An ancient practice under threatStill, in the face of many challenges, the people of Lubra are holding on to their culture, all too aware of its importance. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Chasey Kengtse Hostel, a boarding school for children from Lubra and other remote Bon villages in northwest Nepal.The school was set up 25 years ago to stem the migration of children leaving the area for an education in Kathmandu. It sits atop a strenuous path through terraced fields that are sprouting with the first shoots of spring.Long wires, strung over poles, are covered with drying clothes. Children run around brushing teeth and combing wet hair. Nyima Dhundul Gurung, a Bon monk from Lubra, runs the school. Unlike Lama Tsultrim, who, alongside his ritual duties, lives with his family and farms the land, 36-year-old Nyima is a celibate monk. His long maroon robes and short, light brown hair indicate his different standing.“We will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the hostel in September 2026. It will be a three-day celebration,” Nyima says, noting that the hostel now has 105 children from Lubra and other places in northwest Nepal.“One of the reasons for setting up the hostel,” he s …
