The Himalayas may sound like a faraway land inhabited by ancient, mystical sages, yetis, and mountain spirits. This notion is not entirely wrong, but it creates the misconception that the Himalayas are a region that is, and always has been, isolated from the rest of the globe, with no footprint on world history, culture, and economy. From as early as before recorded history in Nepal, the Himalayas have been a boiling pot for global trade and cultural exchange, and the impact of the Himalayan people can still be felt in Eurasian arts, religions, cultures, and most of all, economies. Thanks to the positioning of these mountains, they have been a transit point and center of trade, with their inhabitants being economically active, decisive, and innovative. The relation between the Himalayas and the rest of the world has been rather constant from the beginning of time to the moment in which industrialisation evolved the world. Since then, life in the mountains has been changing, and with it, so has the climate, the weather, and everything in between. 

To gain an in-depth understanding of the Himalayan economy and how recent shifts in the climate have been affecting it, Inside Himalayas met with Dr.Anu Kumari Lama, an expert in sustainable mountain tourism and climate action. Her current work with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), along with her two decades of experience, has made her a treasure trove of information when it comes to the history of the Himalayan economy, its present state, and its future projections in consideration of the massive impact climate change will have on it. 

To begin with, one must be aware of the pivotal role the Himalayan region had in providing raw materials to the global market. For instance, the Kali Gandaki region of Nepal, where Mustang is located, is home to the Salt Route, one of the most ancient trading routes known to humankind. Archaeological evidence found in Mustang and surrounding areas suggests that not only was a great variety of raw materials making its way out to the world through there, but artifacts made of materials extremely exotic to the region were found in excavation sites. The inhabitants of these high altitude regions used to travel to lower lands and exchange Himalayan rock salt with grains and other commodities, an activity which some present-day populations still subsist on. Incredibly enough, these ancient trades continued up to the point at which the world became too industrialized for these remote, smaller-scale productions to remain central in the market of raw materials. As the speed of production and demand grew exponentially, the people from the Himalayan regions had to learn a different way of sustaining their lives. The scale of the modern economy, the speed of production, and the ever-growing supply chain were far too great for the Himalayas to keep up with. Suddenly, its lack of accessibility became an issue, and it truly began to feel isolated and with little to offer to the global economy.

As the 1950s saw the beginning of the influx of foreign visitors to Nepal, the descendants of these ancient traders had the opportunity to turn towards the tourism sector to earn their livelihood, a business on which they have greatly depended to this day, and will probably continue to rely on for the foreseeable future. Thus, the economy of these tall but young mountains has irrevocably shifted from being that of global trade to tourism. After the dry spell brought over by the industrialisation of more developed countries, tourism came as a second chance for the Himalayan peoples to be part of the global economy. Now, instead of trading in salt or metals, they are trading their time, knowledge, and service. 

Some livelihoods, however, have remained constant through time and apparently unaffected by global industrialisation. Agriculture and animal husbandry are activities that have always existed on the Himalayas, and they remain relevant to this day. The farming of potatoes and apples, along with certain grains such as millet and buckwheat, greatly contributes to the subsistence of high altitude populations. They rely on yaks, Himalayan goats, and mules for transport, wool and leather, dairy products and meat, as well as fuel. Those who are privileged also own horses. A small number of people may depend on governmental employment, but the rest depend on the land. The relationship between humankind and the climate has always been dynamic, with the climate being a determining factor for every single aspect of their lives.

The harshness of the climate, climate variability, and seasonality have made the high altitude populations learn how to live a waste-free life, and out of necessity, their subsistence mentality has taught them how to make the most out of the natural resources available to them. The organization of society, the way life is structured here, is directly influenced by nature’s clock. The Himalayas have always been a place where life revolves around the ever-shifting moods of the skies, where one moment can be sunny, and the next can stir up a windstorm. The people indigenous to the region are well versed in these moods and have adapted their daily, seasonal, and yearly routines with them, because even though they change in the blink of an eye, the patterns of the weather and the climate were somewhat foreseeable. This was true up until a few years ago, but now, everything has changed, and there is nothing that can be predictable anymore. The rains fall at strange times, and the winds blow when they used to be quiet. This has thrown off the delicate balance between the indigenous communities and the natural, atmospheric world. 

In the past, all of the infrastructures and assets were built so that they would be resilient to the climate, but now, they have to be reconsidered so that they may withstand the erratic behavior of natural elements such as rain. For example, trans-Himalayan regions used to welcome a total of 200 – 250 mm per year, but now, due to a phenomenon called cloudburst, the region is subjected to heavy, unpredictable rains. This affects the entirety of their lives, as such extreme events are becoming a new normal. With the pattern of the monsoons shifting, erratic rain caused by cloudburst, the situation in the Himalayas is of great concern. Similarly, the topic of water is of great importance to the delicate ecosystems of the high Himalayas. At this point, the melting of the glaciers is a known fact to everyone. At first, the melting of the glaciers will cause a major influx of water into sources such as rivers, but in time, this will be countered by extreme water scarcity. As everywhere else in the world, humans in this region have also mainly settled in areas close to rivers. The first surge of water influx will definitely damage the infrastructures closest to the flow of water, with experts like Dr. Lama predicting a tragic loss of life in these zones. It is imperative for the people living and owning infrastructures in these danger zones to be informed of the future disaster predictions, and the people who are just now settling and building homes and businesses must consider such factors to future-proof their lives and investments. It is one thing for researchers and scientists to know these facts in the comfort of their offices in Kathmandu, but it is another to spread the information to the people that will be primarily and imminently affected by this, and provide the means for them to adapt to this danger. It is important to understand that all of these issues are interrelated, and they are not only of concern to the indigenous people of the Himalayas. They are a global problem, and they must be approached at a global level. Local, grassroots aid can do little to help prevent disasters of this scale. Some steps that people investing in the Himalayan region must take are undergoing risk assessments with the perspective of climate resilience, using materials that are a hybrid of vernacular knowledge and modern technologies, and ensuring their assets.

It is a sad truth that Himalayan women may be the ones who are the most affected by these changes when it comes to their mental health. The indigenous women of the Himalayas have always been powerful. From being some of the main decision makers in their families, to being entrepreneurial in their businesses, and being emancipated financially and mentally, these women have never remained passive. Their managerial roles in society have made them the powerhouse of the Himalayas, and historically, their go-getting spirit has marked a clear difference between them and the women of most other Nepali communities. It is perhaps thanks to a more encouraging social climate, with religion and its norms imposed onto women playing a role in it, that makes Himalayan women more assertive and less restricted by societal taboos. However, a point of similarity they have with Nepali women from other communities is that in the present time, they are left to fend for themselves all on their own, as a large number of husbands and fathers are forced to leave the villages in search of employment, either in Kathmandu or in foreign countries. The mental burden created by this loneliness is not relieved by the erratic climate of these days. On the contrary, women find themselves taking on their shoulders worries that are larger than the world, and they do not have a way of finding solace from their tensions. 

For these women, a ray of hope has entered their lives through the popularity of homestays. This has helped them supplement their income through assets and skills already available to them. From providing relief from food insecurity, exposing them to a variety of cultures, and rekindling their entrepreneurial spirit, Himalayan women have welcomed the homestay economy with open arms. With the concept of homestays closely aligning with their inherent culture of hospitality, the women of the Himalayas have only had to learn a few things to adapt their homes for the welcoming of visitors. These things can range from learning Western standards of cleanliness and hygiene to learning how to cook for different palates. The contrast between a family-run enterprise to a commercial business has made homestays a more approachable stream of revenue for high-altitude indigenous women, since their identity as homemakers, their true caring and familiarity with the culture comes through in the detailed attention they give to making their visitors feel welcome and curious about their space, history, and culture.

While the topic of the Himalayas’ history and its present-day situation can be dug into with great depth and considered through a variety of lenses, Dr. Lama poses an important concluding question: how deeply does a country like Nepal and its community have to think about the issue of tourism in relation to climate change. For people who rely on tourism for their financial and mental freedom, climate change becomes an existential issue. How can this issue be brought to the attention of the right people, people who perhaps do not understand the gravity and urgency of the situation but are in charge of policy-making nonetheless. The indigenous people of the Himalayas have always been resilient, but how can they become climate resilient now and in the future?