Tribute Photos to a Year of Tea and Mountains – 2

A continuing of the epic characters, moments, and spaces of the past years in no particular order along with the requisite captions. To continue until the end of 2015…

Biari of the mountains is one of those whose words are reverent, tangible and entirely authentic. Having tended sheep in the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, his observations are based upon living every moment within them. Intuition and an intimacy makes his thoughts and words those worth listening to. Our expedition team sat with him while he spoke of the mountains' "health". Sipping tea on a brittle morning he reminded us that what happens in the mountains, will inevitably affect the worlds further down. 55 of his 63 years have been spent in the valleys of the Chandra River watching wolves, blizzards, and sun rays touch his life.

Biari of the mountains is one of those whose words are reverent, tangible and entirely authentic. Having tended sheep in the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, his observations are based upon living every moment within them. Intuition and an intimacy makes his thoughts and words those worth listening to. Our expedition team sat with him while he spoke of the mountains’ “health”. Sipping tea on a brittle morning he reminded us that what happens in the mountains, will inevitably affect the worlds further down. 55 of his 63 years have been spent in the valleys of the Chandra River watching wolves, blizzards, and sun rays touch his life.

One of the gentle but stirring moments was being hosted by a semi-nomadic family in western Sichuan. Their world was one of yak, of fire, and of winds. No part of their lives was untouched by this triumvirate of elements. Known for a ferocity in battle and a piousness of spirit, the Kham'pa's of eastern Tibet were feared and revered in equal measure throughout the Tibetan Plateau. Unafraid to move and wander they left their mark genetically, economically, and culturally across the expanse of the Himalayas. A simple and understated moment brought into quick focus by our hosts' face.

One of the gentle but stirring moments was being hosted by a semi-nomadic family in western Sichuan. Their world was one of yak, of fire, and of winds. No part of their lives was untouched by this triumvirate of elements. Known for a ferocity in battle and a piousness of spirit, the Kham’pa’s of eastern Tibet were feared and revered in equal measure throughout the Tibetan Plateau. Unafraid to move and wander they left their mark genetically, economically, and culturally across the expanse of the Himalayas. A simple and understated moment brought into quick focus by our hosts’ face.

About JeffFuchs

Bio Having lived for most of the past decade in Asia, Fuchs’ work has centered on indigenous mountain cultures, oral histories with an obsessive interest in tea. His photos and stories have appeared on three continents in award-winning publications Kyoto Journal, TRVL, and Outpost Magazine, as well as The Spanish Expedition Society, The Earth, Silkroad Foundation, The China Post Newspaper, The Toronto Star, The South China Morning Post and Traveler amongst others. Various pieces of his work are part of private collections in Europe, North America and Asia and he serves as the Asian Editor at Large for Canada’s award-winning Outpost magazine. Fuchs is the Wild China Explorer of the Year for 2011 for sustainable exploration of the Himalayan Trade Routes. He recently completed a month long expedition a previously undocumented ancient nomadic salt route at 4,000 metres becoming the first westerner to travel the Tsa’lam ‘salt road’ through Qinghai. Fuchs has written on indigenous perspectives for UNESCO, and has having consulted for National Geographic. Fuchs is a member of the fabled Explorers Club, which supports sustainable exploration and research. Jeff has worked with schools and universities, giving talks on both the importance of oral traditions, tea and mountain cultures. He has spoken to the prestigious Spanish Geographic Society in Madrid on culture and trade through the Himalayas and his sold out talk at the Museum of Nature in Canada focused on the enduring importance of oral narratives and the Himalayan trade routes. His recently released book ‘The Ancient Tea Horse Road’ (Penguin-Viking Publishers) details his 8-month groundbreaking journey traveling and chronicling one of the world’s great trade routes, The Tea Horse Road. Fuchs is the first westerner to have completed the entire route stretching almost six thousand kilometers through the Himalayas a dozen cultures. He makes his home in ‘Shangrila’, northwestern Yunnan upon the eastern extension of the Himalayan range where tea and mountains abound; and where he leads expeditions the award winning ‘Tea Horse Road Journey’ with Wild China along portions of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. To keep fueled up for life Fuchs co-founded JalamTeas which keeps him deep in the green while high in the hills.
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