ABSTRACT
The high mountains of Ladakh in the Western Himalayas resonate, they emit/transmit low frequencies often verging on infrasound. This chapter will explore this more-than-human mountain resonance and the usefulness of practically and creatively “staying with the senses”—thinking through their physiology as well as their cultural framings—for anthropological research. Taking this sensual experience as a starting point, the chapter discusses resonance from a range of different perspectives: Tibetan Buddhism, cinema, law enforcement, Doom metal music, etc. It will also explore the role resonance can play practically in the creation of collaborative artworks that address important contemporary Ladakhi concerns with human—created climate change and the rapid retreat of Himalayan glaciers. In demonstrating ways of staying with the senses through research, the chapter will draw a range of connections between Ladakhi soundworlds and suggest how that can contribute to the creation of new formations of sensory attention.
