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Published: April 25th 2006
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You can't imagine how Tibetans in general have no access to photos and go crazy when they see themselves on the little screen of digital cameras. After noticing that in 2005, I bought a polaroid camera to take pics and give to them a couple of minutes later. It was worth the cost and trouble of caring a bulky camera/films. The happiness they experienced was so rewarding!
The problem came when EVERYONE wanted a picture, not just kids and moms, but also monks, old pilgrims, etc. They gathered and practically begged with beady eyes. It was hard to say no (by the way, there isn't a word for "no" nor for "yes" in Tibetan).
So, I had to created a rule: I'd only take pictures of mothers and their little kids. That was the only way I wouldn't use up all the film in "one session".
Other travellers started to comment about what a great idea that was once they saw me taking and giving pictures to happy recipients.
We travellers are reminded not to give money to Tibetans in order not to turn them into beggers. I agree that we shouldn't pay to take people's
pictures, but in my opinion, giving them a picture of themselves will only make them treasure "their" moment.
Ah. We are also reminded not to bring Dalai Lama's picutures, for security reasons, but a traveller I met had a brilliant idea: he had a picture of the DL on his camera memory and just showed it to pilgrims, who were enchanted by the image.
So, if you can afford a little money and space in your bag, give back a little to the people we take so much from. We enter their land, we learn, we enjoy, we experience their culture and we take inumerous pictures. Why not give one back?
PORTUGUES: Tive a ideia de levar uma camera polaroid pra tirar e dar as fotos pro povo que eh tao amavel, adoram se ver nas telinhas das cameras digitais, e nao tem acesso a fotos. Vcs nao imaginam a alegria deles em terem uma foto em maos.
O problema foi que toda vez que eu tentava tirar e dar uma foto, discretamente, juntava gente, todos queriam uma, e era dificil dizer nao (por sinal, nao existe a palavra "nao"na ligua tibetana).
Fiz entao uma regrä:
Pilgrim at Sera Monastery
The little ash mark on the baby's nose was made by a monk at a chappel, to protect him from illness... soh tiraria fotos de mae com filhos, e so abri mao da regra algumas vezes (um senhor que me seguiu por 40 minutos, uns musicos monges, e no orfanato)
Fiquei conhecida entre os outros viajantes independentes, como 'aquela brasileira/americana com a polaroid". Um dia num restaurante, um reporter da BBC de Londres ja me conhecia, pelo tal fato!
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Rita
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Polaroid
Ola Patricia: Tenho a certeza de que depois de visitar todos estes lugares maravilhosos, de conhecer um pouco deste povo e imaginar todas as dificuldades pelas quais passam, todos nos nos tornamos mais humanos. Beijo carinhoso e obrigada por compartilhar comigo todos estes "treasure moments". Rita.