Ep64: The Porter - Nathaniel Menninger
In this episode I am joined by Nathaniel Menninger, creator of the documentary film ‘The Porter’ which follows him on an 11-day trek to Everest base camp, living and working alongside the Tamang porters.
When tourists climb Everest, they don’t carry their own equipment. That job is done by local porters who, in difficult conditions for minimal pay and out of the site of the clients, carry loads of up to 100kg each.
We learn about Nathaniel’s experiences immersing himself in this world, carrying the same loads and living in the same conditions as the Tamang porters.
We discover how Nathaniel, who speaks 6 languages, initially taught himself Nepali to study meditation in the Himalayas, and why his life of blending adventure and art made this project so personally significant.
We learn about the physical and psychological challenges of the shooting process, as well as the profound identity crisis that Nathaniel suffered in its aftermath.
Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Topics include:
0:00 – Intro
2:15 – Nate’s previous adventures and how ‘The Porter’ began
6:51 – Nate’s 6 languages
7:42 – Nate’s language learning approach
10:52 – Language improvement after meditation retreat
13:49 -Studying meditation in Nepal
18:44 – Where does Nate’s drive come from?
21:40 – Who’s achievements does Nate admire?
22:52 – Living exactly as the Tamang porters lived
28:56 – Nate’s awakening and the effect of the project on his psyche
34:47 – Nate’s crisis of identity
40:00 – Tensions on how best to represent the porters in the film
46:32 – The gruelling physical demands of carrying loads with the namlo headband
51:53 – How Nate endured the pain to complete the project
58:32 – The positive reception to the film and the effect of becoming well known
1:04:16 – Nate’s next adventures
To watch The Porter, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James