1 of 1 A study by University of California researcher Julia M. White states that showing the tongue in Tibet is a form of greeting and a sign of respect. — Photo: Reproduction/ Phoebe A. Herst Museum of Anthropology A study by University of California researcher Julia M. White finds that showing the tongue in Tibet is a form of greeting and a sign of respect. — Photo: Reproduction/ Phoebe A. Herst Museum of Anthropology
Her supporters claimed it was a hoax and showing tongues is a Tibetan tradition.
Tibetansinexile leader Penpa Tsering and his predecessor, fellow Tibetan refugee Lobsang Sangay, said that tongue sticking out is one of the forms of greeting in Tibet. Both defended the Dalai Lama last Thursday (14).
There are actually records of it stick out tongueshowing scandal and contempt in many countries, is a greeting and sign of respect in Tibet Region of China where the Dalai Lama, currently in exile in India, is from.
According to a study by University of California Asian art researcher Julia White, the practice of sticking your tongue out is one Tradition in the region since the 9th century.
“According to Tibetan folklore, a cruel 19thcentury king had a black tongue, so people stuck out their tongues to show they weren’t like him, and neither was his reincarnation,” reports the study.
But there is no record of touching or sucking another’s tongue, as the Dalai Lama asked a child, to be a common habit or game in Tibet.
And according to Latin America’s largest Buddhist temple, Zu Lai, in São Paulo, the religion’s commandments don’t even allow us to touch other people.” don’t belong to any school of Tibetan Buddhism.
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Video shows the Dalai Lama trying to stick his tongue in a boy’s face
Child abuse is rampant in India
The Dalai Lama currently resides in Dharmsala in northern India, where he set up a Tibetan governmentinexile fleeing to the region after a failed uprising against China for control of Tibet, where the Buddhist leader ruled.
He is currently responding to the laws of India, where the videotaped incident of the Dalai Lama kissing a boy took place.
searched by g1Indian prosecutors said there is still no open investigation into the case and no prognosis for the time being.
Sexual abuse and violence against children are common practices in many regions of India. According to a study by the Indian government’s National Commission for the Protection of Children’s Rights Around 55% of Indian children have experienced some form of abuse (this includes cases of rape).
“Moral Shield”
Considered by westerners as a kind of reference for peace and wisdom In 1989 he received the Nobel Peace Prize the Dalai Lama has a number of selfhelp books that have reached the top of the bestseller lists in countries across Europe and the United States.
“The Dalai Lama is the West’s moral shield against an oppressive China. It is a piece of the geopolitical chess board,” said Professor Elias Kalhil Jabour of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj). “There is no justification for the West trying to relativize this scene, which is reprehensible under any ethical and moral code.”
Jabour, who has done research in Tibet, added that Tibetans do not like the spiritual leader. “They refer to a system that has maimed and tortured people and restricted women’s freedom,” added the professor, referring to the time when the Dalai Lama ruled the region.
But why then did the Dalai Lama ask a child to suck his tongue at a public event knowing it was being filmed?
So far there are no clear answers the Dalai Lama himself via his Twitter account he only apologized when his words offended the boy’s family or otherss, and just mentioned a hug, unrelated to kissing or tongue.
Allies defend leaders
Throughout the week, exiled Tibetan officials who also live in Dharmsala in northern India came to defend the Dalai Lama.
Tibetan MP Dawa Tsering defended the Dalai Lama, calling the forced kiss a “joke”. “It’s all part of playing with a child. We should not go beyond that.”he explained in an interview with the Al Jazeera network.