What is Lhakar?

 

Lhakar Diaries was created to honor the Lhakar movement, a non-violent, non-cooperation movement of civil resistance happening inside Tibet. Lhakar, meaning ‘White Wednesday.’ It is a significant day to Tibetans as it is the day the Dalai Lama was born, known as his ‘soul day.’ It is a single day out of the week ordinary men and women actively resist China’s occupation by supporting Tibetan businesses, eat Tibetan food, wear Tibetan clothing, speak Tibetan language and celebrate the Tibetan identity. Lhakar is about celebrating Tibetan culture and engaging in civil resistance. Such acts of resistance are clear examples of the resolve of the Tibetan people and are clear signs of the next phase of the Tibetan freedom struggle. This blog was created in order for young Tibetans on the outside to stand in solidarity with Tibetans fighting for the survival of their nation and identity.

We are a team of young Tibetans around the globe, highlighting these examples of civil resistance inside Tibet. Our blog serves as a platform to promote similar actions on the outside, showing our solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet. In this spirit, Lhakar Diaries publishes posts from our contributors all around the world, and encourage young Tibetans out there to share their writing, music, art, anything that contributes to exploration and empowerment of the Tibetan identity.

We also hope this space will be used to demystify ideas about Tibet and bust stereotypes of Tibetan people. Although we want to make Lhakar Diaries a platform for the voices of Tibetans, we welcome supporters (allies) to send us urgent posts if and when a Tibetan voice cannot reach us. For example, see “The Voice of Tawu” in which Gabrielle served as a medium to bring us “The Voice of Tawu” in the form of an anonymous interview.  The emphasis must always be the voice of Tibetans themselves.

 

 

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated the original posting about Lhakar by a Tibetan blogger, June 9, 2010 on tibet123.org (a site which was has since been shut down by Chinese censors). In the post, the blogger writes:

“The Lhakar Pledge”:

1. The Nature of the Movement

This modest movement called Lhakar comes from the fact that I am Tibetan, and it is like a note reminding us that we are Tibetan in our daily life. Through this movement, we restore, renovate and keep our language, culture, identity and tradition.

Through this technique we can keep the people of the Snowland’s soul language till the end of humankind. This technique helps us retain Tibetan culture, Tibetan good morals and the traditions which are born from our soul language. This technique is easy and it is meaningful.

2. Anticipation

This Lhakar movement began in anticipation as remedial medicine for hundreds of diseases for Tibetan brothers and sisters who live in every region. I hope that many Tibetan brothers and sisters will participate in this movement without any invitation and follow the eight promises or keep even one of them, and practice it. I am requesting all Tibetans to keep this pledge as I kneel down on my knees and humbly fold my hands on my chest, and make this request innumerable times.

Lhakar:

  • I am Tibetan, from today I will speak pure Tibetan in my family.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will speak pure Tibetan whenever I meet a Tibetan.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will remind myself every day that I am a Tibetan till I die.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will wear only Tibetan traditional dress, chuba, every Wednesday.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will speak only Tibetan every Wednesday.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will learn Tibetan language.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will stop eating meat and only eat a vegetarian diet and gain more merit every Wednesday.
  • I am Tibetan, from today I will only use Tibetan and speak Tibetan when I call or send a message to Tibetans

For more information, or if you’d like to contribute, please write us at lhakardiaries@gmail.com

Bod Gyalo!