Frozen Indus (Ladakh, January 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
Have you ever thought about what it would be like if we didn’t track the passage of time? No calendars, no alarm clocks—just rising and going to bed when nature signals us. It may seem unbelievable, but the disappearing, yet still existing, nomadic tribes live something like this. Now, through the lens of Hungarian photographer Eszter Tandel, we can catch a glimpse into this simple, civilization-free world.
Eszter Tandel was born in Transylvania in a multicultural environment that encouraged openness, curiosity, and acceptance from an early age.
Although she always felt that it would be wonderful to show others the diversity of our world, she never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would become involved in such adventures.
As a young photographer, she had the opportunity, thanks to a “chance” occurrence, to join a team on her first major expedition, which led to the Himalayas to meet the nomadic Changpas.
“The deeper I delved into the daily lives of these disappearing tribes, my assumption seemed to be confirmed that every corner of our world is a completely unique place, full of wonderful people and interesting stories. Traveling in the land of the nomads is a journey both in space and time. It is a discovery that sheds light on the obligations of modern life and may also awaken us to what true happiness is and the real meaning of life.”
Ladakh, India
Eszter’s first journey led her to India, to the Tibetan Buddhist followers who settled in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas following the Dalai Lama. Their exact location is never known—as is typical with nomadic peoples—but the Changpas generally live above 4,000 meters, although the exact altitude greatly depends on the season. They spend the winter in “lower” areas, where they are somewhat closer to civilization. During this time, children go to school, which, although not mandatory, many take advantage of.
An average day for the adults begins when the sun rises. They do not use clocks, but operate solely in harmony with nature. After waking, the men take the yaks and Pashmina goats to graze, while the women stay at home to cook, prepare dairy products, care for younger children and animals, and gather the wool strands from the pens to spin into yarn for cashmere. It is important to note that due to their religion, these people never harm living beings; they do not shear them but only smooth out the strands that would otherwise fall out.
In exchange for their goods, they buy rice, lentils, and dried fruits, enough to last several months.
As for healthcare, it is virtually nonexistent. There are no medicines, hospitals, or doctors. Women give birth in their tents, relying on the experience of the older generation during labor.
Since there are no trees in this barren land, there is nothing to use for heating, so in temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius, babies are placed in goat dung, which provides warmth. Collecting the dung is the task of teenage girls.
Under these conditions, the Changpas relatively soon fall into poor health; reaching 60 years is considered significant, although they do not count the years, so they are not aware of exact birth dates. When someone dies, their body is placed on a pile of stones and left for animals to scatter. It is not an exaggeration to say that even after their death, they think of others.
Despite their tough lives and awareness of how things work in civilized areas, they do not envy our way of life. The number of Changpas is not decreasing because many young people are leaving the nomadic lifestyle. The reasons are suspected to be related to global warming, which is causing increasing numbers of animals to die, affecting human tribes as well.
Changpa couple by the Tsokar Lake (Ladakh, February 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
Pashmina yarn – During the day, nomadic women spin pashmina wool by hand and then make clothing from the yarn (Ladakh, February 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
Nomadic grandmother and her little granddaughter inspect the Pashmina goats that have returned from grazing and feed warm oats to the lactating goats to increase their milk production (Ladakh, January 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
Changpa grandmother cuts yak meat for lunch. Beside her, her little granddaughter nibbles on a piece of bread (Ladakh, February 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
Changpa boy playing with a bicycle tire (Ladakh, February 2018) (Photo: Eszter Tandel)
