Celebration!

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This week, Tibetans and Chinese alike gathered from all over Golok to celebrate a government holiday. Children from the local schools competed in a sort of talent show, reciting poetry, singing, and dancing. Three of Jangchub Drolma's students were selected to recite poetry and she asked me to add musical accompaniment to their performances.

The Golok theatre crowd is nothing like its American counterpart. In fact, it's more like the audience at a showing of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There is constant talking, shouting, cowboy hooping and hollering, smoking, drinking and even an occasional tin can flying through the air. There is great appreciation for music and dance, however, so thundrous applause breaks out intermittently, often for no reason that I can discern.

All in all, it was an evening of great merriment. Two of Jangchub's students won prizes, and it was a great opportunity for everyone to dress in Amdo best!

This entry is mainly a photo gallery and I think it's worth it to click the links to see the full-sized images. The colors are really amazing.

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Photos

Jangchub Drolma and I, Pre-performance
Here I am with Jangchub Drolma, my Tibetan teacher and friend. Even without looking for them, I seem to find opportunities to play music wherever I go.

Joyful Dancers, Lit in Red
Young ladies and men grace the stage with traditional music, dance and costume.

Three Poets and their Accompanist
These are the students I accompanied - from the left they are Thargon, Tsultrim Dargye and Gesar Dorje. Two of them ended up winning prizes for their performance.

Little Ones
Two young performers from the local pre-school, awaiting their dance.

Young Goma
A young Goma, lady of Golok, coming off the stage after her dance. Sadly, many of these pictures are not as clear as I'd like since I took them from backstage, and the lighting was not great.

Gesar Dorje's Performance
Here we are during Gesar Dorje's poem. The title of it was something like - China, How Amazing! No one ever seen or heard a silver flute before, so the look and sound of it was a hit.

More Beautiful Colorful Dancers
This was my favorite performance of the evening - beautifully choreographed, high-energy, colorful young men and woman, dancing with easeful grace and intricate formations.

Tiny Dancers
A whole host of little performers, sitting in the audience awaiting their turn.

Flowing Dancers
Another shot of the dancers, this time a view of sleeves extended, creating a beautiful streamer-like effect. It's quite wonderful to see a whole stage full of streamers flying at once.

Tsultrim Dargye's Performance
Here, Tsultrim Dargye recites his poem, one about a white bird that is a Chinese symbol of peace and happiness. I'm at the piano. Somehow, I managed to find myself in the presence of a grand piano here in the middle of nowhere - probably the only one for hundreds of miles. I played improvised music, so that's Gesar Dorje next to me, pointing to the poem's text so that I would know when to stop playing!

More Tiny Dancers
Another pre-school group, performing a traditional Chinese-style dance.

Small but Fierce Cowboys
I wish the lighting was better on this shot! These small cowboys wore all the traditional accoutrements, including daggers in sheaths at their waist belts. They danced side by side with little girls, also in traditional clothing, who presented katags - white silk offering scarves.

More Poems
Here are two Tibetan girls from the highschool, reciting poetry in-synch. They were each awarded a prize for their performance.

Comments

[Michael M.]

beautiful journal
Wangmo, thank you for giving us this insight into your adventures. Sometimes I fell like I am right there. You could be a travel writer for National Geographic! much love xxxooo Michael

[Susan]

Great pictures
Your pictures are worth far more than a thousand words.....thanks for all the delightful photos and equally delightful text. with love, susan