INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND DISASTER
IN NEPAL
Yamuna Maharjan

National Museum, Nepal

Nepal is a small country having an area of 147,181 sq. km. The country is sandwiched
between two big Asian countries: China in the north and India in three sides. It isalmost rectangular in shape stretching 800 km in east-west direction and from 140 to210 km north-south. Nature has divided the country geographically into three parts:
alpine region of Himalayan Mountains in the north, hilly region in the middle,
followed by the flat lands in the south. The highest point of the country is Mt Everest,also the highest on Earth (8,848 m – Everest) and lowest point reaches merely 58 m
above sea level. The country has no sea-shore at all and is thus a landlocked country.
Nearly 29 million people live in the country that is divided into diverse ethnic groups
of more than 100. The people speak 123 local languages and dialects. Nepali is thelingua franka within the country and English is spoken by educated people.
Every country has its own history and culture. Cultural heritage is divided into twoparts: tangible and intangible. Nepal is best known by both. Despite the damages
made by deadly Nepal earthquake of 2015 on tangible heritages, intangible heritages
are still intact and thriving.
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is a relatively new term and concept in Nepalese
academic field. Previously the domains of ICH were discussed under the general term
‘folklore’. In 2003, UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of theIntangible Cultural Heritage to be ratified by UNESCO member states, which focusedon the significant role of ICH, and highlighted the need to safeguard ICH. Nepal
became a State Party to this Convention by ratifying it in the year 2010. The
Convention defines ICH as ‘practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills …
that communities … recognize as part of their cultural heritage’. UNESCO specifies that
there are five domains of ICH: oral traditions, performing arts, social practices,knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and traditionalcra�smanship.
Nepal is prone to different natural hazards, especially earthquakes, landslides, annual
flooding, and avalanche, and is highly susceptible to climate change that is likely toexacerbate in particular the risks of annual droughts and floods. Furthermore, being
located in the most at-risk seismic zone, Nepal is the 11th most earthquake prone
country in the world.
On 25 April and 12 May 2015, Nepal was hit by two devastating earthquakes (GorkhaWORKSHOP PAPERS
SESSION 2 : CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNT FROM DISASTER EXPERIENCES, AND THE POTENTIALS OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE045earthquake) with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.3 Richter scale, respectively. Theseearthquakes and their a�ershocks have killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly
22,000. It led the immense damages of cultural heritages, buildings andinfrastructures all around the country. Much of the historic fabrics in the city center islost. The epicenter of the earthquake was at Barpak, Gorkha district. The hypocenter
was at the depth of approximately 8.2 km. The earthquake damaged a large numberof heritage properties like temples, stupas, monasteries, palaces, museums historicalhouses, rest houses and so on. Small shrines, statues and community temples wereburied under the debris of collapsed buildings. Barpak is a tiny, vibrant settlement of
about 1,200 homes of Gorkha district. The place is mostly home of the Ghale people,
an ethnic group known for their martial prowess; many of its members join the British
Gurkha regiment. Today, Barpak is almost entirely destroyed; 90 percent of 1,000
homes and huts reduced to rubble.
A�er the 2015 Earthquake, one can see the drastic changes in Barpak, changes intangible and intangible cultures, no more traditional architecture and buildingmaterials are use (Figures 1 and 2). The fear of shakes results in this. The forces ofFigure 1
Barpak before 2015
Earthquake (top); anddrastic change a�er theearthquake (bo�om). No
more traditional architecture
and building materials.
(Source: Udesh Lal Shrestha)

046

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
AND NATURAL DISASTERS

globalization are uprooting local cultures. The cultural consciousness of Nepal has
always been evolving and will continue to do so. Their priorities have been shi�ing,and their preferences for lifestyles, value systems, educational systems, workenvironments and working styles have been changing. Of course, cultural erosion is avery slow process.
Although the 2015 earthquake might have caused widespread damage to the tangible
heritage of Nepal, the intangible heritage elements are still intact and thriving. Forinstance, people still observe and celebrate religious and cultural festivals as they usedto. When intangible culture is endangered or totally lost, it is preserved in themuseums. The museum is a non-profit, informal education center. The museum is themirror of one´s country, so it collects, preserves, conserves, and exhibits the wholenation´s art, culture, and history.
The government of Nepal has taken an active role in initiating several activities tosafeguard and promote ICH. Many surveys and research have been carried out by theMinistry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, all over Nepal. The ministry andinstitutions such as the Nepal Academy have launched documentation programmes tomotivate the new generation, academic and the general people, in understanding thecountry´s history including tangible as well as intangible culture, and there is a need tofacilitate their study and involvement in the practice, preservation and promotion ofculture.

Figure 2

Barpak kitchen before (le�) and a�er (right) 2015 Earthquake.
(Source: Udesh Lal Shrestha)

WORKSHOP PAPERS
SESSION 2 : CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNT FROM DISASTER EXPERIENCES, AND THE POTENTIALS OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE047