There’s Such A Thing As Glacier Mating And It’s Exactly What You Think It Is

Good News Network

In the remote reaches of the Himalayas, a unique and ancient practice known as “glacier grafting” has garnered attention, as locals endeavor to create what they affectionately refer to as “glacier babies.”

Recently investigated by National Public Radio (NPR), this traditional method aims to rejuvenate shrinking glaciers in the region by introducing a novel approach to glacier conservation.


Nestled in the Baltistan Province, a secluded area far from prying eyes serves as the stage for this mystical endeavor. Locals, armed with a belief in the gendered nature of glaciers, embark on a challenging journey to collect ice chunks from what they consider “female” pure white glaciers and “male” brown glaciers, tainted by accumulated soil and rock matter. The United Nations has thrown its weight behind this initiative, providing substantial grants to the communities engaged in this extraordinary effort.

The roots of glacier grafting trace back to the early 14th century when Ameer Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani, a religious figure, conducted the inaugural glacier grafting in Gilgit-Baltistan. Legend has it that he accompanied this process with a prayer to ensure the growth of the glacier, fortifying the pass against potential enemy attacks.


Mountain hydrologist, Jakob Steiner, told NPR, “They put it into caves, where [the ice is] shaded from solar radiation. It’s much colder. It’s going to rain on top as well. So it’s going to freeze — so that ice actually grows. You can do this over seasons, because at that elevation it doesn’t melt.”

In a recent expedition, a team of mean from the village of Chunda, led by the determined village leader Saeed Balstistan, set out on a four-day odyssey to collect the essential glacier components. Armed with hammers, they extracted chunks from the “female” and “male” glaciers, a process essential for the subsequent grafting ceremony.

When NPR’s Diaa Hadid revisited the site two years later, initial disappointment gave way to realization as the villagers observed that while the glacier baby had not grown in size, the ground around it had frozen, and the ice had begun to encroach upon nearby rocks. Saeed suggested the need to pump water into the glacier’s baby’s “manger” to facilitate its growth, illustrating the ongoing learning process associated with this age-old tradition.

GLOF 2 Project

The United Nations has taken note of indigenous methods like glacier grafting as potential solutions in the face of broader climate change. This method stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness, requiring minimal effort beyond the few days needed for the ice-gathering expedition. Moreover, it can be implemented in various locations providing a versatile tool for glacier conservation.

Incredibly, the success rate of glacier grafting is notable, with an 80% longevity rate reported in a project by the Aga Khan Rural Support Program, which involved 19 glacier babies. According to information gathered by Hadid, it takes 24 years for the ice to transform into a full-fledged glacier, offering a long-term strategy and serving as a potential insurance policy should other measures to curb glacier recession fall short.

 

What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!

True Activist / Report a typo

Popular on True Activist