Diaspora Smile, 50^th Anniversary of Tibetan in Exile

By Bhanuwat Jittivuthikarn

March 10, 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, a day in 1959 when the Tibetan people rose up to defend their country and their leader against the military aggression of the People’s Republic of China. A week after this historic Uprising, Dalai Lama, spiritual and temporal leader of the six million Tibetans escaped into exile where he has remained ever since.

From 5-18 January 2009, I traveled to Saranarth, India to documenting the life of 45 elderly Tibetan refugee age between 60-80, whom for the first time in their life will have chance to receive private audience from His Holiness Dalai Lama. This project is organized and sponsor by Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation. This project actually begins from idea of Mr. Tenzin Losel a Tibetan social worker. Who have strong intention to bring these old Tibetan from his hometown a refugee camp in Main Pat to Dalai Lama teaching in Saranath.

I always believe that photography at its best has the capacity to transform the way people think and create social change, It can bring advocacy by perform its role as an evidence of injustice or inequity and be alternative voice. I also believe that simple but powerful image can empower native community and strengthen their identity to be able to express of who they are, which I regard as important and crucial for cultural survival in globalize world. So my intention from beginning is to document Tibetan culture for the purpose of better understanding between Thai and Tibetan people. Many Serious works on Tibet often portray it as a Shangri-La on the verge of extinction; a semi-colony with its unique culture being destroyed by the Chinese and the process of modernization. In such pessimistic scenarios, what is ignored is the creative potential of Tibetan people themselves to adjust and survive in a changing world. Most western professional photographer work on Tibet issue is concentrates on victims, or the unfortunate. But without the compassionate purpose that such a project is expected to serve often result in a dissociated point of view with an unsentimental empathy with the photograph’s subjects. . However It is also arguable that it is not only Westerners who have exoticised Tibet and the Tibetans; the Tibetan diasporas too have invested heavily in such neo-orientalist representation strategies for their own tactical purposes. To successful foster and maintain a distinctive national identity among disparate groups inside exile community. To ensure their way of life is not swallow by the fast changing world. 

So I try to avoid any kind of sentimental voyeurism of the western practice. In fact from the beginning I never have idea that these people are miserable in contrast I feel that they have such a rich experience in their life that I should learn from. I want to show Tibetan dignity in their willingness to leave their homeland into another country, to show their courage and their spirit and, not least, to demonstrate how can that enrich our life.  So we live together as friend who collaborative with a simple smile to one another as there seem to be impossible to use verbal communication, as I cannot speak Tibetan. However with their expression I try listen to their story and try to understand their life, as there is meaning in their life that should not to be forget. I wait until I feel that they have trusted I me, then I ask for permission to photograph them. Surprisingly many of them are so excited and just stood before my camera and smile as they always do when meet me.

Back in Bangkok while I was editing the work, I realized that I here I had a group of powerful portraits; that in front of my camera, I had had very old people who had lived experiences of great intensity already. These seemingly simple and straightforward portraits depict with force their pain and their dignity. However with full of faith they are able to show us that the people who have less materialize can be blissful in their believe and their life. Receiving private blessing from His Holiness Dalai Lama is their last quest in life, now many of them are already renounced the world and prepares themselves for hereafter.