"Sticking one's tongue out is a form of greeting and respect in our tradition, as touching the forehead and nose are also gestures of love and greetings, just as every culture has its own way of showing respect, greetings and loving gestures," a statement from the association reads.Īccording to a 2014 essay published in the University of California Berkley's e-journal Cross-currents: East Asian History and Culture Review, the tradition began in the ninth century, during the reign of an unpopular king called Lang Darma, who was known for his black tongue. In another email to CTVNews.ca, the Tibetan Association of Alberta (TAA) explained that to stick one's tongue out carries a different meaning in Tibet, where the Dalai Lama was born in 1935 and lived until he was exiled to India by the Chinese Government in 1959, than it does in North American and European countries. While we recognize that the interaction may appear inappropriate to those who are unfamiliar with Tibetan ways of expressing affection, humour and teasing, we firmly believe that the interaction was motivated by compassion and love, with no intention to cause harm." "We believe that the incident has been misconstrued due to a lack of cultural and contextual references. "The recent allegations against His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are deeply concerning to us," the Tibetan Women's Association of Ontario told CTVNews.ca in an emailed statement. However, Tibetan Canadians and supporters of the Dalai Lama in Canada say the video has been taken out of context by a largely Western audience that lacks an understanding of Tibetan cultural customs. The video surfaced again after the Dalai Lama issued a statement last Monday explaining he often "teases people he meets" in the manner shown in the video, and apologizing for any harm his actions caused the boy and his family. The footage triggered a backlash online, with social media users condemning the spiritual leader's behaviour as inappropriate and disturbing. Then, he tells the boy to suck his tongue, which he sticks out for a few seconds, prompting laughter from the audience. In the video, the Dalai Lama speaks to the boy for a moment, hugs him and kisses him on the lips. He was taking questions from the audience when the boy asked for a hug.
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