Cultural Tours
Why We Tour
The situation for Tibetans – both in Tibet and in exile is not changing much. The economic boom in China has not trickled down to Tibetans in Tibet who continue to be marginalized. News of oppression, crackdowns and Tibetan discontent continue.
Many Tibetans and Tibet supporters believe that the best hope for Tibet lies in a dialogue between HH The Dalai Lama and the Chinese leadership. However, in this move towards a solution, in this journey towards hope, HH the Dalai Lama has walked many miles of compromises. When HH accepted the Chinese demand of acceding to the question of Tibetan independence, he not only shocked segments of the Tibetan population, but he surprised the Chinese leadership also. In return, His Holiness expressed a genuine hope to transform Tibet into a zone of peace and for the Tibetan people to have a limited autonomy to pursue their lives, their religion and their culture as they saw fit – within the framework of the constitution of the Peoples Republic of China. Disappointingly, the Chinese leadership quickly labeled this as a call for ‘independence under a garb’.
Since then many rounds of talks have taken place between representatives of HH The Dalai Lama and the Chinese leadership. Nothing substantive has come out of these talks and Tibetans are fast losing hope and patience with the process because every year that passes with ‘non action’ is damaging to Tibet and its culture. With each passing year more ethnic Han Chinese are pushed into the plateau and Tibetans continue to be marginalized in their own country. Also, with every passing year, Tibet and its culture fade just that much away from global consciousness and that is a real concern.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama makes a huge difference. His incessant travels even at his age is the biggest source of strength for Tibetans. Single handedly, his teachings and talks do more to keep Tibet and its culture in people’s consciousness than all the rest of the world put together. No matter, how bleak the situation looks at the present, as long as Tibet remain alive in people’s hearts and minds there is hope that future favorable winds may light up the embers of hope.
As a US nonprofit, we believe that one of the ways we can help preserve Tibetan culture is by undertaking cultural tours that inform Western audiences about Tibet, Tibetan art and culture. Over the past eight years, TCEF’s Executive Director a native Tibetan has traveled extensively in this country with Tibetan artists and board members. We’ve taken pride to share the Tibetan culture with Western audiences, to highlight what an oasis of spirituality Tibet was, how unique the culture is and how it is truly worth sharing and preserving.
Here’s a look at major Tibetan cultural tours undertaken by TCEF over the past eight years:
2002 – West Coast Tour with board members Crystal Water and Michael Willing
2003 – Visit of Tashi Lhunpo Monks from South India to Montana and East Coast Tour
2004 – Nationwide Tour with board president India Supera
2005 – Nationwide Tour with Tibetan Thangka artists – Tseten Dorjee, Gyurmey Sonam and Ngawang Choephel
2006 – West Coast Tour with board president India Supera and Tibetan Thangka artist Tseten Dorjee
2007 – Montana Tour with Pema Lingpa Dancers from the kingdom of Bhutan and TCEF Program Manager Valerie Hellermann
2008 – East Coast and Montana Tour with Tibetan Thangka artist Tseten Dorjee and TCEF Program Manager Valerie Hellermann
2009 -Montana, Northwest and West Coast Tour with Tibetan Sand Mandala artists Ven. Ngawang Chojor and Lama Paljor
2010 – Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming Tour with Tibetan Sand Mandala artist Ven. Ngawang Chojor
The last two years have been particularly satisfying. Our cultural tours with Ven. Ngawang Chojor the remarkable Tibetan sand mandala creator have been very well received. We’ve toured seven states and shared our art and culture at very close quarters to at least ten thousand very interested persons. It has truly been a joy and privilege to engage audiences of all ages, to field questions that relate to all aspects of Tibet, to see children draw Tibetan prayer flags and auspicious symbols, to see parents have to coax their children away from the sand mandala table because of other engagements and to just to see so much love and interest in the Tibetan culture.
This coming Spring, we hope our travels can continue. From April 16 to the end of May, we’re planning another nationwide Tibet Awareness Tour. As always, what really makes the tour possible is event coordinators in different parts of the country and we’re looking for help. Can you help host an event in your town? Can you point us in the direction of someone else who might? Please call ( 406-443-6078) or e mail (tcef@mt.net). We promise to follow up on all leads.
TCEF is dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture.
© 2011