Johnson, Eugene H: Tibetan Memories

Stories from Exile and Dreams Deferred

In a world full of exiles, more than 150,000 of which are Tibetan, this book is not only of historical significance, it puts a human face on the increasingly complex problem of people being forcibly displaced from their homelands...

Tibetan Memories is the first book to present the stories and compelling images of ordinary Tibetan women and men in exile. In their own words, we listen to the gravity of their situations, and each story is accompanied by uplifting black-and-white portraits of those featured and of Ladakh, where they found refuge after the Chinese communists took over their homeland in 1959.

In a world full of exiles and refugees, 150,000 of whom are Tibetan, this book is not only of historical significance, it is timely. It puts an unforgettable human face on the increasingly complex and growing problem of people being forcibly displaced from their homeland--as many as 110 million according to a recent U.N. study.

To meet the people and make these photographs, Dr. Johnson and his wife, Mirasol, traveled throughout Ladakh, visiting many villages and talking with dozens of people. Most of them had to leave everything behind when they fled: their family, friends, and animals, often their most precious possessions and with whom they had a unique and symbiotic relationship.
The situation of the Tibetan refugees in Ladakh and the rest of India, which has the highest concentration of Tibetan refugees, is particularly heartbreaking and challenging. They cannot become citizens, own land or property, or travel internationally or freely even throughout India. They also are excluded from government or other public jobs.

Yet, as Dr. Johnson reveals in his photographs and stories, all of these refugees are remarkably resilient, wise, and hopeful. They have made their tragedy--and their enduring devotion to their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and to their Buddhist practice--sources of strength which continue to sustain them. With an enduring faith, they maintain their belief that Tibet will one day be free, believing that losing that hope would be the ultimate disaster.

In these often difficult and dark times throughout the world, when too many people are uncertain of their future and concerned about the future well-being of the planet, these remarkable individuals from Tibet show us the meaning of hope and of never giving up. They also show us that every human being deserves compassion, for, without it, the future of humanity stands in peril.