The Tibetan Photo Project -"Voices in Exile"

Regarding the passing of Wangden’s father, On Nov. 18,

2004-12-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

Please thank all the friends who have sent their
prayers. I am so happy that through this project and
of course it is you who made all these contact and
friends. Thank you all so much for remembering my
father and my famliy in your prayers. God bless you
all!!!

Diary entry for: Dec. 3, 2004

2004-12-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hi there Joe omigo!!!!!

Money is not everything......it is just that as long
as the Tibetan issue is spread and there is worldwide
awareness, that is what matters the most!!!!

OK my friend and nice work on the website regarding
Tulku Tenzin Delek. I wish I could send you some more
photos that I have taken here but the internet line
is.....you know......*##$@@&*****???<>>>><< Sometimes
I feel like banging my head on the computer (not our
computer) ha! ha! ha! ha! I will try again OK

OK take care my friend and keep well,
adios Omigo
wangden

Diary entery for: Nov. 30, 2004 Part two

2004-11-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!
It seems that the line is not too good, so I guess I
will have to try another time....

Why would they charge so much money for a used and an
old camera? Moreover as a gift????? Indian postal
system can be so annoying at times you know!! Anyway
one good thing about this whole episode enlightened
you with the fact that Western Union really works fast
doesn't it???? ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! (Editor’s note: in
funding “Voices in Exile,” we here in the states made
getting money to India more complicated than even the
Indian government could and Wangden did tell us about
Western Union from the beginning)

Here it is 30th November and two days to go before
Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche will be executed...the
Tibetan Youth Congress is staging a one month chain
hunger strike in protest against this sentence passed
onto the Rinpoche. I took some photos at the hunger
strike and I even shot some footages..but was not able
to get some people to talk I will try again
tomorrow....I wanted to go today but it rained and
suddenly the temperatures have dropped and I did not
want to risk the camera........I hope tomorrow
brightens up a bit so that I can actually try to get
some one to talk.....I think I was able to sent just
one photo...I will try to send the others later OK

Take care and keep well my friend....really am happy
to hear about the interest being generated on the
film...we hope my full length will do better. Oh yes,
I was able to get the permission to use music from a
local band here called the JJI (three brothers named
Jungchub, Jigme and Ingsel) the band is called the
EXILED BROTHERS. There music is not traditional
Tibetan....but since I have the persmission I thought
I could get out the music only.....one down and some
more to go.....

Adios Omigo!!
wangden

Diary entry for: Nov. 30, 2004

2004-11-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo,

Thank you for your mail.

Here is everything is going smoothly now. I am gald
that we are getting somewhere with the distribution of
the demo film. I am happy that we are getting noticed.
I hope they do not expect too much from a debutant
director/photographer/editor......ha! ha! ha!

I am still on the look out for the tapes and the DVDs
you've sent.

Do not reply to this email address as I was trying to
send you some photos as the yahoo is taking a lot of
time and by the time I try to click done to attach the
photos a message comes on saying my time has
expired.......it can be so frustrating at times....but
then.....a deep breath and let it out
slowly....patience......I wrote this mail here
thinking I could attach the photos quicker but it
seems that I was wrong.....I cannot attach even a
single photo....sorry....I guess I will have to stick
to the Yahoo and let the time take its course....ha!
ha! ha!

you will hear me from the yahoo........till then

Adios Omigo
wangden

Diary entry for : Nov. 26, 2004

2004-11-26T09:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe,

I am glad that Paul liked my film. (Editor’s note:
Paul Kraus has been a technical advisor regarding the
equipment needed to do the film. Kraus was a model
builder and worked on the special effects on Raiders
and Star Trek)

I do have a lot of still photos, especially of life
here in exile but very limited photos of life in Tibet
as before the Chinese invasion photography was almost
unheard of unless an outsider (foreigner) visited
Tibet. And many of the photos are in the British
Museums (I think) the Tibetan government has very
limited still photos before the Chinese invasion..but
after the invasion I think there are quite many. So I
will try my best to get them and use it in the film.

WEll, we'll see what cooks up..

take care and keep well my friend
Adios Omigo
wangden

Diary entey for: Nov. 26, 2004

2004-11-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe,

First of all thank you for your mail and for the
prayers for my mother and my family.

I am gald that people liked my short effort. And I
will try my best to live up to the expectations placed
on me NOW.....ha! ha! ha! ha!

And before I forget I might just let you know that the
bill for the HP tax(10% of Rs.1,30,000= Rs.13,000) is
not there as the tax collector and I compromised that
I pay him Rs.10,000 instead of the Rs.13,000 and he
would not give me the bill. Which, I saw as an
opportunity to save Rs.3000. I think I went a
little...just a little over the budget but it was OK..
No torn pockets.....ha! ha! ha! ha!

Well, if there is any doubt on the bills and the
account please do not hesitate to let me know...it is
your investment and you have the full right to know
everything. I just send you the bills and not the
account as to how and where the money was spent. OK .
Do not hesitate to ask anything.

I just wrote a mail to Diane regarding the film
department. I thought I could ask them some questions.
(Editor’s note: Diane Dufhlio is the Director of the
Meadows Museum which will open The Tibetan Photo
Project exhibit on Feb. 27, 2005. The museum is part
of Centenary College and is working to bring Wangden
to the U.S. to teach. The college offers a film
department and if all goes well, the final edit on
“Voices in Exile,” will be completed with advanced
editing programs available at the school.)

Regarding the film, I will hold on to the Tibetan
outlook and not have it influenced by the American
mindset. I am sure we can work out the grammatical
errors and if it lends to the authenticity then I
think would it not be good to let it be that
way.....what say you Omigo????

As regards the subjects with poor English I think it
is a good idea to add subtitles...I too thought of
that......hmmmmmmmm great minds seem to think alike
uh!! ha! ha! ha!

Joe, I still am looking out for the tapes and the DVDs
you've sent. I have a set of original footages already
ready to be send, but sometimes I need to add more to
those original footages...so that is holding me back.
If you think I could send them as it is now and maybe
have the extra footages added on the back up copies
that I will be keeping then I will send the set of
original footages as soon as I get the word from you.

I saw on the CNN the weather seems to be getting cold
there so, keep warm my friend and keep well. Here too
the weather is getting colder.

That's it from me for the time being,
Adios Omigo,
Wangden

Diary entery for: Nov. 22, 2004

2004-11-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo,

Feel free to correct me anywhere..anytime...I will not
take any offence.. if you are not going to tell me
where something is wrong then who else will? (Editor’s
note: The previous comment relates to grammar in the
subtitles of Wangden’s first short, “Refugee – An
Account) So you don't have to feel anything when you
point out my mistakes...after all it is only through
mistakes that one learns. So, any criticism from any
quarter or level is welcomed with a big smile from my
end.

Well about your suggestion of having the text
information between the interviews sounds great. Will
see how it turns out OK.

Yesterday I completed about three interviews
collecting ideas from two teachers and a student (the
student struggled to speak in English...I feel it was
quite brave on her part) Today I interviewed my
brother as he speaks English well and he happens to be
a business man (successful or established one) I will
probably try to complete another interview tomorrow
with a painter (I mean a thangka artist) thangka is a
Tibetan wall hanger with the images of various Gods
and Goddesses, He is a very good artist and I am sure
you will get to see a lot of good thangkas here..I
will click some stills and have them send your way.

So, I think I will be able to complete almost on time.

I am glad that you liked the photos on the disc. Did
you get to see the negatives I sent you??? S

My mom leaves with my elder brother for pilgrimage
down to the holy Buddhist sites...Bodh Gaya (where
Buddha attained enlightenment) Varanasi..(where Buddha
preached his first five disciples after attaining
enlightenment) and othe places of interst around these
two major places. She will leave on 28th December
after performing religious rituals on the 49th day
since my fathers demise. I think she will be gone for
about a month or so..as this is what we feels is good
for her to have a change of air and of course avoid
the chilly winter here. I felt like going with her but
she understands that I am working on an important
project and that I have obligation towards this
project which she feels should be my first priority.
And since my friend in the west (that would be you)
have placed such a huge risk and belief in me. She is
not traveling alone but with - my elder brother and
his family.

I think this is it for now.
Keep warm and be well my friend
Adios Omigo,
Wangden

Diary Entry for: Nov. 18, 2004

2004-11-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo,

Am I gald that the package made it to you
finally........whew!!!! Now I think I can relax for a
while before I get on with the major film...

I am happy that you liked my first effort. I am very
encouraged by all the positive feed backs from you …I
know I felt the same here about ending statement by
the lady. I wanted her to finish the line and then
start the rolling credits...Anyway I'll keep these
small yet important things in mind in the future.

The information on the DID YOU KNOW? roll..do you
think it was too long or was is informative??? If you
think we can still add more informations then there
are many more.....we can work it out later on
this...(Editor’s note: Wangden is referring to a
series of rolling titles with facts on Tibet.)

I still eagerly await the package containing the DVDs
and the DVCs. Hope this time I get them without
damage. For assurance...I have made a copy of the
orignal footages that I have filmed so far. When I
think that I have completed filming I will one set
your way through post. Hope now you can stretch out
and relax.

and lastly please thank all the friends who have sent
their prayers. I am so happy that through this project
and of course it is you who made all these contact and
friends. Thank you all so much for remembering my
father and my famliy in your prayers. God bless you
all!!!

So, Omigo, I think this is all for this session,

Take care and be well my friend,
Adios Omigo
wangden

Nov. 15, 2004 Short arrives!!

2004-11-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

On Nov., 2004, incidents first short arrived.

"Refugee: An Account" has been filmed in northern India as Wangden experiences
the process of directing, filming and editing.
We will release and take orders for this beautiful 10 minute, 16 second
short along with an exclusive collection of still images captured
by Wangden during this monumentally exciting journey.

To keep up with this films progress please write
tibetanphotoproject@hotmail.com

Nov. 13, 2004- The Passing of Wangden's father.

2004-11-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

It is with great sadness I am write this mail to
inform you all that my father passed away on November
8, Monday at 1.30pm. Although it was the saddest event
that occured in my life, yet I was also glad that he
did not suffer much. He passed away very peacefully.
As is our tradition, it was writen in his stars that
he will once again be reborn in a human form. And that
he did not die before his time (Tse Lha meaning that
if a person was to live for 70 years and if he died
around 64 or 65 then he had died 5-6 years before his
actual time and that carries to the next incarnation
where he will live for the remaining 5-6 years and
then die) My father lived exactly to his ripe age and
as per the stars and as given assurance by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, he will be reborn in a human
form. I request you all for a little prayer that will
help his spirit through the transition from this life
to the next.

After the cremation I collected the remaining bones
and will be submerging it in the River Ganga (a holy
river originating from Tibet and considered holy by
the Tibetans as well as the Indians) I thank you all
for having him in your prayers during the time of his
illness. Thank you all and may God be with you.

With warmest regards,
wangden

Nov. 13, 2004
Dear Joe Omigo,
Thank you so much for all your mails.

I am sorry I was not able to write back as I was in
mourning. My father passed away on Monday.

Yes, I will send a separate back up copy in the mail
of al the footages. I will bring two copies of the
footages with me ..... one on the tapes and the other
on one or two DVD(s)

I pray that the presentation at Santa Barbara goes
well for the sake of all the Tibetans. Good Luck!!!
Hope and pray that everything runs on smoothly at the
presentation. I hope you get my package with good
photos from those four rolls of film I have sent.

Take care Omigo and keep well my friend
Adios Omigo
wangden

Diary entry Nov. 5. 2005

2004-11-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Dear JOe Omigo!!!

Thank you so much for your mail.

I got you loud and clear. I have only some filmings to
do and I think that will wrap up the filming process.
Some interviews too!! That I will wrap up by the end
of the month. I will have all the originals on two
sets of tapes and copies of the originals on the DVD
too. I will make two sets of copies on the DVD too. In
this way I will lay your fear to rest that the
original tapes will remain untouched unless you feel
it is safe to touch it.

The filming and interviewing of TIbetan people is
proving to be a little harder than I expected because
they the TIbetan subjects are of the view that I am
going to make a lot of money (exploit them) from the
film. Some even told me that many westerners
interviewed some TIbetans they knew and later made it
a commercial film.

I had make them see that I was doing this first as a
TIbetan to spread the issue of Tibet through a Tibetan
eye to the world and secondly to of course explain to
them that I would need some money to cover my
expenses.....some are willing and some are still
doubtful. But don't worry I will have everything
worked out. I don' t mean to scare you!!!! I know
being a producer...you might be biting your nails this
very moment!!! RELAX!! I will bring all the original
footages packed safely and when I finish filming and
feel that I have time to send it off to you then I
will do it. Otherwise I feel it will be safe for me to
bring everything along with me.

JUst keep your fingers crossed for me on 21st December
between 9.15 - 9.31 am.....BECAUSE...I have an
appointment at the US embassy. Say a little prayer
too...ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! You know it is very hard for
us Tibetans to get a visa because some Tibetans have
made a very bad impression on the visa councillors
with fake documents and some even went to the extend
of arguing with the councillor. So they are very
strick with us Tibetans. So that is why you prayer is
required!!! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!

That's it for now,

Take care and be well my friend
Adios Omigo!!!!
wangden

Diary entry, Nov.3, 2005

2004-11-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!!

Tashi Delek!!!!

The DVD and the CD with photos and some rolls and some
processed negatives and the bills are on their way
finally. I posted them today. It seems that the things
I need to send my friend will take some time.....I'm
so sorry for wasting so much time on this.

I am also sorry for not mentioning about my
father....He is OK. but seemed a litte weaker than a
week before. He cannot take solid food. Every thing
has to be grinded in the grinder and given to him in a
soup form. I go up every evening between 7-7:30pm
because in the day time many visitors come to see my
father and it gets a little crowded. In the evenings
it is all quite so I spend some quality time with my
parents especially with my father. But I thank you for
sending in your concerns and prayers. Really I really
apprecaite this.

I got a call yesterday evening from Diane, she
mentioned that Neetaji a staff of her office will be
in India somewhere around December 8 and will make it
to Delhi on December 20 a day prior to my appointment
in Delhi. She will help me with whatever I would want
to know but she cannot come with me inside the
embassy. Anyhow, I hope I get this visa one time so
that I can make it to the US and see the country and
seee you guys of course. I want to equip myself with
more knowledge on editing from the college and as you
suggested carry the hard disk so that I can edit some
there and master the art of inserting subtitles and
other relevent things.
Take care OMigo and will keep a watch out for the
DVDs and the DV cassettes.

I am sure you must have already exercised your adult
franchise..VOTING I mean.....who did you vote for????
MR. BUSH OR MR. KERRY???? (Editors note: Mr. Kerry)

Take care and once again thank you for
everything....stay well my freind and keep warm this
winter!!!!

Adios Omigo
wangden

October 31, 2004

2004-10-31T13:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!

Tashi Delek and thank you so much for your mails. I
have the film ready and also some rolls which I took
with the camera which was gifted to me.

(Editor's note: following the opening of the exhibit
at Antioch University, Tom Stone donated a Pentax
Spotmatic that is being used for high quality
production stills)

Some of them where I made good use of light had
marvelous results. I developed some myself here at the
Kodak color lab. I hope many of the films that come
out be good and for you to use. Keeping my fingers
crossed. I have another package which I wanted to send
out to my school friend living in Washington (not DC)
which I believe is somewhere near the Canadian border.
So I thought I will send the two packages together.
Hope you will bear with me.

I am also sending you a CD with photos.

I think this is it for now oh yes I will be looking
out for the DVDs and the tapes. (Editor's note: For
working on edits and for making backups, when the film
was originally funded 10 blank DVDs were sent to India
an arrived broken... a second set has been sent)

Take care and be well my friend.....
Adios Omigo
Wangden

Friday.. October 22, 2004

2004-10-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!!

Thanks for all your mails and all the reminders...of
BACKING UP MY WORK....I did make a back you copy of
all the original footages this morning and I have also
made a master copy of all the footages together on one
tape. So i guess we have four copies now. Three on
tapes and one on the harddisk...and it will be 5
once I get them on the DVD.

I hope I am making you feel relaxed and assured. I
understand your worries on the back up.

I have all the original footages as there are and
nothing has beeen modified/added/cut from them. So,
its cool.

I did rerun throught the short DVD I created and made
some final touches.......it seems ok..I thought it was
15 minutes but no!!!! It is 10 minutes 07 seconds.

And questions for the interviews.........keep them
flowing.

This is all for now
Take care my friend Omigo
Adios
wangden

Thursday October 21

2004-10-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!

I have the movie ready...(Editors note: Wangden is
working on a short) then I ran it on a DVD player and
on TV and I had to say NaH!!! not this as the
subtitles were palce way below the screen. So I need
to redo that and make some changes to the narration
which in this film I am doing. But in VOICES IN EXILE
I think it willbe good to have you or someone there do
it as I don't know people will understand our
pronunciation or not.

Well, this is just my idea...let me have your
thoughts. I was holding back the trail film because I
wanted to send you some rolls of shots that I have
taken and I will take this 24th why this 24???? you
may ask......this is the anniversary of our school TCV
school main. His Holiness will grace this occasion
with His holy presence. Then there is Opera on that
day. 25th INter TCV schools athletic competition. It
will be action packed emtional event......about 6-7
schools competing each other and I am sure I can get
some good shots here. When the event is over I will
send all the rolls how much ever I take withe the DVD
of the short film which I titled...."Refugee - An
account." Phew!!! I think I have said everything now.

Yes, one more thing.....when I insert the title and
letters in the film it does not come out sharp as I
want.....what must be the secret here?????Have any
idea do let me know!!!

OK Omigo I think this is it for now....will write
more......there is a major concert by a Tibetan artist
( a famous Tibetan singer) coming up on 25 and 26
night.....I could film some songs and may be include
it as a small clip in the film without actually the
song but duirng narrations......

Take care my friend and as I said before....I will not
let you down..
At the end I will have a film ready for you.
Adios Omigo!!!!
wangden

Please thank Sazzy and Sheri for thinking of me and my
father. My warmest regards to them.

The Tibetan Photo Project Presents -"Voices in Exile" A Movie by Tenzin Wangden Andrugtsang

2004-10-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Joe Omigo!!!!

Thank you for your mails. Here I am sending some snaps and I will send you some negatives of some photos I took with Mr. Stones's camera. I hope you like the photos. This was during a candle light vigil organized by an aroganization called the GU CHO SUM (GOO CHOO SOOM) stands for September, October and March. Three months in the Tibetan calendar when major demonstration against the Chinese occupation took place in Tibet in recent years. So to commemorate 17 years of the demonstration held on September 27, 1987 in Tibet, this organization hels this candle light vigil here in D/sala. Many Tibetans were either killed or arrested in connection with these three demonstrations and many were sentenced to death of whom many have already been executed. This aorganization is an NGO and tris to rehabilitate ex political prisoners who escape to India. I am sorry I am not able to download the photos as attachments here so what I will do is, since I have already copied them on the CD I will send the CD to you along with the bills of the computer etc. I will also send you a short film I have edited on my visit to Rewalsar. (Tso Pema to us Tibetans.) Tso meaning lake and Pema meaning lotus. This place is sacred to us Tibetans because it is associated with Guru Padmasambhava....Guru Rinpoche(RIN-PO-CHEY)as we call him. He is a very learned and a holy Guru who was invited to Tibet by one of our religious kings to subdue the evil spirits that were causing havoc in Tibet and no one in Tibet could subdue them. Guru Rinpoche subdued all these evil spirits and made them weak and harmless. This is as our holy scriptures say.

Thank you for forwarding my thank you to Mr. Tom. I have already written to him today.

This is all I can remember for now but I will write to you soon...take care my friend and keep well. Adios Omigo wangden.....

Sending Photos

2004-07-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

"I am sending you some photos I took of people at the long life prayer held behind the Dalai Lama's. I was not able to take the actual place where the monks were performing the prayers as we all to be seated.
Wangden, July 6, 2004"