Strange Spirit: One Country's Occupation

As early as 1949, Mao began announcing his intentions to liberate Tibet's six million inhabitants from the tyranny of Western imperialism (at the time, only six Westerners were known to be living in Tibet). Shortly thereafter, he let the other shoe drop. In a bid to gain additional land, resources, and strategic positioning in South Asia for the newly formed PRC, the Chinese military steam-rollered over a generally passive Tibetan population, attempting in the process to eradicate all traces of Tibet's religion, cultural traditions, and national identity. Mass imprisonment, torture, and genocide were the tools with which these goals were achieved. In the last thirty years, over one-fifth of Tibet's population has been killed, and Tibetans have become an oppressed minority in their own country. Strange Spirit offers a historical overview of these events, along with profoundly moving first-hand tales of bravery, sorrow, and horror told by exiles and victims of China's brutality. Perhaps the most amazing stories are those of Tibetan soldiers and resistance fighters, including Ani Pachen, Tibet's Warrior Nun, who often opposed China's military juggernaut with little more than rocks, sticks, and faith. These interviews are effectively interwoven with archival photographs and news footage, both straight and electronically reprocessed, which serve as a kind of visual punctuation to the stories being told (although it should be said that some of these visuals look disconcertingly re-enacted, and there seems to be a tendency to use the real stock footage anachronistically at times). This is generally strong and moving stuff, which speaks volumes about the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the unquenchable love of homeland. A valuable addition to public and academic library collections. Libraries interested in this topic may also want to consider two other excellent works: Tibet in Exile (VL-5/92) and Direct Cinema's Compassion in Exile: The Story of the 14th Dalai Lama. Aud: H, C, P. (G. Handman)