau Sikha BEB sepia gouache bristol board Naudanda BEB pencil bristol board Dharapani BEB sepia gouache bristol board Tal BED sepia bristol board Chame pillar BEB pencil bristol board Manans BEB sepia gouache bristol board stones BEB Manang BEB Porters climbing Thorong La BEB Jharkat BEB sepia gouache bristol board Tibetan BEB sepia bristol board Mills BEB sepia bristol board Mill interior BEB sepia gouache bristol board Village scales Botiwadar BEB sepia gouache bristol board Prayer wheel Muktinath BEB Ferris wheel Besi Shahar BEB Map round Annapurna route Rowell Galen Man Peo Come Lo Looking The Mountaineers Seattle Received Hanover