By Tenzin Dawoe Tsewang
Sitting on a cold steel chair, I gazed at the faces of people gathered and felt a wave of sadness in my heart. One by one, those of us who had volunteered to shave our heads in solidarity for the Tibetans inside Tibet were called in front. “Father and daughter,” was announced. I stood up and approached the front of the line. As I looked to my left, I saw the small figure of my role model—my father whose morale and public service I deeply admire. Wrapped in a white banner with slogans printed in black and red ink, my head dropped in sorrow. I closed my eyes and mourned. Chunks of my soft black hair fell to the concrete floor. Rivers of painful warm tears ran uncontrollably down my cheeks. As I sat there, haunting images of protestors brutally suppressed by the Chinese authorities in Ngaba County flashed in front of my eyes. In those few minutes with the electronic razor, something in me transformed. I became a different person.
It was unexpected that my one gesture, captured in local newspapers the next day, would touch hearts of people beyond my circle of friends and family. I think what they saw in me was “sem-shuk” or passion—something that I did not think I possessed until that April morning. Through this experience, I realized that each one of us has the potential to impact change whether it be hanging a banner from Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco or holding a candle light vigil in the city of Santa Fe. However big or small the action, they help to remind us that human suffering is universal and it is in our hands to speak up and stand up to injustice—anywhere for that matter.
Even though many Tibetans of my generation living in-exile have never set foot in Tibet, our struggle for freedom and self-determination burns deep within us. As a 23 year old Tibetan woman born and raised in a refugee settlement in South India and later relocated under the vast turquoise sky of New Mexico, I still feel the pain of Tibet. My grandparents whom I have never met are few of the many thousands of unfortunate victims of colonization of their native land.
A Tibetan woman’s hair can be her pride and revered as a sign of beauty. My baldness portrays the barrenness that we Tibetans have felt for years, void of freedom and liberty, the greatest symbols of beauty there is in the world. It was only in the spontaneous uprisings starting in March of this year by the Tibetan people across Tibet that the global community bore witness to the suppression of Tibetans who demanded nothing short of basic human rights and self-determination. These widespread protests by monks, nuns, laypeople, and students inside Tibet galvanized acts of solidarity by individuals and communities around the world; it illuminated the message from Tibetans inside Tibet that they will not remain silent and that the exploitation of their culture, religion and language will not be tolerated any longer.
Being a bald Tibetan laywoman I felt vulnerable, different and constantly stared at but I gradually learned to transform such thoughts into something positive which deeply empowered me. I learned to look beyond the mundane comforts of life and to truly use my time wisely and carefully. I realized how important it is to educate oneself on the issue and to not only have a passion but also to use it effectively. Although acts like mine may seem minuscule on an individual scale, it is my hope that actions big and small together speak for people’s desire for an end to man-made human tragedies.
The anguish and struggle of Tibetans inside Tibet are rightfully our struggle for humanity. Even though our world is divided by various boundaries of geography, economy, culture and language, when it comes to the issue of human rights and human value, we ought to be on the same platform. Everyone in the world should be able to live in their country without fear of arbitrary arrest or torture. Each one of us matter- what we believe in, what we stand for, and most importantly how we act. Each time I stare in the mirror I am reminded of the courage of those who chose to take a stance for justice despite the inconceivable consequences. My hair is but a small offering for this timeless cause.
