Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
all regimental and corps museums but the very
name of the museum as well as the unique sym-
bol of the Gurkha, the kukri, displayed on the
entry sign suggests something rather unique.
What follows is an overview of the artefacts on
display at the museum and an examination of
how depth of gaze can reveal what may not be
seen at fi rst glimpse.
Dicks (2003, p. 146) suggests that muse-
ums are 'powerful agencies for defi ning culture
to the public' and what makes the Gurkha
museum unique is that it is not just military cul-
ture that is on display but that of Nepal. At the
start of the museum the perspective is 'pitched
straight at the Himalayan foothills' (Gurkha
Museum, 2009), as large photomurals engulf
the visitor in a riot of bright colours depicting
not the expected soldiers but ordinary Nepalese
men, women and children. The illustrated mar-
ket scenes are timeless and it is only on closer
inspection that amongst traditional clothing the
leather jacket and jeans worn by one of the
market goers reveals that these are contempo-
rary pictures. The photographs present Nepal-
ese people at work and at play in what would
not be out of place in a promotional travelogue
or brochure. The visitor's gaze is drawn to the
'otherness' and 'exoticness' of Nepal.
This section of the museum differs from all
subsequent areas and stands out because of: (i)
the vibrancy of the colours, which are in stark
contrast to the rifl e green and black that predom-
inate in the rest of the museum; (ii) the smiles;
and (iii) the frequent appearance of women. No
similar images appear again in the museum.
This area serves almost as a separate informa-
tion room (Alpers, 1991), designed to provide a
glimpse into Nepal and its culture in order to
contextualizes the Gurkha and his homeland. A
touch-screen computer provides further back-
ground on history, religion and customs; the
caste systems is explained and it is made clear
that Gurkhas in the regiments ignore caste divi-
sions and whilst the Gurkha will follow his own
customs and traditions, this will not be allowed
to interrupt his military way of life. As traditional
music plays in the background, the mountain
terrain and terraced hillsides where Nepalese
hill people live and work are clearly depicted.
The evoked message is that it is the harshness of
this geographical setting that provides the Gur-
kha with his physical strength, resilience and
self-suffi ciency. Photographs of Nepalese hill
tribesmen and women bent forwards carrying
heavily weighted wicker baskets of fi rewood and
other goods up precipitous inclines is subse-
quently mirrored in the hill selection stage of
becoming a Ghurka soldier. This involves pro-
spective new recruits in the 'doko', running up a
4.2-km-long steep course carrying 35 kg of rocks
in baskets on their backs (Webb, 2007a). A
familiar part of the hardship of daily life is thus
adapted into part of the recruitment process.
Vitrines contain a variety of everyday
objects from sickles for gathering crops to blan-
kets used by shepherds and carvings that would
surround the doorframes of houses. Traditional
dress is displayed, and bridal hair ornaments
and precious-stone-encrusted gold bracelets
and necklaces are presented. This serves once
again to create the cultural environment, which
enables the visitor to understand why the hill
tribesman leaves his homeland to become a
Ghurka. Commentary explains that Gurkha sol-
dier's wives wear heavy gold as a symbol of
their wealth. The potential earnings during both
service and retirement and subsequent escape
from poverty are pertinent reasons for the young
Nepalese youth to enlist. What is not explained
and should be regarded as an omission is an
indication of the economic situation in Nepal,
as it is its position as one of the poorest coun-
tries in the world with 37.7% of the population
living on below $1 a day (UNDP, 2005) that is
likely to provide the impetus to enlist in the Brit-
ish army in the fi rst place. The reality is that in
2005 15,000 Nepalese men (Hansard, 2006)
applied for 370 (British Army, 2007c) places.
The knives on display introduce the visitor
to the infamous renowned national weapon,
the kukri, which symbolizes the duality of this
museum representing not only the regiment but
to some the Gurkha himself and even Nepal. It
is therefore a very appropriate image for both
the regimental cap badge and the museum. The
knife's scabbard has two pockets on the back
holding blunt steel for sharpening the blade or
striking sparks from fl int (the chakmak) and a lit-
tle skinning knife (the karda) that visitors might
recognize as a penknife. It is primarily a tool,
much like the Leatherman carried by hill
walkers and climbers. The kukri, which also
has cultural and religious signifi cance, can be
very ornate and there are a number of highly
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