By Andy Graham
Ngawang Gyatso squinted into the bright shaft of sunlight bathing the Harmony School stage, then apologized for being a bit bleary-eyed after some long hours of work this week at Bloomington’s Tibetan Cultural Center.
What followed, however, was an eye-opening experience.
Gyatso and fellow Tibetan Buddhist monks from southern India’s Drepung Gomang Monastery — in town all week to help prepare for the Dalai Lama’s visit this weekend — performed a program of sacred arts titled “A Cultural Pageant of Tibet” for an appreciative audience of about 60 people Friday night.
The two-hour show featured harmonic overtone chanting, rituals, dances and narratives, often set to music played on traditional temple instruments: horns, flutes, bells and drums. Some sounds perhaps seemed otherworldly to American ears, but that was just part of the fun.
“I like experiencing different cultures and different music,” said Tim Fick, an instructor at Bloomington’s Aurora High School who was in attendance. “I’m teaching a world music class at Aurora right now.
“It’s great to be here. The Yak Dance was cool.”
The Yak Dance sported a very representative dancing replica yak, complete with a hairy, horned headdress. Another crowd-pleaser was the ancient Tashi Shopa Dance, which featured two dancers outfitted in spectacular, white-maned masks.
Some elements of the program were more entertaining than others, and some were more enlightening.
“They’re monks, not professional performers,” said Mary Pattison, the monks’ tour coordinator. “They study the Dharma (Buddhist cosmic order and law). But they do the best they can, on stage, and I know people enjoy it.”
Gyatso — who serves as interpreter for the group, which is embarking on a yearlong tour of North America — agreed.
“Young and old can enjoy the show, I think,” Gyatso said. “And we’re grateful for the support. People can support us in many ways. They can do so by experiencing our culture, by helping with funding, by writing letters to world leaders, especially those of the Chinese government.”
Pattison said that since China invaded Tibet in 1949 and subjugated the country over the following decade, it is estimated that 1.2 Tibetans have met their deaths at the hands of the Chinese and that about 6,000 monasteries have been destroyed. The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual and temporal leader, has been exiled since 1959.
The Dalai Lama preaches peace and compassion while traveling the world to advocate the cause of Tibetan independence, and Gyatso said Americans have been a receptive audience.
“We’ve always had a huge response from the American people,” Gyatso said, “and we are so thankful for their kindness and generosity.”
Reporter Andy Graham can be reached at 331-4346 or by e-mail at graham@heraldt.com.
