The Klamath Basin has been struggling with a bitter dispute between the feds and tribes, versus the farmers and ranchers. The Bureau of Land Management cut off the water last growing season. With no water, no crops. Ranchers were camped out last summer next to the "A Canal", protesting the feds actions. The conflict split the community in a devisive fight. Many ranchers lost their land and were left bankrupt. The Tibetan monks came here to make s mandala to heal the wounds left from last summer.
After the mandala was completed, it was carried down to the river as a sign of healing and blessing to the community.

I was working for a small local paper, and took photos throughout the summer. Ranchers and farmers from all over the United States came to support the Klamath Ranchers. To this day, we have a 12 foot tall bucket sent from Nevada Ranchers on the steps of our County building. (History updated 5/2008)

This photo of the Dalai Lama looks over the area where the mandala was made.

A young monk works on the beginning of the Mandala. It will take them 75 hours to complete.

On Saturday, a local rancher brought in some Yaks for the children to see. The monks use
Yaks at home in Tibet(and in exile in India).

These 4 monks are working on a mandala. They had been working on it 3 days by this point. It was created to bless the Klamath Basin and heal the rifts caused by the "water wars" dividing the native americans, the ranchers and the feds during the summer of 2003.

This was taken during a healing ceremony on Sunday morning at the Unitarian Church.

This mandala was created by Tibetan Monks over a 5 day period in 2004.This photo was taken just before they destroyed it and took the sand to the river. The community had gone through terrible divisions regarding water. The Mandela was to bless our community and heal it.