NY & NJ, Saturday [June 23]: Over 300 Tibetans led by the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association of New York and New Jersey, Inc. (RTWA, NY & NJ) took part in the 22nd Annual International Cultures parade in New York City.
This is the fifth consecutive year that the RTWA-led Tibetans took part in the cultural parade exhibiting richly unique and exotic Tibetan cultural heritage along side several other countries.
The parade in large is organised and sponsored by the International Immigrants Foundation, a non–governmental organisation at the United Nations.
Along with Tibetans, people of Bolivia, Morocco, Vietnam, Brazil, Egypt, Bangladesh, Romania, Albania, Haiti, Jamaica, Ecuador, Japan, Poland, Thailand, Sudan, Taiwan, Mexico and many more showcased their respective culture.
The Tibetan band was led by a beautiful young girl with a plaque that read, ‘International Immigrants Foundation presents TIBET’. She was followed by a Tibetan Buddhist monk blowing Dhungchen, huge Tibetan religious trumpet, rested on a young boy’s shoulder on the other end.
The Presidents of three major Tibetan bodies of New York and New Jersey; the Tibetan Community, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, and The Tibetan Women’s Association in their traditional Tibetan costumes followed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s portrait flanked by a flag of US and Tibet on each side.
Dressed in colorful and vibrant costumes – depicting the rich and distinct culture of Tibet; man and women in dresses from the three provinces of Tibet – Do-Toe, Do-Med, and UTsang, illuminated extra brilliance to an amazing Saturday afternoon weather of New York. Young Tibetans danced the auspicious Tibetan opera dance, Tashi Sholpa in rhythm with loud drum beats, while the others sang to the tune of Tibetan music being played from the parade float.
A parade float, reminiscent to Lhagyal Ri, with Buddhist religious prayer-flags, women in costumes from the three provinces of Tibet, a Yak, Tibetan national animal, were a truly remarkable display portraying Tibet as home to serene people with immense devotion to Buddhism, vastness and richness in their cultural heritage, and with time tested harmonious unity in diversity. The Tibetan parade goers carried Tibetan National flags, American flags, and a map of Tibet, Tibetan religious signs, and various beautiful Tibetan symbols each having deep significance in the unique Tibetan spiritual culture that flourished on the vast expanse of Himalayan plateau of Tibet.
The Annual International Cultures Parade is the only Parade in New York City that showcases the multicultural heritage expression of over 100 communities: giant floats, folkloric dances and music, performers in native costumes, marching bands and contingents, and international pavilions. Thousands of performers participate in this annual salute to the multicultural nature of USA. Unlike many parades, this is “A Trip around the World in One Day.” Each cultural group performs along the Parade’s route to the delight of the spectators. This event is unique and offers every cultural group the opportunity to present themselves.
The popular Yak dance was unique enough to become a crowd favorite. As the Tibetans marched proudly, one can tell the admiration other nations have had for Tibet and its people as you hear people cheering up from behind the parapets shouting “We love Tibet” and “We love you Tibetans,” spotting small Tibetan National flags in their hand.
As the parade culminated at 56th street and the Avenue of Americas, an earsplitting announcement comes from the parade organisers in the heart of the New York City, “Ladies and Gentleman, now we have the members of Tibetan Community in New York representing the beautiful country TIBET.”
Cheerful and jubilant Tibetans made a huge circle on the middle of the street and presented to onlookers some beautiful Gorsheys, Tibetan circle dance, followed by Tashi So, a concluding dance wishing everyone happiness and prosperity.
Based on report by RTWA NY&NJ
