Within the Mountain

“Within the Mountain” documents the survival of the Ladin pastoral-alpine lifestyle in the face of global adversities as an example of communal resilience, offering witness to the importance of rural cultural values and ancient traditions.

Ladin people are an ethnic minority who inhabit five valleys in the Dolomites: Badia, Gherdëina, Fassa, Fodom and Ampezzo. They are deeply rooted in rural Alpine culture and are distinguished by their trilingualism, their native Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romance language, German and Italian, and by their collective agricultural practices. The most important part of their Alpine culture is the care and protection of the fragile mountain environment that surrounds them. During the summer months I followed different farmers, herders and their families as they undertook the two vital practices that have created one of the most diverse environments in Europe: jí a munt (cattle transhumance) and the laborious process of making hay. These cultural practices, which stem from ancestral knowledge passed down generations, are intrinsic to the thriving nature of the Dolomites. For decades now, the Ladin pastoral-alpine lifestyle has been threatened by the pressures of climate change and urbanization. Drawing upon centennial traditions imbued with a spirit of interdependency and adaptability, Ladin people are the force behind one of the most marvelous mountain ranges anywhere and remain till this day an essential presence for the life of the mountain and its biodiversity.