Tibetan Year of the Water Dragon arrives; for many, a “solemn occasion”

PM Lobsang Sangay

Losar, the Tibetan New Year festival which falls on Wednesday this year, is ordinarily a time of celebration and laughter for ethnic Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhists. The state of affairs inside Tibet today, however, is no laughing matter. Amid the many acts of self-immolation and protest that are happening, Tibet's government in exile is asking that people not celebrate Losar this year.

This was the request of Tibet's Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister), Lobsang Sangay, who wrote in his recent open letter to Tibetans and her supporters, "…please do not celebrate Losar this year, but do observe traditional and spiritual rituals by going to the monastery,making offerings, and lighting butter lamps for all those Tibetans inside Tibet who have sacrificed and suffered under the repressive policies of the Chinese government." The full letter can be read at the Central Tibet Administration's website by clicking here.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will preside over this year's official Losang ceremony at Tsug-la Khang temple in Dharamshala, followed by a day-long hunger strike. According to Tendar Tsering of Phayul.com, "The day long hunger strike will begin at 10 am IST with the rendition of the Tibetan National anthem and a minute's mourning for the victims of police firings and self-immolations in Tibet." The hunger strike will conclude in the evening with a candlelight vigil.

Tibetans and friends of Tibet from around the world have heard the call to cancel celebrations, choosing instead to use the occasion to acknowledge the sacrifices being made for the Tibetan cause. In an email sent out by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), Director of Development Melissa Jimison writes that this year's Losar "…will be a more solemn occasion." She continues, "In observance of Losar, we invite you to send a gift to support our Private Partnership for the Sustainability of Tibetan Communities, which funds projects that directly support and empower Tibetan communities to thrive." To make a donation, please visit their call to action here.

The Tibetan Association of Washington (TAW) and the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) have organized a "March for Tibet" this February 22nd outside Gompa on NW 83rd Street. In a message from the TAW President, "As our brothers & sisters in Tibet fight against Chinese occupation, it is our responsibility to galvanize international support for Tibet's struggle.  Every small effort that we do will not only bring awareness on issue of Tibet but will also send strong message of solidarity with our brethren in Tibet and give them moral support."

Activities will begin at 9:30 am with a prayer service, followed by Sangsol at 10:45 am, a scarf offering for H.H the Dalai Lama and Sakya Dagchen Rimpoche at 11:00 am, a speech by by Avi Rimpoche at 11:10 am, and the March for Tibet, which begins at 11:30 am. Marchers will make their way from Gompa to downtown Seattle to gather at Westlake Mall, where protests and prayers will commence from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.

In the Shambhala Buddhist community, the beginning of the Tibetan New Year is also known as Shambhala Day, and in acknowledgement of that, Shambhala SunSpace has created a video, a curated tour of the ""Great Eastern Sun: The Shambhala Community of Nova Scotia" exhibit now showing at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in our hometown of Halifax. Look for that on Shambhala SunSpace today. In the video, Carolyn Rose Gimian gives viewers a curated look at some of what can be found at the exhibit from now until April 21st. You'll see treasures and personal effects of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and contributions from the Nova Scotian Shambhala Buddhist community.

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