Changing History

by How Kuff

A Lament for the Continuing Cycles of Human Violence

‘We see facts through the impacts they have had on what we know... bound by our own point of view.'

Changing History develops in present day from a happenstance meeting of seven international travelers. Caught in a sudden snowstorm in the mountains of Tibet, they stumble upon a teahouse and seek shelter along with a journeying Buddhist monk and nun. During the night, the seven travelers tell tales of circumstances and events that drove each to question fundamental aspects of her/his life. In modern-day Chaucerian style, each compelling personal dilemma reveals drama and circumstances transcending race, culture, religion, nationality, sex and age. The round-the-world character tales return to the land and mountains of Tibet, to the deep knowledge of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and to the horrific crimes of China against the people and land of Tibet.

A new ontology emerges and a unique philosophy of human affairs unfolds as the protagonists struggle with war, religion, politics, economics and social cohesion. Stoked by the unforeseen connections among the stories, and fueled by the musings and philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism, the travelers come to realize that their sagas of personal strife and conflict are interwoven in a web of relationships that span the globe and breach the metaphysical.

As they grapple to make sense of their changed perceptions of humanity, an extraordinary event occurs that facilitates their departure. With the realization of our intimate connections through time and space to all people, places and things and the inherent power in our present actions to change the past and create the future (Changing History), the world opens to the travelers and they leave their meeting with new purpose and direction.

Changing History provides a stark and broad view of humanity, our patterns and trappings and our abilities to change what has occurred. It is relevant to the major global crises that we will be facing over the coming decades. The themes speak to the violence and hatred dominating our current events. The character's real life-struggles illuminate the role of the global economic powers that perpetuate resource depletion and devastation, overwhelm traditional cultures and livelihoods, and create hordes of somnambulant consumers of unnecessary goods and services. It is about power and politics and our human desire for individuality and self-expression.