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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

16 August 2012

Real dream


'White bird, let me use your wings, I will not go far, will fly to Lithang and come back'
'Dalai Lama the 6th'

13 August 2012

for Lungtok and Tashi

For Lungtok and Tashi, who self-immolated in Amdo Ngaba on August 13th, 2012.

Even bodies, animals, and land tied up with metal fences, nobody can take their hearts and belief away.

Fence can not block water from flowing

10 August 2012

for Choepa

For Choepa, 24 yrs old who self-immolated in Me'uruma region, Amdo Ngaba on August 10th 2012.  He set himself on fire, while walking and raising slogans.

May you and many other reach that white light, free of pain and suffering

7 August 2012

for Lobsang Tsultrim and Dolker Tso (Kyi)


For Lobsang Tsultrim who set himself on fire in Ngaba, Amdo on August 6th 2012, and for Dolker Tso (Kyi), who set herself on fire in Kanlho, Amdo on August 7th 2012.

47 burning vessels since 2009

30 July 2012

for Ngawang Norphel


For Ngawang Norphel who passed away in Tsongon, eastern Tibet on July 30th 2012, after more than one month of bearing burning pain, and for Lobsang Lozin whose body was released to the river after his firey protest.

25 July 2012

Vision after seeing a picture of vigil in Delhi


Red petals of fire and blood -  transformed into - white and pure ones - protecting - grassland and healing water - and survived people -  free - of fear, of violence - a vigil on the top of a sacred mountain

17 July 2012

for Lobsang Lozin and Pema Norbu


For  Lobsang Lozin, who set himself on fire in Ngaba, Amdo, Tibet on July 17th 2012, and for Pema Norbu, whose was life was taken by violence in Riwoshe, Kham on July 16th, 2012

7 July 2012

for Tsewang Dorjee


For Tsewang Dorjee who self-immolated in Damshung, Tibet on July 7 2012, and for his old Ama la who was left behind.

27 June 2012

for Dickyi Choezom



42 vessels of lives lost in fire and for Dickyi Choezom, a mother of two, who set herself on fire in Keygu, Tibet on June 27th 2012.

"Glacier water and snow mountains to hold you, to cool you down and to heal you."

15 June 2012

for Tamding Thar and Rikyo



For Tamding Thar, who passed on June 15th, 2012 in Chentsa, Amdo, and for Rikyo, who passed on may 30th, 2012 in Zamthang, Kham.  And for her 3 children who were left behind. "With hope that peace prevails on the earth' wrote Tamding.

"May green leaves of Tara keep growing from theirs and many others' tears,  from those who have passed this life time for human dignity and from those who are left behind."