Australian Researchers Building a Cultural Museum in Langtang

Emma Waterton and Hayley Saul from Western Sydney University were in Langtang last year studying about its archealogy, heritage and development when the massive earthquake set off an avalanche that buried the village. This week, Saul and Waterton, were visiting the village the village again since the tragedy. It was a silent descent as they arrived in Kyanjin Gompa by helicopter.

“It is much better than us presenting our research in literary form. It will be more special coming from the words of the people,” Waterton said. Indebted to the people of Langtang, Saul and Waterton have started a Langtang Survivors Fund which has raised over Rs 7,000,000.

It is hoped that the museum will not only symbolize the cultural history of Langtang, but will also hope in boosting tourism in Langtang. Despite of reconstruction of the langtang trial, people are still hesitant about going there and thus with establishment of the museum, they are hopeful that the tourist inflow will increase in Langtang.

Since the earthquake, research objectives have shifted with plans to use the data collected to make a commemorative Sacred valley of Langtang Museum. With funding from Western Sydney University, an exhibition will extend outside to various locations attached to stories and histories of the people in the village.

The project will be a big step in the redevelopment of the village. Wind and hydro technology has been incorporated in the design and will make the outdoor exhibition multi-modal and interactive.

“In the long term this will be what we leave behind and what the younger generations will learn about us. If the design is successful, we will look at using these technologies for other things like generating electricity in the village,” Lama said.

“It’s a debt that we have as a university to the people of the valley of Langtang,” said Kevin Dunn, Dean of the School of Social Sciences And Psychology of Western Sydney University. The museum is projected to be completed in April 2017 to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the earthquake.

Courtesy: Nepali Times