‘Cultural misinterpretation’: Tibetans in Vancouver clarify viral video involving Dalai Lama
Posted April 24, 2023 11:15 am.
Last Updated April 24, 2023 11:19 am.
A large group representing the Tibetan community gathered in downtown Vancouver Sunday afternoon as demonstrators hoped to clarify an incident involving the Dalai Lama’s public interaction with a child.
The incident was captured on video back in February, and his holiness is seen kissing the child on the lips while heard telling the kid to “suck my tongue.” The backlash online was rapid, as social media users accused the Dalai Lama of engaging in grooming and pedophilia.
Folks gathered in Vancouver to clear any perceived wrongdoing of Tibet’s highest spiritual leader saying that type of interaction is not uncommon in their culture.
“All he did was show affection and compassion towards this person, it has been blow of out proportion. And that’s why we’re gathered here in protest,” one demonstrator said.
“It’s a long video, but only a small clip was aired. It seems like some social media influencer actually did this purposely to defame his holiness.”
The Dalai Lama apologized for the incident less than two weeks ago. A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident and wished to “apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.”
But organizers of the gathering in Vancouver say the continued online accusations feel like an attack on their culture and way of life.
“He represents the highest ideal of Tibetan culture, life, and the Buddhist way of life. So, in that sense, it’s very demoralizing for everyone,” said a member of the Tibetan Cultural Society of BC, who wished to remain anonymous.
This member claims within Tibetan culture, there is nothing perverted about an elderly person sticking their tongue out towards a child.
“The actual word is ‘eat my tongue’ – it’s been misinterpreted and mistranslated.
“It basically means I have nothing else to give you, so, you can eat my tongue. It’s the ultimate way of an [elderly member] expressing [themselves towards] a child. This is a very normal interaction.”
Going one step further, the anonymous member believes it was an act of compassion.
“We say we live in a multi-cultured world, but our understanding of different cultures is very superficial. Within Tibetan culture context, there is nothing sexual about the tongue.
“As a minority community in B.C., this is our response. We are responding to say ‘listen’, whatever you think is happening, we as Tibetan are completely behind the Dalai Lama.
“This is one way for community members to air out their own distress in a public space. It’s very cleansing.”
“Which basically means, i have nothing else left to give you. It’s like the ultimate way of (elderly member) expressing themselves to a child.”
“This is a very normal interaction.” pic.twitter.com/EItmeZz8o5
— Michael Williams (@1130Williams) April 23, 2023
