Local narratives of seeding and receding glaciers

Abstract ID: 3.5700
|Review Result Accepted as Talk
|Abstract not registered Abstract not registered
|Presentation Time Slot TBA
|Presentation Location TBA
Zakir Hussain, Z. (1)
Anna-Maria, W. (2)
(1) Director Planning and Development, Director External Linkages, University of Baltistan, Skardu, 16100 Skardu, PK
(2) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (CASLMU)
How to cite: Zakir Hussain, Z.; Anna-Maria, W.: Local narratives of seeding and receding glaciers, International Mountain Conference 2025, Innsbruck, Sep 14 - 18 2025, #IMC25-3.5700, 2025.
Categories: Adaptation, Conservation, Cryo- & Hydrosphere
Keywords: Glacier Grafting, Indigenous knowledge, Ethnographic narratives, Cryosphere, Climate Change
Categories: Adaptation, Conservation, Cryo- & Hydrosphere
Keywords: Glacier Grafting, Indigenous knowledge, Ethnographic narratives, Cryosphere, Climate Change
Abstract

“When I was a boy, in 1970s, the tail of our Gang Singe Glacier was at Bonbong that has now receded about 1.5 kilometers, if it continues, I fear we will end up having no glacier source for water upstream,” says Akhon Hassan (67 yrs) of Chunda. An interesting comment made by Mr. Bashir (65 yrs) of Kuru: “Our grandfathers grafted a glacier but interestingly it was a male glacier only. It spurts here and there, lifts boulders but does not give water, probably we need to graft another (female) glacier”, so after marriage it can give water for our needs. These kinds of ethnographic accounts and narratives based on the personal observations, experiences and inferences of local communities living in the neighborhood of glaciers for decades have deeper meanings and implications to understand climate change. If such statements are analyzed and decoded, workable local and indigenous solutions can be found that would be sustainable, eco-friendly and cost effective in nature. The drive of Ice-Reservoirs making by University of Baltistan is based on such indigenous insights. Other than Glacier Grafting, Ice-Towering and Avalanche Harvesting techniques, I have successfully experimented to grow irrigation scale ice-reservoirs in Baltistan. This paper presents an overview of these case studies.