Pema and the Stolen Statue from Dolpa
Pema is a brave, confident girl from Dolpa. Join her on an adventure to return one of Dolpa’s many stolen statues. This illustrated story (with text in Tibetan, Nepali and English) highlights the beauty of Dolpa’s unique cultural and natural heritage, and how we should all come together to protect it.
To acquire the book, please visit Protect Dolpa's Cultural Heritage & Get Storybook (gofundme.com)
A storybook about the looting and return of Dolpa’s cultural objects.
The main aim of publishing this storybook is to raise awareness about the stolen statues of Dolpa. Every community has been the target of thieves. As a result, many of Dolpa’s religious and cultural objects, such as thangkas, statues, musical instruments, jewellery, and more, have ended up in private and public collections. Instead of playing a central role in the rich cultural lives of the Dolpopa, they are stuck behind glass, far away from home. Dolpopa have come together to protect their cultural and natural heritage, but wider collective efforts are needed to protect and securitize heritage, and return stolen cultural objects to their rightful owners.
Krisha Tamrakar (illustrator) and Emiline Smith (author) at the book launch and opening of the exclusive Dolpa exhibition at the Taragaon Next, Kathmandu. Photo courtesy of Kailash K Shrestha.