HOUSE OF NOMAD
A MILAM Project
Photography, Simon O’Dwyer
Project Manager, Evonne Papadopoulos
“In the past, nearly all the people on the Tibetan plateau lived a nomadic lifestyle; a lifestyle most suitable for this area. We want to remain living in harmony with the land and the animals... The nomad is an environmental protector.”- Tibetan Nomad
Tibetan nomads have lived for millennia in one of the most remote areas of the globe and faced some of the harshest living conditions. Yet over time they developed one of the most unique nomadic pastoral cultures and sustainable land management strategies and practices in the world today. Tibetan Nomads remain living in an atmosphere of high spirituality with a deep and integrated connection to nature and the environment, which surrounds them. As for most nomadic communities in the world, this way of life is endangered with the encroachment of modern life, development and other restrictions and conditions. Tibet especially is going through a time of accelerated change and these changes are felt throughout the world, however due to the isolated nature of Tibet and the people both geographically and culturally, and the fragility of its environment - the effects are more pronounced and immediate in their consequences.
The Tibetan grasslands, from the northern region of upper Tibet to the eastern edge, has an average altitude of 4000m to 5000m, covering approximately 70% of the total area of the Tibetan Plateau. Tibetans have an inherent knowledge of how to make the entire plateau habitable and over centuries, developed a way of life that facilitated mobility, the family and tribe and harmony with the environment. Tibetan nomads care for a national herd of approximately 10 million yaks and 30 million sheep and goats, and consider themselves the most qualified to care for these animals. They possess a nomadic lifestyle that spontaneously works to protect the environment, they are acclimatized and hold they key to vast local knowledge relating to the land, animals, wildlife, and flora and fauna.
Historically, the Tibetan Plateau and grassland areas have been an undeveloped and unpolluted area. From a local perspective, this has been a result and culmination of the deep consideration for future generations, as well as the Buddhist belief, which extends outwards to the protection and care for all living things, including animals, grasslands, mountains and lakes. The nomads are aware that they have survived for thousands years on the plateau and see themselves, their lifestyle, values and practices as essential to environmental protection. They believe will lose their home, livelihood and survival means if they cannot remain as nomads. They feel a deep sense of responsibility to protect their home and environment.
In 2014, Melbourne Photographer Simon O’Dwyer travelled with Project Manager Evonne Papadopoulos to the nomadic regions to support House of Nomad - a project that sits at the heart of a movement seeking to preserve the traditions and practices of the Tibetan nomadic lifestyle, and to protect beautiful and unique environment of the Tibetan Plateau. The House of Nomad aims to re-create and support the nomadic communities through environmental and cultural initiatives that enable what tradition and the tribe was holding and to continue this transmission of culture and knowledge, so that nomads can continue develop their culture and positively adapt to current situations and changes in their ways of life.
Through Simon’s O’Dwyer’s inspirational portrait series, we hope to throw a light on the endangered and precious lineage of Tibetan Nomads. In the current state of growing global challenges, it is our hope the ‘Tibetan Nomad – as the environmental protector,’ can communicate and represent to the world a peaceful and sustainable practice, contributing greatly to the ever-burgeoning problems of climate change and environmental crisis.
*Proceeds from exhibition sales in 2023 - 2024 are committed to will go towards donating a permanent exhibition to the nomadic community in Eastern Tibet.