Seeing Nepal through Critical Lenses

Many of us who have lived or travelled abroad often face the daunting challenge of explaining what Nepal is. It is not uncommon for people of Nepali descent to encounter stereotypical question on geography, culture or about contemporary issues in Nepal. I was once asked by a tourist who had returned from a trip to rural Nepal on why people in Nepal smiled so much. I asked the person if he had seen anything beyond the smile since people in Nepal are generally welcoming and may not share the difficulties they encounter in every day settings (especially to a tourist). The conversation did not go anywhere.

Even in this day and age, because of the lack of knowledge people have about Nepal, it is not surprising that many of us (in North America) still encounter stereotypical questions; such as if Nepal is part of India or if Nepal is in Europe or Middle East. Too often we find that Nepal is reduced to mountains and exotic cultures or read as a backward “Third World” culture. We often find Nepal being depicted (at least outside of Nepal) by people who are not necessarily familiar with the country. It is this misunderstanding that the films at the Toronto Nepali Film Festival (TNFF) attempted to explain and correct.

Visuals can provide emotionally convincing way of telling personal stories. Although works of fiction and autobiographies create sense of urgency in different ways, documentaries let us visualize issues in a realistic way on what a society may look like. The incredible power of the films that I watched, directed by people of Nepali background or people who meaningfully affiliate with Nepali culture, spoke about how Nepal can be seen differently through films. For many of us, it was an urgent reminder that Nepali people indeed have been making films and how such films continue to be marginalized in mainstream North American or European settings. It is by attending the festival that I gained a new layer of understanding about Nepal and what it means to affiliate with Nepali social issues. This includes the nature of social problems that exists and how people are attempting to address it in various ways.

As a person of Nepali descent educated in Nepal, this was the first time I saw a stunning array of films that told stories through fictionalized narratives, through documentaries and  well developed animated segments. The films reminded me that our understanding of Nepal remains limited even though we may have been born or raised in Nepal or that we may periodically travel there. The films shown at the festival once again reminded me that (like any country) Nepal is ethnically diverse, geographically complex and too varied to be reduced to a category or label. In other words, similar to the films that were shown, the organizers of the festival wanted us to rethink what we know about Nepal. We were often reminded through the films that although Nepal is visually a beautiful country (scenic postcards, glossy travel brochures, etc.) and culturally rich, it is also a land of dire economic poverty where a majority of the population finds it difficult to make ends meet each day.

What was thought provoking about the films was the fact that the directors of the films did not emphasize the voices of people in power or politicians who often claim to speak for the “common” people, particularly those who live in rural areas and who are economically poor. Although the films certainly addressed how people in power can or continue to misuse power, many of the films in the festival (Sari Soldiers; A Stove, a Blouse and a Gun; Daughters of Everest; A Silent Monsoon, etc.) spoke about questions of gender and how the topic of gender is connected to issues of poverty and politics. The lack of formal educational prospects, along with the lack of access to economic and political opportunities, give women a less desirable or subservient position in society.

We also learn from the films on how both governmental and Maoist forces have (wrongly) used the question of women’s marginalization as a way to claim the superiority of their political agendas. We also learn from the movies the various stories of women—those who participate in combat, those who seek justice for their disappeared family members and those who seek justice for those who are silenced. As the films demonstrate, women continue to speak out and march on the streets to claim their rights; yet, women are often not heard by people in power. The films help us understand how gender remains marginalized in Nepali political debates and discussions on national development. Although women are clearly oppressed within various structures in Nepal, the films simultaneous show us how women are active in political debates and continue to critique masculine approaches to national citizenship. For instance, the documentary Daughters of Everest critiques the connection between the art of mountain climbing and men’s hold on mountain-related industry, and the documentary also deftly describes how mountains are intimately connected to Sherpa cultural and spiritual beliefs.

Like anywhere else in the world, Nepal is going through social, political and economic transitions. When we think about Nepal, we can’t avoid talking about the lack of access to roads and the challenges this creates for a majority of Nepali population. We Corner People spoke about issues of labor (building a much needed narrow bridge across two hilly regions) and detailed the complex tension within a village that had historically remained Buddhist and how the arrival of Christianity changed village social-cultural dynamics. The film helped me see how local communities are learning to balance their cultural roots and are also embracing (in a complex way) new cultures or religions. The tension over local customs was also talked about in the film Malaamee (The Funeral) in which male villagers forbid women from carrying a dead body of a village worker who was to be buried. A critical issue many of the films spoke about was the migration of men from rural areas to cities and to international countries and how this has created particular dilemmas in rural Nepal. The absence of youth leaves a void within communities and the burden often shifts on women to develop a sense of community in villages.

The end of the The Sari Soldiers showed the photo of the six women (standing together) whose lives were torn apart by the Maoist conflict. The photo spoke about dialogue and reconciliation that was needed among various people who were involved in the conflict and its aftermath. But the photo also indirectly spoke about the injustices that continue to take place in the country (particularly in relation to gender). As many of the films reminded us, it is through the question of injustice and the need for justice that we can meaningfully connect with Nepal.

I had often wondered about how Nepali music has been able to document people’s ways of being and generally about Nepali social issues. For this reason, many people in the audience found the documentary Bhedako Oon Justo (In Search of a Song) a convincing portrayal of Nepali humor and how folk songs have often served as a space to tell stories across generations. The film reminded us how, though the medium of music, we can learn about Nepali culture and society. The film tells the story of a group of singers who attempt to uncover how a melody of a song is performed differently in different regions. The film shows how people may use songs as a way to tell stories despite the all prevalent deep economic conditions in Nepal. Similarly, music (both Nepali and English) becomes a bridge in the documentary Return to Nepal in which the director journeys through Nepal’s economic challenges and learns to affiliate with Nepal via Nepali songs.

Upon leaving the festival, I found myself whistling the lyrics of the ever popular song Bhedako Oon Justo and also thinking about the social justice issues the films raised. I came out of the festival thinking about the difficult challenges that Nepal faced in the future but was also reminded on how positive changes were taking place in the country. Although tourism-related travel to Nepal can fulfill personal needs, it has severe limitations on addressing issues of social change since it leaves our economic privileges intact, and we simply become part of the status quo. I was reminded throughout the films that we need to find new ways of connecting with Nepal so that it can bring about social change and benefit marginalized people.