See also: These Young Refugees Know All About Winning and Losing -- They Just Want to Play
Hemmed in by the Himalayas, as well as the sizable geopolitical presence of China and India, Bhutan is the first country to tout "gross national happiness" over "gross domestic product" as a measure of success. But life there hasn't been too happy for the persecuted Lhotshampa ethnic minority; tens of thousands have been shifted to refugee camps in Nepal, and eventually to new lives in Europe or North America. A good number have found themselves in Aurora -- which, as recently noted in my cover story on the Niyakko Rush Soccer Club, has become a multicultural melting pot, with more than twenty percent of its population born in another country.
Last spring Picture Me Here began working with Bhutan refugees headed for Aurora, supplying them with cameras and training to record the journey. The exhibit Damak to Denver features photos, videos and writings dealing with the transition. For example, this shot by Keshabi Neupane shows how to transform a closet into a shrine-like setting for Puja, a Hindu religious ritual:
From Damak to Denver runs from November 22 through December 20 at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, 1513 Boulder Street, with an opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on November 22. For more information, call 303-837-1341.
