Glacier grafting: How an Indigenous art is countering water scarcity

Skardu, Pakistan – As Pakistan grapples with the consequences of rising temperatures which can be melting its glaciers, residents within the nation’s high-altitude Himalayan area have adopted a standard method, generally known as glacier grafting, to counter water scarcity.

Pakistan, residence to an estimated 13,000 glaciers, ranks among the many high 10 most climate-vulnerable nations, though it contributes lower than one p.c of worldwide emissions.

As world warming worsens, the impact of extra glaciers melting is “more likely to be important”, Pakistan’s Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Authority (NDMA) stated final yr.

What is glacier grafting?

Glacier grafting, domestically generally known as glacier marriage, is a way that entails “planting” ice at fastidiously chosen high-altitude areas to create new synthetic glaciers – a course of that consultants say dates again centuries.

The method entails storing ice fetched from glaciers nearer to human settlements amid durations of water scarcity.

Based on Zakir Hussain Zakir, professor and researcher on the College of Baltistan in Skardu, the earliest recorded occasion of glacier grafting goes again to the 14th century, when the Sufi saint Mir Syed Ali Hamadani grafted a glacier within the village of Giyari.

“That glacier blocked the route by way of which invaders from Yarkand got here to loot the individuals,” Zakir, who has researched the follow within the Himalayan area, instructed Al Jazeera.

Over time, what started as a defensive act developed into a technique for managing water scarcity in one of many world’s most fragile mountain ecosystems.

Folks within the Ladakh area throughout the border on the Indian facet additionally use conventional information to protect ice amid local weather change and receding pure glaciers. A comparatively newer method has been developed in Ladakh to create an “ice stupa”, which is fashioned after spraying water in freezing temperatures. The conical form ice construction stays frozen for an extended interval as its floor is not absolutely uncovered to the solar.

How is glacier grafting carried out?

So-called “male” and “feminine” ice is sourced from totally different areas and introduced collectively to create an synthetic glacier. Villagers the place this method has been carried out in addition to consultants instructed Al Jazeera that volunteers exit to gather round 200kg (441 kilos) of “male” ice from one valley and “feminine” ice from one other. Male ice is sometimes black in color, whereas feminine ice is normally lighter, offering extra fertile water that enhances agricultural productiveness, based on locals.

In historic instances, because of the absence of obtainable transportation in addition to steep, slim and slippery routes by way of the mountains, volunteers would journey on foot for a number of days, carrying the ice in conventional wood cages on their backs.

The method requires particular supplies: coal, grass, salt and water collected from seven totally different streams. Earlier than getting down to the grafting web site, the group would recite Quranic verses, carry out religious rituals and pray for fulfillment.

The fabric, together with each units of ice blocks, could be carried to the positioning whereas “strictly following environmentally respectful and culturally sacred practices”, the locals stated.

They’d keep away from using plastics, chorus from immoral actions and solely eat domestically produced meals similar to wheat, barley, apricots and home made bread through the course of.

Humour, music, or hurt to dwelling creatures is strictly prohibited, because the process was seen as each a religious and ecological accountability.

On the grafting web site, a small trench could be dug in a secure space, away from avalanche or flood-risk zones. The female and male ice items could be fastidiously layered collectively, blended with salt, coal and grass.

“The male items are placed on the fitting, whereas on the left, feminine ice items,” Zakir stated.

Water collected from the seven streams would slowly be dripped over the ice to assist bind the layers.

Over a number of months, the items fused right into a single ice mass. If the positioning obtained seasonal snowfall, the mass would step by step develop right into a glacier. After surviving for at the very least three years and enduring seasonal snow cycles, the artificially grafted glacier would develop. Over the following few years, it could grow to be a dependable water supply.

Zakir added that web site choice is important within the course of: north-facing slopes, robust winds, much less solar publicity and safety from direct flowing water are important.

Rituals, self-discipline and collective labour

Locals and consultants instructed Al Jazeera that the deep religious and cultural elements surrounding this method are what distinguish glacier grafting from purely technical interventions.

Ice items are by no means allowed to the touch the bottom and should stay in steady movement from assortment to planting.

“Typically, autos that carry these ice items are by no means switched off,” Zakir recalled, including that these serving to out are forbidden from talking, utilizing plastic or relieving themselves close to the positioning.

“If one volunteer feels drained, with out mendacity down, he’ll go the basket [carrying the ice] to a different volunteer.”

Traditionally, glacier grafting has additionally concluded with native music generally known as Gang Lho that is sung on to the ice. One such tune, the professor recalled, addresses the glacier as a dwelling being, calling it “my expensive child glacier” having “pastures to develop… mountains to climb”.

Typically, volunteers and villagers would have tears of their eyes, praying for the glacier’s institution and survival as a way to assist their survival and livelihood.

How lengthy does glacier grafting take? Is it assured to outlive?

A efficiently grafted glacier can begin supplying water inside twenty years, making it a long-term funding in water safety.

Nevertheless, consultants warn that the method is weak – not solely to a failure of the pure course of, a scarcity of snowfall, drops in temperatures, and local weather change, but additionally to battle.

“In irregular weather conditions, similar to throughout conflict, the method might fail,” Zakir warned.

“Each India and Pakistan have deployed navy forces within the glaciers, and the bullets they use, in addition to the motion of troopers and tools, are very dangerous to glaciers.”

The South Asian neighbours have fought three wars over the disputed Kashmir area, which they each govern components of.

Can glacier grafting resolve water scarcity issues?

The imply temperature in Pakistan because the Fifties has risen by 1.3 levels Celsius (2.34 levels Fahrenheit), which is twice as quick as the worldwide imply change, based on the World Financial institution.

With temperatures rising globally, glacier grafting might not be capable to provide a healthful resolution to Pakistan’s melting glaciers drawback. Nevertheless it stays a robust instance of how Indigenous information, tradition and collective care have lengthy formed survival within the mountains.

Locals instructed Al Jazeera that glacier grafting is now extra important than ever to counter water scarcity and erratic snowfall that trigger issues for irrigation, home consumption and livestock.

Additionally they fear that the follow of glacier grafting is quickly disappearing. Youthful generations, drawn to city centres and various livelihoods similar to tourism, schooling and enterprise, not have interaction in conventional irrigation.

This shift has disrupted the intergenerational switch of Indigenous information, they lamented.

This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Heart.