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HimalayaNet #80 (March 2001)Namaste, and welcome to the 80th edition of HimalayaNet, the onlinenewsletter of the Himalayan Explorers Club. Please send all communication regarding HimalayaNet to himalayanet@listbot.com If you'd like to "post" a message, remember to include your membership number. Any travel information, updates or publishing requests you have are always welcome. Pleasant Reading and Happy Travels... Sheri Nepal HimalayaNet Moderator & Writer IN THIS ISSUE: LOCAL NEWS 1. HIMALAYA (CARAVAN) TO BE SHOWN IN U.S. THEATERS 2. NEPAL INTRODUCES A LEVY TO PREVENT POLLUTERS 3. ANATOLI BOUKREEV MEMORIAL FUND 4. CANADIAN SCHOOL DONATES BOOKS TO CHILD HAVEN INTERNATIONAL 5. LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL PLEDGES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 6. COMPETING CLAIMS ON BUDDHA'S HOMETOWN 7. SEEKING LEADERS FOR SUMMER PROGRAM IN HIMALAYAS HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS UPDATES 8. VOLUNTEER NEPAL HIMALAYA UPDATE 9. PORTER CLOTHING BANK UPDATE: THANK YOU TO MONTRAIL SHOES 10.UPCOMING HEC SLIDE SHOWS IN DENVER AND BOULDER MONTHLY FEATURES 11. DID YOU KNOW? FOREHEAD TIKA'S (RED DOTS) HAVE MEANING 12.INTERNET CONNECTION: WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEB MEMBERS POSTINGS 13a. MEMBER NEEDS INFO ON NEPAL HEALTH PROJECTS 13b. MEMBER SEEKING ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING WITH A CHILD IN CHITWAN 13c. LOOKING FOR COMPANIONS AND GUIDE FOR MUSTANG CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET HOW TO POST ON HIMALAYNET HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ********************************************************************** LOCAL NEWS ********************************************************************** 1. HIMALAYA (CARAVAN) TO BE SHOWN IN U.S. THEATERS "Himalaya" (also known as "Caravan"), a film created by Eric Valli, a documentarian and National Geographic photographer who lived in the Dolpo Region of Nepal for nearly two decades, is due to be released in U.S. theaters this spring. Filmed under the most challenging conditions, "Himalaya" captures the fast disappearing traditions of a remote Tibetan culture. The film will be shown in a number of U.S. cities, including: San Francisco: Castro Theatre (Starts March 30) San Rafael: Rafael Film Center (Starts April 6) Berkeley: UC Theater (Starts April 6) San Jose: Camera Cinema (Starts April 6) Seattle: Egyptian Theater (Starts April 14) Portland: Cinema 21 (Starts May 11) "Caravan" was Nepal's first Academy-Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Cesar Award for Best Cinematography and Best Original Music. The film was reviewed in HimalayaNet #68 (http://www.mountainexplorers.org/club/himnet/68.htm). For more information on this film and play dates, visit http://www.kino.com/himalaya/ ********************************************************************** 2. NEPAL INTRODUCES A LEVY TO PREVENT POLLUTERS [Reuters] KATHMANDU - Nepal, to deter foreign climbers from leaving garbage on its mountains, plans to extend to all its peaks a levy now collected only in the region around Mount Everest, a tourism ministry official said yesterday. Currently, foreign expeditions to any mountain in the Khumbhu region are required to pay the government an advance garbage deposit of up to $4,000, which is returned if they haul back their trash. Khumbhu is home to 13 of the 151 Nepali peaks open to foreign climbers, chief among them Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet (8,850 metres) the world's highest mountain. "The government is considering to extend the requirement of garbage deposit to other mountains as well," Ganesh Raj Karki of the Himalayan kingdom's tourism ministry told Reuters. Laws introduced in the mid-1990s require expeditions to collect all their waste from camps to keep peaks free of trash. Some of the waste may be dumped at a site below the base camp supervised by a local anti-pollution group, but batteries and oxygen cylinders must go back to their respective countries. Thousands of foreign climbers and their Sherpa guides scale Nepal's Himalayan peaks each year, bringing pollution with them. The Nepal Mountaineering Association recently said it would pay Sherpa climbers to Mount Everest if they brought back trash that has been accumulating for the last several years. ********************************************************************** 3. ANATOLI BOUKREEV MEMORIAL FUND The Anatoli Boukreev Memorial Fund was created to celebrate Anatoli's spirit by providing financial and logistical support for cross-cultural climbing exchanges involving young mountaineers from Anatoli's region, the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains, and from other ranges of the world. The goals of the Fund are to promote mutual understanding and friendship across cultures though shared love of mountains and mountaineering, and to support the styles of high-altitude training, ascent, and environmental sensitivity that Anatoli exemplified. The Anatoli Boukreev Memorial Fund has supported two young Kazakh mountaineers on an expedition to the United States and an American climber's expedition to the International Mountaineering Camp in the Tien Shan where he and two partners from Kazakhstan climbed the spectacular and technical Khan Tengri (7010 meters). We supported a joint Kazakh-US expedition to Shishapangma (8008 meters) which reached the summit and made the first snowboard descent of an 8000 meter peak. The Fund also donated climbing and training equipment to the climbing clubs of Almaty, Kazakhstan. With this strong beginning and with your ongoing support and interest, we will continue to provide financial and organizational assistance for future exchanges, joint expeditions, and high-altitude training camps, to celebrate and strengthen the bond of friendship shared by mountaineers around the world. To learn more about this Fund please see our website http://www.boukreev.org. *********************************************************************** 4. CANADIAN SCHOOL DONATES BOOKS TO CHILD HAVEN INTERNATIONAL The Canadian Ambassador to Nepal, Peter Sutherland, handed over 43 boxes of children's books donated by Elwood School in Ottawa, Canada to the "New Home" of Child Heaven International during a local function here in Kathmandu. The "New Home" is a non-government organization providing assistance for Nepal's children. Two weeks ago, the program was inaugurated by the Queen of Nepal. A few HEC members are here in Nepal, donating their time by doing volunteer work at orphanages, sponsored by Child Haven International. If you're interested in this organization and perhaps volunteering yourself, please visit their website at www.childhaven.org *********************************************************************** 5. LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL PLEDGES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE The Lions Club International Foundation has offered to donate $75,000 of financial assistance to a local project in Nepal, the construction of a modern school equipped with computers in the rural district of Dhanusha. Building efforts have recently begun, giving a step forward to enhance the education of this underdeveloped region of Nepal. This school will also provide non-formal educational classes and vocational training to raise the literacy level and create employment opportunities that would normally not exist for the local people. *********************************************************************** 6. COMPETING CLAIMS ON BUDDHA'S HOMETOWN Excavations at Tilaurakot in southern Nepal have reopened a longstanding debate about, and competing national claims to, the true hometown of Gautama Siddhartha, better known as the Buddha. With UNESCO backing, Nepali and British archaeologists have uncovered evidence the site was occupied during the Buddha's lifetime, sometime between the seventh and fifth centuries B.C. Tilaurakot was first identified as the possible site of Kapilavastu, the Buddha's childhood home, at the end of the nineteenth century when Archaeological Survey of India officials attempted to link Buddhist remains and topographical features with the descriptions of Chinese pilgrims. "No other ancient site has so much claim...as being situated in the right position and fulfilling all other conditions," wrote P.C. Mukherji after undertaking extensive research in the area in the 1890s. In 1962, however, new excavators at Tilaurakot concluded that the town could not be ancient Kapilavastu, as the earliest settlement of the site began centuries after the Buddha's death. Indian archaeologists subsequently identified the Indian town of Piprahwa, in Uttar Pradesh, ten miles south of the Indo-Nepali border, where the earliest remains are those of a third-century B.C. monastery, as the Buddha's hometown. Now the focus has turned back to the Nepali site. The latest excavations at Tilaurakot have uncovered terra-cotta crucibles, pottery beads, and fragments of painted bowls known as painted gray ware, dated to the Iron Age of the Ganges Plain, between the beginning of the early first millennium B.C. and the sixth or seventh century B.C. "As a result," says excavation co-director Robin Coningham, "there is little reason to continue to doubt the original, nineteenth-century identification of the site of Tilaurakot as the childhood home of theBuddha of America (http://www.archaeology.org/curiss/newsbriefs/buddha.html) *********************************************************************** 7. SEEKING LEADERS FOR SUMMER PROGRAM IN HIMALAYAS An experiential education program run by "Where There Be Dragons" has position openings for highly motivated individuals this summer in East and Southeast Asia. These trips utilize special in-country contacts and structured program elements to create dynamic learning adventures. We specialize in programs to remote corners of developing Asia including Central Tibet, Mount Kailas, Thailand, Laos, Indian Himalayas and Mustang. We are now hiring qualified leaders with experience in Eastern and Southeastern Asia. We are looking for individuals who are college graduates, have lived in country, have regional language proficiency and a love for teaching and learning. If you are interested or would like to learn more about our organization, can check out our web site at: www.wheretherebedragons.com or call us at (800) 982-9203. Sophie Klipfel Staffing Coordinator sdragons@earthnet.net ********************************************************************* HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS CLUB UPDATES ********************************************************************** 8. PORTER CLOTHING BANK UPDATE - THANKS TO MONTRAIL! NEW ASSISTANT: Ben Ayers, managing the Porter Clothing Bank from Lukla, has been busy getting his new assistant, Arjun, up to speed on the operation of the Clothing Bank, both in Lukla and Kathmandu. Arjun has been actively inventorying the ever-increasing donations we get. In addition, he has been soliciting to the Kathmandu Trekking agencies and promoting our service. Every week, we see a new company coming into our HEC Office in Thamel, wanting to take advantage of our offering to keep them and safe and warm from the dangerous elements of the Himalayan Mountains, all regions. EXPANDING TO ANNAPURNA: Recently, ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) contacted the clothing bank regarding the possibility of opening a Clothing Bank in the Annapurna region also. Seeing the need, we here at HEC have already been talking about this concept for some time now. We're all hoping to have something in the works within the next year or so. THANKS TO MONTRAIL AND TELLURIDE SKI SCHOOLS: We'd also like to thank Montrail for donating over 90 pairs (7 large boxes!) of hiking boots to the program. Adequate shoes have been a major problem for porters, and we had only a few pairs before the generous Montrail donation. Telluride Ski School also donated a box containing old ski school outfits (a favorite among the porters). COURIERS NEEDED: The HEC continues to accumulate more and more equipment that we need to ship over to our Clothing Bank Program. Live in the Denver/Boulder area and heading over to Nepal? Please contact Billy Fitzgerald at billy@mountainexplorers.org ********************************************************************** 9. VOLUNTEER NEPAL HIMALAYA UPDATE The spring teaching program is progressing well. The participants are all placed in their schools and have been happily teaching for the last month or so. Jane and Pasang have been actively roaming the trails, popping in and out of villages to insure all is running smoothly and that the teachers, volunteers and students are all gaining benefit from the Spring Program's offerings. The volunteers will continue teaching at their schools for approximately one more month. Then most of them will top off their stay in Nepal by trekking in the Everest Region they've come to know and love. Many have their family and friends joining them for the trekking segment. ********************************************************************** 10.UPCOMING HEC SLIDE SHOWS IN DENVER AND BOULDER Steve Noud, a previous participant in the Volunteer Nepal Himalaya Teaching Program, will be joining HEC Director Scott Dimetrosky for two slide shows in May. The slide shows will give details about the Porter Clothing Bank, as well as Steve's first hand account of teaching English in the Khumbu for three months (or "How I survived on Dal Bhat and Snickers Bars"). The first show is May 2, 7PM, at the Univ. of Colorado Benson Earth Sciences Building, Room 180 (Benson is located on Colorado Avenue, across from Folsom Field). The second show is May 15, 7PM, at the Denver Flagship REI Store (1416 Platte Street/303-756-3100). ********************************************************************** MONTHLY FEATURES ********************************************************************** 11. DID YOU KNOW? FOREHEAD TIKA'S (RED DOTS) HAVE MEANING One of the most common questions I get from visitors coming to Nepal is "Why do some people have red dots on their foreheads, men and women ?". This "dot" is called a Tika. They are worn only by the Hindu people, not the Buddhists or the Muslims. Men, children and women all wear them but for different reasons. For the most part, these traditions and styles are dissipating in the Kathmandu area as people become more and more educated and want to look and feel more Western. But in Kathmandu, you'll still catch a glimpse of Tika's worm by the elder generation, or on village people who have relocated to Kathmandu or those who are just there visiting. Black lined infant eyes: When a Hindu mother needs to travel with her infant, she thickly lines her small baby's eyes with charcoal ashes, lining the top and bottom eyelids. This is to ward off unwanted spirits as she travels outside her blessed home. In addition, it's been said that proud parents succumb their babies to this process in order to draw attention to their new beautiful baby and so all thr passerby's will look and say "Oh, what a cute baby!". I suppose this a similar concept to that of the American parents, tying elastic ribbons around their infants heads. Both methods seem quite unsafe but so far, I haven't heard any tragic stories. Black dot between eyes: This Tika type is worn by young school girls only. They usually take their mothers black eyeliner and poke a small pen-point sized dot between their eyes. They are probably mimicking their mothers and older sisters who get to wear the "real" store bought and expensive Tika's explained below. I suppose this is similar to Western school girls trying on makeup at a young age. Stylish Tika between the eyes: Women and older girls wear these primarily for fashion. These Tika's are considered jewelry to accentuate and adorn themselves with. They come in a variety of styles, mostly looking similar to "post" earrings you see women wear in Western fashion. Some are really big and colorful with studs and others can be just a plain color of felt. These stick to the forehead with either a purchased glue substance or a taped backing. Big Red Dot between the eyes: Sometimes you'll see a woman wearing a BIG red felt dot between her eyes. This is a symbol of marriage. Red Ash in hair: This is for married women only. During the marriage ceremony, the husband puts a red line of ash in her hair part and she is traditionally supposed to wear this forever. As written above, you won't see much of this in Kathmandu except for mostly village women. The newer generation of village women wear a small smear of it on their hairline as a marriage symbol with a stylish twist to it. The traditional women continue to wear a thick line of it in their hair part, symbolic of her husband adorning her with it during the wedding ceremony. Red Ash in middle of forehead: This ash is for men, women and children and is a very important and strongly used symbol of Hindu culture, historically and still today. This Red Ash shows sign of having gone to the Temple that day, being not unusual for a Hindu to visit the Temple 3-4 times a week. They themselves, a priest, or anyone can actually put it on their forehead. The concept is similar to Christians putting Holy Water on their forehead upon entering and leaving a church. A Hindu wearing a Tika of this nature in today's Nepal society, both in Kathmandu and the countryside, would be considered normal, unlike the other Tika's that are slowly becoming symbols of the past. ********************************************************************** 12. INTERNET CONNECTION: WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEB www.south-asia.com This site gives a "Table of Contents" to a variety of subjects for those interested in Nepal or have plans to visit. There are links to many Nepal specific Websites, including the American Embassy in Nepal, Hotels, Newspapers, Trekking Agencies and so forth. It's a great source of information for getting started on your research. ********************************************************************** MEMBER POSTINGS ********************************************************************** 13a. MEMBER NEEDS INFO ON NEPAL HEALTH PROJECTS I'm a doctor trained and working in the UK with three months to spare at the end of this year. I am desperate to get in touch with any one who knows of health projects on Nepal that could do with a medical volunteer. I have experience in General Medicine, Accident and Emergency and am currently in the third year of training as an Anaesthesist, though I'm willing to get involved in anything medical. I also have considerable experience of working and traveling abroad. If you know of any projects/organizations that might be interested, please e-mail me at melaniemather@netscapeonline.co.uk Cheers! Melanie 13b. MEMBER SEEKING ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING WITH CHILD IN CHITWAN I'd like to take my 10-year-old to Chitwan for elephant riding, animal watching, etc. Has anyone been to the jungle lately? How did you get there, which jungle area did you visit, where do you recommend, costs, etc. What are other options other than Tiger Tops? Kathleen Olsen, olsekath@isu.edu 13c. LOOKING FOR COMPANIONS AND GUIDE FOR MUSTANG One 66 year old experienced hiker and his rather younger spouse seek references on trekking outfits to take us to Mustang this September. We want to have our tent set up for us, good local food cooked in a hygienic camp setting, and a knowledgable guide. It would be nice if there were another western couple or two with us (English speaking not important). Companies we are considering are Geograhic Expeditions (Sona Hishi Sherpa), Above the Clouds (no name furnished), REI (Rusty Brennan), and Mountain Travel Nepal (Rajendra Chongbang). Earl Cilley, earlcilley@home.com ********************************************************************** CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION (UPDATED FEBRUARY 2001) ********************************************************************** ARUN TREKS & EXPEDITIONS. Personal Service. Good Value. Great Times. Trekking, Climbing, Mountaineering, Horseback & Overland Touring. Asia, Africa, S.America, Europe. Customized itineraries and group discounts available. Please contact us for further information. Phone: 888-495-8735 or 512-407-8314 info@aruntreks.com http://www.aruntreks.com EARTHBOUND EXPEDITIONS - Himalayan Adventure Travel. Join us for small group, eco-friendly, impeccably planned treks, tours, climbing, and guide services to the Himalaya, from the high peaks to the lowland jungles. Special SPRING trips to Mustang and Mera Peak. Phone: 716-317-964, www.trekthehimalaya.com damian@trekthehimalaya.com. Explore Himalaya: Can arrange individual/group holidays to all destinations in Nepal, India, and Tibet. High altitude treks & climbing, mountain biking, and white water rafting. Contact Suman Pandey, PO Box 4902, Kathmandu, Nepal Fax: 977-1-252 115 adventur@mos.com.np Join the Himalayan Explorers Club in the Himalayas! Pemba Sherpa leads Everest trek with Island Peak in March 2001 and October 2001, info@mountainexplorers.org or call 303-998-0101. All trips also include an excursion "off the beaten path" to Sewangma, where Pemba grew up and the location of the HEC Bridge Project. KE Adventure Travel. Unique trekking, climbing, mountain biking, and cultural journeys throughout Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Bolivia, Peru, Patagonia, Ecuador, Russia, Africa & more! Contact us for a free, color brochure. Phone: 800-497-9675 ketravel@rof.net http://www.keadventure.com Africa and Himalaya with Daniel Mazur. Shishapangma, Ama Dablam, plus 7000 meter peaks. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya Rock Climb. Low Prices. All Abilities. Phone: 406-363-7747 africa_inc@cybernet1.com, himalaya_inc@cybernet1.com, www.himalayaclimb.com, www.kilitrek.com, www.kenyaclimb.com Ladakh, India; captivatingly beautiful mountain desert-scapes and Tibetan nomads. Kanchenjunga, Nepal; huge rewards for the intrepid, classic trekking as good as it gets. Everest with Jamie McGuinness, who wrote the guide book to it...Wild treks, but as fun as they come. http://www.project-himalaya.com Discover the Himalaya with local expert Pemba Sherpa. With over 14 years of experience, HEC trip coordinator Pemba and his international guide team offer trekking, climbing, and cultural journeys to Nepal, Tibet, and Ladakh. Proceeds also go to support the HEC school and bridge projects in Nepal. For free brochure contact: SHERPA ASCENT INTERNATIONAL Phone: 888-568-8924 pemba@sherpaascent.com http://www.sherpaascent.com NEPAL, TIBET, SIKKIM, PAKISTAN, & BHUTAN. Scheduled treks & tours with USA leader of 33 Sierra Club Himalayan trips. From $425. Custom itineraries. Off-the-beaten track areas. Environmentally sensitive and porter friendly. Peter Owens' Asian Treks. Phone: 800-223-1813 or 510-222-5307 petertrek@worldnet.att.net http://www.instantweb.com/p/peterowens World of Wonder Adventures, Inc. - specializing in adventure travel - WOW! Takes you to places you've always wanted to go, to do the things you've always wanted to do, at a price you can afford. Our exciting schedule of upcoming adventures includes Nepal, New Zealand, Baja Mexico, Spain and the Oregon Coast. For more details call toll free: 1-888-4-wow-fun or e-mail us at: wowadventure@earthlink.net http://www.wowadventure.com TRAVEL Himalayan Treasures and Travel. We have seats to Kathmandu all the time. Call us for the best price and best service. We book for many HEC members and give HEC discounts! Call 800-223-1813 or 510-222-5307. govindsh@himtrek.com http://www.himalayantrekking.com. Ticket Planet. We are America's leading round the world air consolidator, and also your Nepal airfare experts. We can get seats to Kathmandu when others can't. We broker over 50 airlines. We have over 15 years of experience pricing international airfares. Please contact us at (800) 799-8888, (415) 288-9999, Fax: 415-288-9839 himalayas@ticketplanet.com http://www.ticketplanet.com ********************************************************************** VOLUNTEER/STUDY ABROAD Volunteer Nepal Himalaya offers participants a unique opportunity to teach English in Sherpa villages in the Himalayas, near Mt. Everest. Accommodations are with local families. While not teaching, participants work on community service projects or explore the endless trails and villages of the Khumbu region. For more information, please contact the Himalayan Explorers Club at info@mountainexplorers.org or call (303)998-0101. The Nepal Volunteer Handbook offers potential volunteers everything they will need to know about volunteering in Nepal, including a personal skills assessment, background on the history of foreign assistance in Nepal, tips for ensuring a worthwhile experience, and information on over 50 volunteer leads. Contact the HEC at (303)998-0101 or info@mountainexplorers.org ********************************************************************** HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET To cancel your subscription to HimalayaNet, e-mail a blank message to himalayanet-unsubscribe@listbot.com ********************************************************************** HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET To subscribe to HimalayaNet, e-mail a blank message to himalayanet-subscribe@listbot.com ********************************************************************** HOW TO POST ON HIMALAYANET (1) Send your HimalayaNet postings to himnet@hotmail.com. Be sure to include your membership number in your e-mail. Only members can post on HimalayaNet. If you've lost your membership card, E-mail the HEC at info@mountainexplorers.org. (2) Put your E-mail address at the bottom of your posting. (3) Send responses to postings directly to the author at the address listed. (4) If you receive responses to your posting, please send the moderator (himalayanet@egroups.com) a summary if the topic is of general interest so it can be sent it out to all subscribers in the next issue. ********************************************************************** HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION The Himalayan Explorers Club (HEC) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to promote a better understanding of and espect for the environment and culture of the Himalayan Region. Members can receive e-mail and postal mail, store luggage, use our Internet phone to call the U.S. (no cost), and browse through trip reports at our Clubhouses in Kathmandu and Islamabad, Pakistan. In addition, members receive discounts with many hotels, restaurants, shops, and travel agents. Members also receive our hardcopy newsletter, Himalayan News. For more information about the HEC please contact us at: Himalayan Explorers Club PO Box 3665 Boulder, CO 80307 Phone: (303)998-0101 Fax: (303)998-1007 info@mountainexplorers.org http://www.mountainexplorers.org
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