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Towards the last two months of my last visit to India in the spring of 2012, I encountered the Tibetan community in exile in India experiencing painful news of their people self-immolating in fire one after another in China-occupied Tibet. My experiences in the past visits in India (drawing a cremation site in Varanasi, documenting fire pits, cremation alters, and contemplating on life and death around fire) synchronized with this particular movement, an extreme way of ‘offering’ their bodies to ‘fire’ for asking freedom and peace.I could not help drawing large and small drawings as emotional response and with a sense of mourning.

After coming back to Vancouver, the self-immolation kept happening and I felt that my personal and professional task is not finished.

I have come back to India to continue to document and draw under the same theme. tomoyoihaya@hotmail.com

15 April 2017

For Wangchuk Tseten April 15 2017


For Wangchuk Tseten, a 30 yrs old nomad, who self immolated on April 15th in Gump County, Kardze , Kham, Tibet. 

 According to a video and comments posted on social media this morning local time, a Tibetan monk set himself on fire in an apparent protest against Chinese rule. Online posts suggest that security personnel arrived moments later, put out the fire using extinguishers,and took him away in a vehicle.

 After a few days, it was confirmed that he passed away.



 "Even among the darkest clouds, shine lays of light through someday"

Note: First the info came out to the exile side was that it was a monk who self immolated. However
according to the most updated news,  he was a nomad called Wangchuk Tsetan.
http://thetibetpost.com/en/news/tibet/5487-another-tibetan-man-sets-himself-on-fire-in-tibet-against-chinas-rule