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2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition
Best Photo — Mountain Environment

Luke Duggleby: Clothing the Spirits — Kawa Karpo Mountain Range, Yunnan province, China

“The view before me was the pinnacle of a special journey. I had trekked with Tibetan pilgrims for almost 12 days around the Kawa Karpo Mountains. As one of the most sacred ranges in Tibetan Buddhism, it sees people flock in their thousands to circumambulate it during the pilgrimage season. I had seen with my own eyes the religious devotion of each and every pilgrim. There are several reasons that Tibetans leave personal items at sacred places: the clothing is a container of the soul, left to keep it safe and empowered; it keeps the spirit warm after death; or the clothing of the sick is hung to improve their health. Whatever the reason, the result is something rare and special.”

Luke Duggleby, 28, has been based in Bangkok, Thailand, for several years. He regularly travels all over Asia — particularly China, Cambodia and Vietnam — either on assignment or working on his own projects. His work has been published in top publications such as the New York Times, Time, The Sunday Times Magazine, and the International Herald Tribune. He is currently working with an Italian anthropologist on his first book project, which is about the unique culture of the area where this photograph was taken.

www.lukeduggleby.com

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