This is a festive (though bittersweet) week for the diaspora of Tibetans in exile throughout the world, and for Tibetans still living in their homeland. It is the 80th birthday of the Dalai Lama and celebrations this week are a colorful culmination of a month of prayers that Tibetans have offered in honor of their spiritual leader.
I have been there with my friends from the Seattle Tibetan community as young and old have come together at their Tibetan Buddhist monastery for pre-birthday events. It's been quite a month and I have made more pictures than I can/should ever post here.
The bittersweet part of these gatherings is that I'm sure my Tibetan friends would rather that they and the Dalai Lama could be celebrating this birthday back in their homeland, rather than in exile.
Members of the Seattle Tibetan community tossed barley flour into the air Sunday (a festive Tibetan custom.) And there was a cake with candles (a birthday party tradition that Tibetans have adopted from their American friends.) Of course, as is always the case when these devout people come together, there were prayers.
The Dalai Lama, as one might guess, cannot possibly attend all the parties that Tibetans, worldwide, are holding for him, and he was not in Seattle as my friends celebrated.
The absence of the Guest of Honor did not stop my friends -- resilient in so many ways -- from honoring their leader.
