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
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