The Tibetan Photo Project
Joe Mickey's contact with the Tibetan monks began on the Mendocino stop of their 1999 American cultural tour. He had the privilege of a photo-op and an interview with a Lama.
At that time, he was beginning a great deal of research on the Tibetan accusations of abuse at the hands of the Chinese government. In "Tears of Blood — A Cry for Tibet" by Mary Craig and "In Exile From the Land of Snows" by John Avedon, he had read the accounts of terrible atrocities suffered at the hands of the Chinese government forces told by Tibetans who had escaped
to India.
The follow-up research consisted of reviewing news from major media sources in print, broadcast and on the Web. Mickey wanted to sort out any
Tibetan propaganda from the facts. He has developed a hard copy file that numbers about 2,500 articles. They cover all aspects of recent developments in China.
With regards to the Tibetans, the file confirms the claims of horrific methods regularly employed by the Chinese government. China officially labels torture as “Reeducation.” Beijing labels accounts of torture “the propaganda of splittists” and “internal matters.” and of no concern for the international community.
During Mickey's meeting with the Tibetans he was introduced to a
sponsorship program for Tibetan monks living in one of the Buddhist monasteries they have recreated in India. He sends a small monthly amount and enjoys a slow but rewarding correspondence with Jam Yang Norbu.
There is no instant messenger or email. This is all handled by regular mail. When Mickey's letters arrive in India they wait at the monastery for available translators. Norbu responds in an original Tibetan script that he gives the translators and it is eventually typed up on a manual typewriter and sent to me. The process of a single communication cycle can easily take six to ten weeks.
Mickey has been a photographer for over 30 years and he immediately began to package up point-and-shoot cameras and added the basics rules of good photography to his letters. From Jam Yang Norbu Mickey learned that the camera was a new concept for Tibetans dedicated to rebuilding and preserving
their culture.
The first roll of photos was processed in India and Mickey received a set of prints. From the start, Jam Yang Norbu and his friends paid great attention to the basic lessons in photography and produced a series of well-lit but posed images.
On the receiving end, this was still, nothing less than a magic view into another world. More importantly, the view was not being provided by an outsider looking in through a lens and preconceived notions. Mickey was being given the vantage point from the inside.
He immediately sent a small flood of cameras and film and in
correspondence we discussed how photography could be used as a tool in their efforts to preserve Tibetan culture if he could record his friends living that culture on film Again, the monks have paid very good attention and he has been given the gift of rare glimpses into the lives of some of the 2,500 monks of the Drepung Monastery.
What has been revealed in the photos and the letters is a dedicated group of men living and struggling and very often laughing through lives that have very few needs or desires. They work with complete dedication to preserve the best of Tibetan culture.

AUGUST 2003 FOTO ART MAGAZINE