The Spirit of Norden
/The Origin
The Tibetan Plateau has been the site of human activity for hundreds of thousands of years, beginning with groups of hunter-gatherers who followed herds of wild yaks and hunted them for sustenance. With time, they domesticated the yak and led the herds across the Plateau in patterns of seasonal migration in search for pasture.
Though the pasture may seem vast and empty, and today’s nomads are often perceived roaming freely, they have spent centuries carefully planning their movement and managing their resources. Having a complex and highly regulated lifestyle means that there is no time or space for nomads to authentically reflect and respond to the modern day disruptions that are now impacting life on the Plateau; From globalization, to climate change and the rise of urban living.
Arrival of Transformation
Norden evolved out of the need of creating space where nomadic traditions are respected and cultivated while change brought by the passage of time is embraced. While nomads move with the changes in Season, Norden stays put, adapting to the time and place by becoming a platform to facilitate change and innovation, translating nomadic traditions and weaving them within the modern context.
Norden and an Embrace of Impermanence
Norden is built from respect both for the plateau and our community. All structures are built above ground and the camp could be folded up in a matter of days, leaving the pasture intact, as a nomad camp would. Norden is a mirror for an inclusive and conscious change; we adapt to today’s reality and provide paths for the nomadic community around us to take advantage of the what change has brought them.
Staying in one place has given us the power to observe what we have, how to appreciate it and transform it so that it serves us and our community: From experimenting with nomad’s basic staples for our menus at Norden, to creating unique spaces where the grounding nature of the Plateau can be observed in comfort, and redefining our use and appreciation for the simplicity of furniture and implements made for a life on the move.
Norden provides employment for local youths, the future voice for the community, and offers a window for them to see into how other people appreciate what they may have taken for granted all their lives. In 2016, Yidam Kyap, our founder, helped a group of 20 families set up the Lungta Cooperative with their 200 yaks.
From using local material and traditional building techniques to their mission, Lungta is a transition and a space for exploring the potentials of nomadic way of living on the plateau today. While Lungta produces dairy products for the local market, visitors can also experience immersion in a nomad environment by visiting or staying at their cooperative. They also provide milk for Yidam’s nearby cheese factory, which transforms the milk into high quality cheese based on French know how.
The Future For Tibetan Nomads
The current issue faced by local nomads with modernization is in essence a concept of impermanence. That all things change - and to thrive we need to transform, revitalize and adapt. And at Norden we are exploring with our community the possibilities of how we can transform the nomadic way of life as a means to serve our community in a better way. Respect of tradition, and the openness that allows transformation through innovation is the basis for moving forward.
