KMPD - TIBET

State of the Tibetan Nation

In August 1998, artists around the globe organized exhibits and performances centered on Tibetan issues and culture. This artistic action was called World Artists for Tibet. "State of the Tibetan Nation" was a collection of phtography exposing the then current conditions inside Tibet as well as actions being taken by Tibetans outside of Tibet to raise awareness of their country's plight.

Following its Indianapolis premiere, the exhibit was also shown in Provo, Utah and Smith College in Massachusetts. Additionally the images and text were incorporated into a multi-media performance featuring the music of Philip Glass performed by Christina Fong and Glenn Freeman.

Photography by Kathryn Culley	Visions of Tibet
Family Begging in Lhasa Street Lhasa, Tibet 1997 The People’s Republic of China has declared the occupation of Tibet as a “peaceful liberation.” Implying that prior to the 1949 invasion Tibetans lived in unhappy, slave-like conditions, the PRC has used rhetoric such as “surfdom” and “feudal” to describe traditional Tibetan society. Although many Tibetans will agree that the old system had it’s downfalls and a need for certain reforms, all are quick to add that their lives were happy and satisfying, and they enjoyed many freedoms which today are absent. “This is the type of thing the Chinese don’t want you to see. China is trying to convince the world that they have improved the lives of Tibetans, so they want to prevent photos like this from getting out. Photographing a destitute family is the kind of situation where a photographer might get in trouble, and I was nervous to spend too much time there, so I didn’t learn much about these people, so I’m not sure if they were homeless, but to see street beggars is not uncommon.”

Monk at Reting Monastery Tibet 1997 Since the Chinese occupation of Tibet over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed. This has had a devastating effect not only on the Buddhist culture of Tibet, but also in the daily lives of the Tibetan people. Traditionally, the monasteries contained the educational centers, medical facilities, government offices and served as the hub of Tibetan society. “Reting Monastery is a days journey from Lhasa. It is one of the many monasteries destroyed during the cultural revolution. Since then it has been rebuilt, but the rubble from the old monastery is still visible, and I only saw about fifty monks and thousands used to reside here. Reting sits in a peaceful lush valley, and here I actually felt like I was in Tibet. On most road trips it’s hard to tell the difference between Tibet and China, so this was a nice break, but it still felt sad and unreal.”

Three Generations in the Rubble of Their Former Home Lhasa, Tibet 1997 A massive population transfer of Han Chinese into Tibet is taking place and has made the Tibetans a minority in their own country. In Lhasa, Tibet’s capitol city, it has been estimated that the Chinese out number Tibetans seven to one. Immigration is encouraged through economic projects that offer decent paying jobs and housing to ethinic Chinese who settle in Tibet. “I was walking to the Barkor, an area in the center of Lhasa. Most of the Tibetan buildings in Lhasa have been torn down and replaced with Chinese buildings, but the Barkor, an area near the Potola Palace, still looks like old Tibet—for the time being. So, I noticed all this rubble and because I was in Lhasa in 1995 in knew there had been houses their before. I nervously crept through the crowds of people selling things along the alley and went into the rubble. I saw these two women and a baby sitting there. It was a grandmother, and a mother and her baby. They had lived there, but their house had been destroyed. They said the Chinese government was building new apartments to replace the old buildings. At the time I took this picture they didn’t have anywhere to go. They where supposed to be given new housing but they didn’t know what was going on.”

Street Performer Lhasa, Tibet 1997 "She was behind the Potola Palace with a group of friends. They were all young kids, and had made instruments out of garbage they had found—Styrofoam packing with a piece of string or rubber band. Her’s is a sort of guitar. They were running around playing their instruments and singing, and trying to make a little money. Most of the children are not able to go to school, so they don’t have much to do. They take up begging, and there is a lot of smoking and drinking among the children. It’s actually cheaper to smoke and drink than to eat.”

Boy and Girl Near Nyalam Tibet 1997 “You can really see the change in Tibet through the children. The kids are very serious and suspicious—they grow up so quickly. The older people are still able to remember old Tibet, but the children are growing up in a different world. They are alienated from the Tibet their grandparents and their parents knew. I think a lot of parents are afraid to tell their kids about Tibet’s recent history. They’ve learned it’s safer to not talk, so the children are growing up aimless and not knowing who they are.”

Photography by Sonam Zoksang	Visions of Tibet
Beggar Children Lhasa, Tibet 1995 “I don’t know very much about these kids. I didn’t talk with them or stay long because in this area there were a lot of police around, and if they saw me taking pictures they would be very suspicious. In Lhasa all the shops and restaurants are owned by Chinese. Obviously, these kids got some left over food from the people inside. They were happy to get the food and enjoying getting their picture taken. It’s very frustrating to see these Tibetan children who’s parents cannot support them and they have no food. The Chinese own everything, so the Tibetans are now begging in their own land.”

Children with Cigarette and Gun Eastern Tibet 1995 “These children live in a small village in Eastern Tibet. They are on their way to the river to get water because they don’t have running water in their village. One of the kids bummed a cigarette of our driver. He said he didn’t have any money, so he always asks for cigarettes. The other boy is carrying a toy gun. To me, that really shows how Tibetan cculture has changed. It used to be that you’d see all the Tibetans carrying malas (Buddhist prayer beads), but now only old Tibetans carry malas. You see young Tibetans begging, smoking, drinking and carrying Chinese toys: a lot of the toys are guns. These children don’t know anything about what is happening in the world. The only information they get is about the military, how great China is, and how Tibet is being looked after by the Chinese military. The kids look up to the military because they are the people with the nice homes, food, and clothes.”

Ganden Monastery Outside Lhasa, Tibet 1995 “ Ganden Monastery is one of the three largest monasteries in Tibet. Before it was destroyed it housed about five thousand monks. Today there are about five hundred monks at Ganden and it is about fifty percent rebuilt. the Chinese say they have given a lot of money to help rebuild it, but talking to the people they say they don’t get any money from the Chinese government. Most of the people building are volunteers and they get money from pilgrims. This picture shows an important religious event called a Thanka Ceremony. In the old times the huge thanka would be unrolled at sunrise, displayed for maybe a half hour and then rolled back up, but the Chinese have shanged the tradition. They tell the monastery to display the thanka later in the day and for a longer period of time— it’s a better show for the tourists. Anyway, I was told that several thousand people would come from all around to partticipate in this very important ceremony, so I went there the night before to avoid traffic and find a good place to view the ceremony in the morning. However, the next morning I only say a few hundred people. I learned later that the Chinese office in Lhasa stopped the Tibetans from coming by telling them that they could not go to Ganden because they would make too much traffic.”

Beggars in Front of the Potola Palace Lhasa, Tibet 1995 “These two are well known in the surrounding community. Their home had been destroyed, and this father and son are often seen going from door to door collecting food. The Potala Palace in the background used to be the home of The Dalai Lama. It still looks beautiful and majestic, but when you really look around, you see a lot of destruction of the old buildings surrounding it. Inside is no longer a sacred place but a money-making museum controlled by the military.”

Old Woman with Prayer Wheel Namsto Lake, Tibet 1995 “This photograph was taken at Namtso Lake. The name means Sky Lake and people say it is the highest lake in Tibet. Around the lake there are sacred places, so people come to the lake for retreats and pilgimage. I saw this old lady there. Her son was doing a retreat in one of the nearby caves. She would bring him provisions everyday and she would pray and prostrate around a newly built stupa in the area. I felt very strong about this lady. Even without much talking, just looking into her eyes, I saw a lot of emotions. It’s very difficult in Tibet, especially in urban areas, you really have to hide your feelings because there are a lot of Chinese around, but in remote places, like Namtso, I can find a few moments that I really like.”

Photography by Nancy Jo Johnson
Pilgrimage Mt. Kailash, Tibet 1993 “This grandfather and his grandson had been on pilgrimage for three months. They are carrying the gun for protection because there are a lot of thieves—Tibetan and Chinese—that come around the encampments of travelers. It’s not unusual for Tibetans to journey for months on pilgrimages, and especially to Mt. Kailash the most holy mountain in Tibet. These two talked about how much hassle the Chinese military had given them at different check points. They had to pay a lot of extra money to the Chinese officials as bribes to let them pass.”

Illegal Possession Lhasa, Tibet 1993 To Tibetans, The Dalai Lama is more than a spiritual teacher and leader of their country, He is the reincarnation of the Buddha of Compassion. His photograph represents more than an image of a man, but the entire Tibetan identity. The Chinese government has made possession of His photograph illegal. “ When I went to Tibet in 1993 I took some photographs of His Holiness The Dalai Lama with me and handed them out. This photo was taken near Sera Monastery. There where two men who were breaking up rocks for seven yuan a day which is less than one dollar. They weren’t prisoners, but they were definitely working for nothing and it was back breaking labor. I gave them each a picture, and one just cupped it like that and held his hands there staring at the picture for at least five minutes and tears came to his eyes. He was so happy. All Tibetans are taken when you give them a picture of His Holiness, but I’ve never seen anybody as much moved as he was.”

The Nomadic Challenge Plateau, Tibet 1995 “ I was driving in a valley north of Lhasa, and off in the distance I saw this series of nomad tents. I left the car, walked to the village and spent about four hours with this woman. I was amazed by how incredibly unafraid she was of me when I walked up, as if we were sisters. It’s funny how Tibetans who don’t speak any English can figure out how to give you a message and her message was one of desperation for help, but a the same time, this universality of being sisters. I felt really taken by how easily she let me step into her life. I think that was a result of this concept that foreigners help. Even those who are far out, in the middle of nowhere, have this concept. That’s why she was so unafraid and invitational. Even though she looks much older, my guess is that she was probably 23 or 25, and she had 4 or 5 children. Certainly, the poverty was profound, and it was very clear that she had had a very hard life already, yet she had this incredibly strong spirit. She was sad, but strong in spirit.”

Uncommon Pilgrimage Jokhang, Lhasa, Tibet 1995 “This was a very special day at the Jokhang Temple. There was a Lama visiting from Amdo province in Eastern Tibet. The Chinese policy has been so unpredictable that you never know when they will allow Lamas to perform pujas (ritual ceremonies). So, for these Tibetans on pilgrimage, this was a rare opportunity to receive a teaching from a respected Lama.”

Your Leaders Tingri, Tibet 1995 Official information released by the People’s Republic of China regarding education in Tibet states that the PRC has improved the lives of Tibetans due to thousands of new schools built and an accelerated literacy rate. But, in fact, it is very expensive to go to school. Many Tibetan families cannot afford to send their children, and those who do go receive a Chinese education. As an alternative many Tibetan parents risk never seeing their children again and send them on a dangerous escape journey to be educated in the Tibetan community in-exile located in Dharamsala, India. “ This is in the village of Tingri just on the north side of Mount Everest. I was in Tingri in 1993 and noticed that it had maintained a lack of Chinese population, but when I returned in 1995, a whole new section of the town had been built which was completely Chinese and a military operation was added also. In this schoolroom there were two chalkboards, one had Tibetan writing on it and the other had Chinese. At that time the Tibetan children were being taught one hour of Tibetan language a day and the rest of the day consisted of Chinese curriculum. I learned in 1997 that educated Tibetans are always segregated against in the job market, so getting an education doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to be employable. That is something very important and very sad.”

Photography by Katie Murphy
China Out of Tibet New York City 1996 Despite resolutions pasted in the United Nations declaring Tibet an illegally occupied country and calling for the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination, very little action has come out of the the UN in support of Tibet. This is due in part to China’s veto power as a member of the Security Council and to other nation’s fears of economic retribution from China should they speak on the behalf of Tibet. “Across the street from the United Nations, hundreds of people put down their signs and flags on the last day of the 1996 March for Tibet’s Independence and prostrated to the UN. It was a controversial action for many of the Tibetans because traditionally prostrations are only done for religious purposes—to Buddha, high lamas, and on pilgrimages. So to prostrate to the UN was more than unorthodox, but the symbolism, I think, couldn’t have been stronger. A humble bowing down meaning we are doing all we can do, and we need your help.”

Venerable Palden Gyatso Washington, D.C. 1996 “During the Tibetan Uprising of 1959, Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, was arrested and spent 33 years in Chinese prisons and labor camps. His eventual release was secured by a letter writing campaign, and when he finally left prison and escaped into exile, he managed to sneak out many of the torture instruments that had been used on him and other prisoners. He has taken these instruments: electric cattle prods, hand and thumb-cuffs, knives etc., and has told his story of imprisonment, torture, starvation and forced labor all over the world. Although Gyatso is only one of thousands of Tibetan political prisoners, his courage to tell his story has been instrumental to raising awareness about conditions in Chinese prisons. In 1996, Gyatso made his second visit to the United States to participate in the March for Tibet’s Independence from Washington, D.C. to New York City.”

“Po Rangzen!” New York City 1997 “Thubten Jigme Norbu was one of the first Tibetans to go into exile due to the Chinese occupation. In 1951, after witnessing the brutal takeover of his home province, Amdo, in eastern Tibet, Norbu eluded the Chinese officials who had held him under house arrest and traveled to Lhasa to warn his brother, The 14th Dalai Lama, of The PRC’s intention to occupy the entire nation. He then left Tibet and has continued to dedicate his life to rallying support for the rightful independence of his homeland. Norbu has led each of the Marches for Tibet’s Independence and this photograph shows him rejoicing at the conclusion of the 1997 walk from Toronto to New York City.”

Save Tibet Washington, D.C. 1997 Pro-independence demonstrations inside Tibet can be deadly actions to undertake. To fly a Tibetan flag is an illegal action and demonstrators are subject to arrest and Chinese soldiers opening-fire into the demonstrating crowds. Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns, prepared to die or become political prisoners, often lead these demonstrations. Outside Tibet, demonstrations in support of Tibetan freedom have become more frequent, and a sense of frustration due to the lack of international support is becoming more prominent. “This was across the street from the White House when China’s President, Jiang Zemin, was meeting with President Clinton in October 1997. There were rallies all over the city that day—Taiwanese, Eastern Turkistani, Southern Mongolian—all the countries who are oppressed by China were trying to get their message heard. In front of me is a huge crowd of Tibetan people testifying to the brutality of the Chinese government while behind me Clinton is making lucrative trade deals with the leader of the Tiananmen Square massacre. To top it off, the White House obscured the front door by placing an enormous white screen in front of it as if to say, ‘We hear you, but we choose not to see you.’”

1998 March for Tibet’s Independence Bellingham, Washington 1997 “We were about 10 miles south of Bellingham, Washington, and it felt like the middle of nowhere when suddenly, all these local people showed up to walk. By the end of the day over 60 people had joined in. For me, this is the most encouraging thing about the Tibet movement: people learn about Tibet and immediately want to get involved and help out. Despite the fact that currently no government body supports Tibet’s independence, the general population wants to see justice prevail for the Tibetans. So, as more people become active, in time, I think we’ll see governments begin to speak out and take action also.”