Ryan
Learning follows in the footsteps of doing. In that spirit, I am a lifelong do-er. I am currently working towards a bachelor's degree in software engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Previously, I worked with iD Tech as an online instructor, where I mentored aspiring young developers and creatives in topics such as game design, programming, and 3D modeling.
Champa - Tibetan Teacher
While in Dharamshala, I had the opportunity to talk with Champa, a Tibetan man who lived a nomadic lifestyle in Tibet until he was 8 years old, when he made the treacherous journey to India. Champa teaches Tibetan language, dance, and music at a college near Dharamshala.
Below is my interview with Champa.
What was your childhood like in Tibet?
“I had a nomad life until the age of eight. I spent eight years in nomad society, so with the animals and farm. Then I moved to a town, just to get the chance to study. I did class 1 from when I was eight years old. The school fees and the tax were high. Because of this reason, my family planned to send me away to India. Learning in India is free of cost, and I would have more freedom there. So they managed to send me away to here. When I was in Tibet, the tax was very strange. There were two semesters: the first semester, you had to give 20kg of animal bones to China. I don’t know what they did with these bones. In another semester we had to give 20kg of paper: books, textbooks, whatever. Animal bones are okay for us, because we have animals with us, and we eat a lot of meat. The books are difficult for us, because I am the only one who goes to school, so for the whole family, I am the only one. Even my textbooks didn’t weigh that much, so I had to go over here, over there, just to collect the books for the tax.”
What were your favorite parts of nomadic life?
“I liked the freedom. We had lots of freedom. It’s almost like the whole mountain area belongs to one family. There are never more than two tents in an area, one tent for one family. This is because we have lots of animals that need to graze. More families mean more animals. More animals mean more grass for them to feed on. To make sure the animals have a lot of things to eat, there will not be more than two families on a very big grassland. We have a lot of freedoms. We don’t have much vegetable seed. We have only green vegetables to eat in the summertime, of course wild ones, mainly edible green leaves. The ones on the mountains that grow between the stones, and in the forest, there are mushrooms and things during the rainy season. We used to boil them. If you wanted to have vegetables in the winter, you would collect as much as you can in the summertime. Then we would boil them, and squeeze it out. After that we would dry it. In the winter time, when we wanted some in our meals, for thukpa or whatever, we would add some dry leaves to it. It would soak up the water and again be green. We don’t have fridge, but Tibet is very cold. In the summer there are many house flies that will damage the meat. We will put the meat in the ground. In the wintertime, we put all the meat in a yak skin, and put that underground. The meat will deepfreeze. We eat a lot of meat, for all meals, including breakfast. We put the raw flesh, without boiling, in Tsampa.”
What was education in Tibet like?
“My life in Tibet, was kind of hard really, and not just because of too much torture from Chinese government. It was a hard life because from my schooling to my childhood life. The schooling fees were high, and the teachers were not good. They would play mahjong during the class time. They would keep the students inside, and go play mahjong. When the bell rang, they would ask “did you do the homework?” or “did you do the classwork?”. If you did not do them, then they would beat you up. They don’t teach much. Most of the time the students were alone in class. Only a few teachers were good. The government itself was biased. They had separate schools for Chinese students and Tibetan students. The students of Chinese officials had another school, which was very highly rated. We call it Red Flag school. They had 5 red flags as their symbol. It was the top school, the top. The Tibetan village boys had another school, with very poor facilities. It was our school, but it doesn’t feel like our school. We only learned Chinese language, Tibetan language, and mathematics. We had social studies, science, and history, but only textbooks… no one to teach us these. We even had music and sports, but these were just an off-period, we had no teacher. We spent from 9am until 6pm in school. We had a lunch break, when we would walk home for lunch, then walk back. My home was 30 minutes away by walk.”
Is there anything you want people to know about Tibet?
“When you say Tibet, people think the conditions are the same across Tibet. For example, when you talk with a Tibetan from the Kham region, they will have a different experience from someone living in U-Tsang, who in turn has a different experience from someone in Amdo. I want the people to know the real history of Tibet. Not that everyday Chinese people are killing Tibetans. This does not happen every day. I want people to know the truth. I do not want people to exaggerate it. Just tell the truth. Don’t blame the Chinese people. It is not the Chinese people, it is the Chinese government that is killing, not the people. I had a Chinese friend when I was in school. They must learn the history, but more than that they must know the truth, the whole truth.”
Can you tell me about your experience traveling from Tibet to India?
“I had an easier journey than most of the kids leaving Tibet. Most of them had to walk for almost 3 months over snow-capped mountains. I had an easier route to take. It was in April of 2004. I needed a Khampa guide, because I did not understand the Lhasa dialect, only Chinese and the Kham language. I did not have a passport visa, so she took me to a river that is on the border of China and Nepal. In one night I crossed the border. The guide was waiting for me on the other side in a hotel. From there I went to the Nepal Tibetan Reception Center. I stayed there for two months. Most people must stay there for four months. From there I was sent to Delhi Reception Center. I reached there in the morning, and I left that evening. This was the first time I experienced the heat of Delhi. I walked on the roof barefoot; it was like walking on a white-hot iron sheet. I never felt that kind of heat in Tibet. Tibetans consider India a very clean, and well-developed nation, because Buddhism flourished from India. In Tibetan’s mind, India is a big place.”
What do you think it means to be a Tibetan?
“Most important is to be cultured as a culture. It doesn’t matter if your mom or dad is Tibetan. You need to think like a Tibetan and follow their culture. Do that and you are Tibetan. Even if both your parents are Tibetan, and you don’t follow the cultural, you are not truly Tibetan. It does not mean modern ideologies can’t exist, or that you should always wear the Chupa; however, sometimes you must wear the Chupa. There is a Chinese guy called Lobsang Tashi. He is purely Chinese, but the way he talks, acts, and thinks is purely Tibetan. He calls himself a Tibetan. In 1959, he was in the Tibetan army.”
What do you do to try and preserve Tibetan culture?
“I joined this college to learn Tibetan language. I believe language is the root to preserving a nation. If we can’t preserve our language, how can we preserve our identity. Without language, how do we differentiate ourselves from different cultures, different nations. When we maintain a strong culture and strong language, we will be able to stay independent of other cultures and nations. I want to become a Tibetan teacher. If I can become a good teacher, the Tibetan language can survive longer. On top of this, I learned almost all the Tibetan musical instruments. If I become a teacher, I can not only teach the language, but I can also teach the instruments. This is my way of contributing to my community and society. We have a two month holiday for the summer here. During this time, I go to TCV, and teach the kids the Tibetan language and Tibetan instruments.”
Have you thought about trying to go back to Tibet?
“I am homesick most days. I miss my parents, because I haven’t seen them in 14 years. I don’t have any relatives in India, so most of the time I am alone, as I don’t have any people to support me financially, morally, or mentally. I feel like I am alone. When I see the Tibetan guys with kids, spending time with their families, I feel jealous. At these times I think, okay, I must go back to Tibet and spend time with my family. I have my own family over there, I must see them. But when I think of my career, or my freedoms, I remind myself that it is okay that I don’t see them, but I must serve my community, I have to learn the real Tibetan history and language. I will achieve nothing if I go back to Tibet. I will not be able to teach the real grammatical Tibetan if I go back. It is no use. I would waste all my 14 years in exile, so it is better to stay here.”
Can you tell me a little more about your family back in Tibet?
“I talk with them sometimes, but it is kind of hard. I get the chance to talk to them, but it is not safe to talk too much with them. Their life would be in danger. In Tibet, I have my grandmother, my mom, my dad, and my other 5 siblings. But my father and mom and divorced, living separately. When I came from Tibet, I had 6 siblings, but one of them passed away when I reached India, and my grandfather passed away during the earthquake of 2010. There was a big earthquake in Tibet in 2010, it happened in my hometown.”
Can you share some of your concerns and hopes for Tibet?
“I just hope that the Dalai Lama can live longer. He is the emblem of Tibet. If he passed away, then I think the Tibet issue will cool down. Right now, the Tibet issue is a hot subject, it is still breathing. I hope the world can pay more attention to the Tibet issue, and that the world leaders will give more support to the Tibet issue when the Dalai Lama is still breathing. I wish the world leaders will take and hold this chance to help and support Tibet. Even if we do not gain independence, I hope world leaders will help China accept the midway approach.”
What can I do to help the Tibetan causes?
“You can do a lot of things. You know so many things about the Tibetan people, it’s different. People can read about Tibet in books, but if you come and experience the real life of Tibetans, you will have more to tell, more than in books. You spend a lot of time in Tibetan society in a Tibetan college with Tibetan students, so you can share your point of view. You can tell people what Tibetans here think, what they hope for, and what they need. When you go back to America, talk about the Tibet issue with your friends. Some of them will show curiosity towards the issue, and they might pay more attention. One by one, you can draw attention to the Tibetan issue.”
Do you have any interest in obtaining an Indian citizenship?
“I have never had that intention. I don’t think I will need any nations citizenship. As a Tibetan, no other citizenship is for me. Other people may prefer another nation’s citizenship, for the goodness of the Tibet issue. I don’t think this helps. If I get an Indian citizenship, I am an Indian. If I go to the UN and say we are not free, we need freedom, what is that we? Tibetan, or Indian. The UN will say, you are getting full freedom in India, what are you barking about. If I want to fight for Tibet, I must use my own identity to fight, not another nations identity. This is more like someone supporting Tibet, not someone fighting for their own nation. From my point of view, the ones who are getting another nation’s citizenship are doing it to make their life easier. For example, if you have an Indian citizenship, you are free to travel all around the world. If you don’t have that citizenship, you can’t go out. I think my identity as Tibetan is enough to fight for my own nation.”
Where do you stand on the issue of fighting for independence vs autonomy?
“I just snatched $100 bill from you. Do you want $50 back, or the whole $100? I would not say just give me the $50 back, I am not a fool. This is the situation. However, China is strong, so some people say there is no way to get back pure independence, and that it is better to live under Chinese rule. The Chinese are planning to genocide the Tibetan culture. Before the Chinese succeeds, if we can get control of our own culture and religion, then the autonomous region is fine. However, if we want our own culture, language, religion forever, then independence is best. When we say independence is best, the elders say, how can you fight for independence? If you fight, you alone will have to fight thousands of Chinese soldiers. Do you have weapons, armor? This is the way some elders think.”
Champa - Tibetan Teacher