Berkeley, California, July 09 – Tibetan Association of Northern California (TANC) celebrated the 70th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai lama on 6th July with cultural program from the Tibetan children and exhilarant classical Tibetan Folk songs and Opera songs from Chaksampa (Tibetan Dance and Opera Company) To further celebrate the joyous occasion of our beloved Leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai lama’s 70th Birthday, Tibetans in the Bay area gathered at the Marina Park on July 9th 2005 with their colorful brocade chupa, some came in their traditional heavy fur Chupa representing the region of their birthplace in Tibet, and the children with their adorable tiny chupa’s sat together facing a shrine of His Holiness the Fourteen Dalai lama saying prayers for his long life followed by a sangsol and a pot luck picnic.
To mark the auspicious 70th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Association of Northern California hosted Chaksampa to perform Tibetan Opera for our Tibetan Community in the Bay area on the evening of July 9th 2005 . Fourteen Chaksampa Artistes around the United States including some guest artistes from India Participated in the four hour long opera “SUKYI NYIMA” This is the First time a full scale Opera performance is performed in our community in the United States. Our guest of honor Mr. Chris Worthington (Berkeley Council member) and Mr. Pema Chonjor, ex-cabinet Minister of Tibetan government in exile with throngs of Tibetans and non-Tibetan friends attended the show. With detailed Introduction to the history of Tibetan opera by Ex TIPA director Mr. Ngodup Tsering, the four hour long opera began with enchanting ritual dance “Ngonpay don” followed by lahshung Sukyi Nyima. Everyone enjoyed the show with much amazement, laughter, and appreciation. Some elders keenly stretched their ears to listen to the opera songs nodding their heads with great satisfactions while some cracked with laughter to the satire the artistes so skillfully performed. Some Children danced along the rhythms of the drum and cymbal and occasionally trembled with fear with the different opera masked characters. The younger generations with the program booklet in their hand followed the Opera story with amazement. However, much to the trends of Tibetan Opera, everyone’s attention raised to the same heights as the Opera narrator announced entrance of each character on stage and when the satire were performed. “It was such a blessing to have the Opera Performance”, said the elders. Some youngsters claimed they never thought Tibetan Opera was such that interesting and the children of course found it very amusing. All in all it was such a grand celebration of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s 70th birthday and Tibetan Association of Northern California is happy to be able to promote this unique Tibetan opera culture on this auspicious day.
