This page is dedicated to a small village in the Yolmo (or Helambu) Valley in the mountains north of Kathmandu. Naomi and I have worked there since 1971 when we spent a year researching langur monkeys (praken) in the surrounding forest. We wrote a book, An Ever-Changing Place, about that year. In 1986 our attentions shifted to human ecology, and in the years since, the village has lived up to the title of the book as the villagers negotiate between tradition and innovation. In 1996 we finished a film, Himalayan Herders, about Melemchi, and in 1998 Naomi published a book with the same title. We have continued visiting, and keeping up with our friends. In January 2001 we celebrated Sonam Losar, a New Years observance in New York City with 15 Melemchi people and 150 others from the Yolmo valley.

My son Noah and daughter Amanda collected photographs and information for this site, Amanda did the original build, and I have continued adding to it. Please check my main site John Bishop@UCLA

www.Melemchi.org is hosted by the UCLA Center for the Digital Arts