Om mani padme hum

The literal meaning in English for ‘om mani padme hum’ has been expressed as "praise to the jewel in the lotus", or as a declarative aspiration possibly meaning "I in the jewel-lotus". Padma is the Sanskrit for the Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), and mani for "jewel", as in a type of spiritual "jewel" widely referred to in Buddhism. It is a very common prayer spoken profusely by the Tibetans.

The people photographed in this series are Tibetan and live in Dharmsala or McLoud Ganj where the Indian government have allowed them to live in exile. When I was there in 2009 the population of Tibetans was quite low and escape across Himalayas was possible. The testimonies that I heard from the participants were heart wrenching. There was incredible abuse and torture waged on these people. I also interviewed each participant on video. The level of abuse cannot be under estimated. A simple act of having a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is enough to be imprisoned for an indeterminate amount of time. Waving a Tibetan flag in public in Tibet will ensure imprisonment. I liaised with the small Tibetan community living in Ireland for their assistance with this project and I really appreciate their help. Tibetans want to uphold their culture and religion. China are attempting to erase Tibet off the map. They don’t deserve to be persecuted.

Long live the Dalai Lama!