2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition
Special Mention
Mike Unrau: Homeless Woman with Child, Tibet
“In Dharamsala, India, I asked some Tibetan friends there how a Westerner might face the difficult issue of poverty and begging when travelling in Tibet. They suggested that instead of giving money I purchase simple red strings and have them blessed by the Dalai Lama to bring to Tibet and offer to the homeless. Due to the political climate there, Tibetans cannot have any picture or item that resembles their spiritual leader, and many there know little or nothing about the Dalai Lama’s well-being. The red strings symbolize him. In Tibet, I came across this woman begging with her daughter bundled up in rags, and was moved deeply. As suggested, I pulled out a little red string, handed it to her and whispered “Dalai Lama” in her ear. She froze, and then began to weep and to thank me profusely while she hurriedly tied the string around the child’s neck. Shivers ran down my spine. She looked up, and graciously allowed me to capture the moment.”
Mike Unrau is currently doing an MFA in movement and social-based theatre. With a passion for the diverse threads that are woven throughout culture, he has travelled the world and photographed indigenous people and their relation to their social context. His photographs have been published in several magazines and websites, and recently he has been asked to take photos in Tibet of a project to preserve traditional Tibetan music. Unrau has also used his photographs for the graphic design of several CDs, including his own. In the fall of 2006, he will be heading a social-based theatre project in India.