Polaroid Clicking in Tibet

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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: 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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Photos

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...

Pilgrim beggar 1
7am on the Barkhor "kora" (pilgrimage circuit, always done clockwise). Offering of money to pilgrims is common among T. Buddhists. I offered to take and give a picture to this mothers and son.

Pilgrim beggar 2
A crowd surrounded us while I waited for the polaroid pic to develop. It didn't feel right. What you see is the remaining people...

Nomad girl & her mother
Inside their smoky nomad tent

Breastfeeding mom in Lhasa
Mothers breastfeed their children for about 3 years in rural Tibet and ~1.5 yrs in Lhasa

All rules have exception...
This pilgrim followed me for about 40 minutes, wanting a picture. The ones on my digital weren't enough. Oh well, he got his wish and smiles.

Comments

[Rita]

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.

[Patricia Somewhere]

Great to be in touch!
It's wonderful learning the essence of different people, different cultures. It reminds us that we are all different, yet so similar. Beijos

[Bharat Kadge]

Fantastic gesture!
Dear Madam, I just found your blogs. I think that your gesture of taking photos on Polaroid and then presenting them to the subject people is fantastic.Bharat Kadge.