The defunct kingdom of "Mustang", the romance of the wild planet.

Mustang (སྨོན་ཐང་།), a defunct kingdom in the Himalayan foothills, was once known as the "Kingdom of Lo".

Willelson's photography

Text source: willelsom.com
Kingdom of Lo by Will Elsom reminds us that we are all a product of our environment / Ruby Boddington
Wikipedia
Image source: willelsom
Compiled and edited by: Wang Cong

 

Mustang (སྨོན་ཐང་།)
means "fertile plain" in Tibetan.
It is located on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China,
in the mid-western part of Nepal, north of Mount Dhaulagiri.
The Gandaki River flows through its territory.

Mustang served as an important corridor from the Tibetan Plateau to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

The Nangpa La Pass within its territory was once a crucial route through the Himalayas west of Sikkim, but was later closed.

Photographer Will Elsom focuses on documentary photography. His work "Kingdom of Lo" explores the life experiences of the people in the Mustang region, paying particular attention to the relationship between humans and their environment, and how the external surroundings shape people's lives.

"I believe there is a kind of romanticism about people in the remote areas of our wild planet. I am always interested in exploring the meaning behind it."

The main ethnic group in Mustang is the Loba people.
They primarily speak Tibetan and practice Buddhism.
The region preserves many Himalayan cultures that are on the verge of disappearing.

The lost kingdom

In 1380, the Tibetan Ame Pal came here and established the Kingdom of Mustang.
In the late 18th century, the Kingdom of Mustang was annexed by Nepal, becoming an autonomous kingdom within Nepal's territory and granted a high degree of autonomy.

In 2008, the Nepalese government abolished the title of the last monarch of Mustang, Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista, changing the Kingdom of Mustang into Mustang District. After his abdication, he moved to Kathmandu to live, but he is still revered by the local people of Mustang.

The threat of "modernization"

In recent years, the Loba people of Mustang have been under threat from globalization. A road connecting to Nepal is under construction. Although this corridor through the mountain passes has long been an important trade route, it has also led to inevitable plastic waste.

Due to its terrain, the local residents of Mustang rely on meltwater from glaciers on both sides of the valley. Unfortunately, these glaciers are rapidly receding, and some have already dried up. As a result, some villages have been abandoned, forcing residents to relocate to other settlements.

There is hardly any vegetation here.
The barren hillsides reveal lines carved by wind erosion.
The history of this land can be traced back
to millions of years ago, to the time when the Tethys Ocean
flowed out from the Tibetan Plateau.

The Pass of the Lonely Valley

The rich Buddhist culture and breathtaking landscapes of Mustang are deeply rooted in the collective memory of the local residents.

Their ancestors once lived in caves. Through a thousand years of historical change, they have continued their ancestors' way of life. Those long-told myths and legends are the pass through the lonely valleys and merciless winds.

Although Mustang has lost its autonomy, the Loba people possess immense strength and wisdom, which stems from the harsh environment they inhabit. Amidst the ever-changing chapters of history, these survival capabilities have become powerful witnesses to their cultural identity.

A millennium-enduring survival ability is the pass through the lonely valleys and merciless winds.

"In our wild planet, there is an undying romanticism about the people in remote areas."

Will Elsom
British photographer

Will Elsom currently lives and works in Oxford. In 2018, he returned to Mustang, gaining a deeper understanding of the place by trekking, which is one of his favorite ways to travel. "When I was very young, I would often take my sketchbook and pencil to draw anything I felt needed to be recorded. For me, the camera became an extension of this early practice of drawing. Taking a photograph instantly creates a narrative, which is exciting. Even if the story is fictional, it doesn't hinder the viewer from forming a connection with the image, and a storyline naturally unfolds."