TodayA glimpse of Nepal
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Add This
Article RatingAbout 200 people gathered at Wilson College on Monday night for a journey through Nepal, after dining on authentic Nepalese cuisine during the college's “World Travel Film and Ethnic Dinner Series.”
Worked for Kodak in Nepal
The event featured Dale Smith, a photographer and filmmaker who has been visiting the region for 30 years. Smith first visited Nepal while working for Kodak, a job which gave him the opportunity to travel and document some remote areas with his camera.
“When I retired, I wanted to go back to Nepal and make a film. To me, Nepal is a fascinating place,” Smith said. “We've spent 15 years making films and showing them across the United States and Canada.”
More than Everest
The title of Smith's documentary - “In the Shadow of Everest” - is a reference to the most prominent destination in Nepal - Mount Everest. But Smith cautions against assuming that there is little else of interest to learn about.
“It's true that a lot of people know very little about Nepal,” Smith said. “It's a great destination for young, adventurous people who like to go trekking, as they call it. Young people come from all over the world.”
Trekking, as Smith referred to it, is a popular activity in Nepal, allowing avid hikers and nature-lovers to backpack through the mountainous area, something demonstrated in Smith's film.
The event offered more than just a documentary about the region. Before Smith even took the stage, five Wilson College students, four of whom are native to Nepal and another originally from Ethiopia, introduced themselves to the crowd and explained the colorful wardrobe they wore for the occasion.
The travel series has been attracting audiences at the college for a number of years. This year's earlier presentations featured Mexico and Finland.
“We've done this for the past 15 years,” Kathy Lehman, Director of Conferences and Special Events for Wilson College and one of the event's organizers said. “On May 1 we'll travel to Germany for the last of this year's series.”
Smith offered more than just video glimpses of Nepal, as striking as they were.
The documentary also offered information about the religious customs and demographics in the country.
Religion
percent of the people are Hindus. Nine or 10 percent are Buddhists. What is interesting is that they celebrate each other's religion,” Smith said.
Nepalese hold their religion in high regard, something evident from Smith's film which depicts them observing religious holidays and in a more humorous moment, shows traffic on a busy street coming to a dead stop on account of a certain obstruction.
“In Nepal, the sacred cow has the right of the way.” Smith said, as the audience chuckled at a scene which could startle those unfamiliar with Nepalese culture.
Smith said he and his wife are planning one last trip to Nepal, which would be their fifth.
“We want you to sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Nepal,” Lehman said, just before the film.
It seemed that the audience did just that.
