The page below is ARCHIVED information related to a past initiative of Global Source Education, the parent organization of EduCulture. Though these are not current projects of EduCulture, we feel there are valuable resources and information for educational purposes.

Tibet Education Network (TEN) has built a vast, comprehensive collection of curricular, reference, and resource materials for elementary and secondary study of Tibet—the largest library focused on K-12 education in North America. TEN has also produced and published a number of handbooks (listed below), starter libraries, lessons, and other curricular support material for use in K-12 education.

Curricular Ideas for K-12 Educators

Preparation

You do not have to be an expert on Tibet to teach about this subject. Enjoy the process of inquiry with your students.

Think about how can you connect the study of Tibet to a global topic, issue or theme.

Create a Tibetan environment in your classroom with the Tibetan National Flag, prayer flags, incense, Tibetan religious or folk music, posters, photos…

Pre-Presentation Questions:

– What do you know about Tibet?

– What do you know about Buddhism?

– What is cultural survival?

– What makes a nation independent?

– What is self-determination?

Teach some Tibetan phrases: i.e. “Tashi Delek” (Tibetan Greeting)

Introduce Tibet through a story or current event

Use videos, slides, photographs

Invite guest speakers to your classroom

If possible, plan a field trip to a Tibet-related place in your area, i.e. Tibetan Monastery, exhibit

Use a question poster for students to write down questions that arise about Tibet which can be addressed later or when a guest speaker visits. It also allows the class to engage in group inquiry.

Share Tibetan artifacts with students: Tibetan coins or bills, prayer bowls, Tibetan clothing…

Presentation

Consider how traditional Tibetan society has been romanticized in the West. Where do these romantic images come from? What are the realities behind the myths about Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism?

Three Stages for Introducing the whole of Tibet

1. The Bright Side of Tibet: Celebrating Tibetan Civilization

2. The Dark Side of Tibet: Life Under Chinese Occupation

3. Hope for the Future in Tibet and in the Tibetan Diaspora

Examine the Tibetan situation from different points of view: Tibetan, Chinese, Western, Governmental vs. Non-Governmental, Local vs. Global

Examine the approaches to Conflict Resolution between Tibetans and Chinese

Examine the changing natural environment on the Tibetan Plateau

How do Religion and Government work together from Tibetan and Chinese points of view?

Examine the ancient wisdom from Tibetan Buddhist culture. What wisdom from a Tibetan world view can be useful for dealing with a modern world?

Identify keywords or phrases for explaining or discussing the Tibetan situation which help summarize or capture the essence of what students are learning about Tibet. For example:

Cultural Survival, Endangered Peoples, Strangers in their Own Land, Buddhist Holocaust, Population Transfer, Universal Responsibility, Diaspora

Have students identify cause and effect relationships concerning:

– The development of Tibetan civilization

– The circumstances that led to the Chinese invasion of Tibet

– The factors that threaten the Tibetan way of life in Tibet

Journal writing: Ask students to put themselves in the shoes of a:

Tibetan in Tibet, Tibetan Monk or Nun, Chinese Policeman in Lhasa or Merchant in Tibet, Chinese Government Leader, a Tibetan in exile, The Dalai Lama

Conclusion/Debriefing

Post-presentation questions or discussions

– What do you know about Tibet after this presentation?

– What is the Future of Tibet?

– Saving Tibet: Is it an ideal or a reality?

Consider Tibetan Buddhist Culture in other areas of the Himalayas:

i.e. Bhutan, Mustang, Dolpo, Sherpa Culture, Sikkim, Ladakh

Find common ground with other global conflicts, situations and experiences:

i.e. Burma, East Timor, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Israel/Palestine, Holocaust in Europe, Native American Experience

Brainstorm ways to express social activism surrounding the Tibetan situation

Buddhism teaches being mindful in every day life. How can the concept of mindfulness be an educational tool for creating better study habits and creating greater awareness of oneself and the world around us?

Taxonomy for Debriefing

1. What did you experience?

2. What did you learn from the experience?

3. How will you think or act in the future as a result of the experience?

4. What can you do about it?

5. What will you do about it?

_______________________________________________

Where is Tibet?
Here is an organizer, developed by Tibet Education Network at Global Source, for educators and students to examine multiple perspectives surrounding Tibet as a process of inquiry.

Where is Tibet…

in the World?
on a Map?
to Tibetans in Tibet?
to Tibetans in the Diaspora?
to The Fourteenth Dalai Lama?
to the Chinese Government?
to Chinese Citizens?
in the Western Imagination?
to US Government?
to US Citizens?
to India?
in Geo- Politics?
in the United Nations?
on the World Stage?
as a Field of Study in K-12 Education?
in K-12 Classrooms?
in Text Books?
in Age-Appropriate Source Materials?
in Your Curricula?
© 2000 Global Source Education

Questions for the Study of Tibet

Questions for Class Discussion and Assignments

How has the geography and natural environment of Tibet helped shape Tibetan culture?

How has Buddhism influenced Tibetan culture?

What made traditional Tibet, before Chinese occupation in the 1950’s, a civilization?

What is unique about traditional Tibetan society and culture?

How has Tibet and Tibetan culture changed since Chinese occupation?

Explain the People’s Republic of China’s claim that Tibet is part of China.

Explain the Tibetan Government in exile’s claim to independence.

How has the Dalai Lama’s approach to resolving the conflict in Tibet, and the issue of Tibet’s independence, differed from the approach taken by the Chinese government?

What similarities can you notice between traditional Tibetan culture and traditional culture of native peoples of the Americas? What do these peoples have in common in the way they were colonized? What current political, economic, social and religious issues do both the Tibetan and American Indian situations share?

Before 1950, Tibet was able to maintain one of the last few traditional ancient civilizations. Explain why.

What have The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government in exile, and exiled Tibetans done to preserve their cultural heritage and maintain their struggle for Tibet’s independence?

Make connections between the Tibet-China conflict and that of other global conflicts.

Why do you think so much of the world knows so little about the Tibetan situation? Why is the Tibetan situation is not a prominent issue in international politics?

What can we learn from Tibetan culture and the Tibetan situation?

What will be the future for Tibetans and Tibet?

Discussion Questions for the Study of Modern Tibet

How do you define the Tibetan issue?

What is the People’s Republic of China’s claim to Tibet?

What is China’s interest in Tibet: historical & current?

How do Tibetans define their claim to Tibet as an independent nation?

What makes a nation independent?

What progress have the Chinese made in modernizing Tibet?

How has Tibet changed (in the areas of geography, politics, culture, religion, and economics) since 1959?

What has been international reaction and response (political, economic, human rights) to the Tibetan situation? Why have so few Heads of State and official governments supported an independent Tibet?

How has the Chinese Government reacted to foreign intervention or diplomacy on behalf of the Tibetan situation?

Define Diaspora.

What caused the Tibetan Diaspora?

How have Tibetans in exile maintained their cultural heritage?

What is life in exile like for a Tibetan?

Why do Tibetans not have official refugee status from the United Nations?

How do young Tibetans in exile, who have never been to Tibet, feel about their traditional homeland and the Tibetan Question?

Do all Tibetans feel the same about Chinese occupation?

What is the current status of The Tibet Autonomous Region?

What human rights abuses exist in Tibet?

How does the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights relate to the Tibetan issue?

How has the United Nations reacted to and addressed the situation in Tibet?

Can Tibetans freely leave Tibet?

Can exiles return to or visit Tibet?

What is self-determination?

Are Tibetans entitled to self-determination?

Should the Chinese government leave Tibet?

How would the Tibetan Government in exile structure an independent Tibet?

What changes would be made from pre-1959 Tibet?

What has been the Tibetan reaction and response to Chinese occupation (non-violence vs. guerrilla warfare)?

Is adopting a non-violent approach a better way to work toward conflict resolution?

What is The Dalai Lama’s position on conflict resolution?

What organized efforts in India and the West exist to continue the struggle for a free Tibet? What can American citizens do to get involved ?

How has the issue of trade and human rights affected American foreign relations with China?

What is the function of non-governmental organizations like the International Campaign for Tibet?

How can the situation in Tibet be a model for understanding larger global issues?

What other global conflicts are similar to the one between China & Tibet?

How has the global community reacted to these other situations?

What do we have to learn from a better awareness of Tibetan culture, Tibetan Buddhism and the current Tibetan situation?

Do you think it is possible to save Tibetan civilization from extinction?

What can you do to make a difference in the Tibetan situation?

Words for Reflection

The reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

From the moment of birth every human being wants happiness and wants to avoid suffering. In this we are all the same. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

We rely so much on each other and are so interconnected that without a sense of universal responsibility, a feeling of universal brotherhood and sisterhood, and an understanding that we really are part of one big human family, we cannot hope to overcome human suffering, let alone bring about peace and happiness. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not a luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

Many times I am asked if I am angry at the Chinese for what has happened. Sometimes I lose some temper, but afterwards I get more concern, more compassion towards them. In my daily prayer, I take in their suffering, their anger, and ignorance…and give back compassion. This kind of practice I continue. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

While the rest of the world was busy exploring outer space, we Tibetans were busy exploring inner space. —Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

For as rain forests are to the earth’s atmosphere…so are the Tibetan people to the human spirit in this time of its planetary ordeal. —Huston Smith, from The World’s Religions

Why is it that the fate of Tibet has found such a deep echo in the world? There can only be one answer: Tibet has become the symbol of all that present-day humanity is longing for, either because it has been lost or not yet been realized or because it is in danger of disappearing from human sight: the stability of a tradition, which has its roots not only in a historical or cultural past, but within the innermost being of man, in whose depth this past is enshrined as an ever-present source of inspiration. —Lama Anagarika Govinda, from The Way of the White Clouds

Tibetans are masters of ritual. Incense; chanting; circumambulation around temples and prayer walls; rhythmic beating of drums and cymbals; receiving blessings by holy monks, or lamas; recitation of mantras; the spinning of prayer wheels are all enacted for the benefit of both the individual and the overseeing deities. Emphasis on ritual provides almost every Tibetan —whether they live in Tibet itself, or in refugee communities scattered throughout India, Nepal, Switzerland or North America —with a deeply satisfying connection to both Buddhism and Tibetan culture. —Edie Farwell and Anne Hubbell Maiden, The Wisdom of Tibetan Childbirth, In Context, No. 31

When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth, and the Dharma will come to the land of the red men. —Padmasambhava, Indian Buddhist Guru who helped to spread Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century, A.D.

When the iron bird flies, the red-robed people of the East who have lost their land will appear, and the two brothers from across the great ocean will be reunited. —from the Book of Hopi

The word “genocide” must be used with care. Our world and our century have seen countless abominable massacres, and it is easy to slip into the use of the word to denote such atrocities. We should, however, restrict it to those crimes before high heaven which are truly designated by it. If we do so, and if we consider only the last sixty years, there are four such mass murders which can justifiably carry the terrible brand. They are: the Jewish Holocaust, the Stalin Terror, the bloodthirst of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and what was done to the people and culture of Tibet during the miserable lust for death and torture unleashed by the mad Mao Tse-tung under the name of “The Cultural Revolution”. —Bernard Levin, The Times, September 7, 1990 (Introductory Quote From Mary Craig’s, Tears of Blood: A Cry of Tibet)

Chinese are betrayed by their mistrust. Tibetans are betrayed by their hope. —Jamyang Norbu in Red Flag Over Tibet

If the valley is reached by a high pass, Only the best friends or worst enemies are visitors. —Tibetan Proverb

Chip … chip. That’s the sound of Tibetan civilization being hacked away —Melinda Liu, China Invades Tibet —Again, Newsweek, April 3, 1995

Silence is consent. —Michel Peissel, opening quote from Cavaliers of Kham: The Secret War in Tibet.

For as long as space endures, And for as long as sentient beings remain, Until then may I too abide To dispel the misery of the world. —Shantideva, from A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, A common dedication prayer for Tibetan Buddhists.

Wisdom is the bliss of seeing through the delusion of self-preoccupation to reveal the underlying dimension of freedom. Compassion is the expression of such bliss to others. Compassion is also sensitivity to other’s suffering. -Robert Thurman, from Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet

Not long before his death, the great historian Arnold Toynbee was asked to name what he considered to be most significant event or phenomenon of the 20th century. It was not one of the great world wars, nuclear fission, television, or the computer. It was, he said, “the coming of Buddhism to the West.” —from The Utne Reader, March/April 1993

Compiled by Tibet Education Network. Taken from: Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook for Educators, by Tibet Education Network (see The Global Source Catalog)

Glossary

Political Terms Associated with Modern Tibet

autonomous self-governing

defacto Something generally accepted or agreed to without any formal decision in its favor. (Latin: in fact)

Diaspora The flight, scattering, or migration of a people from their country or homeland.

exile A person separated from his or her native land. Prolonged separation from one’s country, as by force of circumstances.

independence A nation, state, or territory not under the control of any other power.

legitimate government A government generally acknowledged as being in control of a nation and deserving formal recognition, which is symbolized by the exchange of diplomats between that government and the governments of other countries.

nation A body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or possess a government peculiarly its own.

People’s Republic of China (PRC) The government of China set up in 1949 after communist forces under the leadership of Mao Tse Tung took control of the country.

self-determination (national) The collective right of a people to choose to view themselves as a distinct nation and freedom of a people to determine the way in which they should be governed.

sovereignty A nation or state’s supreme power within its borders.

suzerainty The position or power of a state exercising political control over a dependent state.

theocracy A nation or state in which the clergy exercise political power, an in which religious law is dominant over civil law.

Tibet Autonomous Region The official title given to Tibet by The People’s Republic of China in 1965. Regional borders of historical Tibet were redefined by China.

Tibetan Government-in-Exile The Tibetan government of The Dalai Lama holding power in Tibet prior to the Chinese occupation, reformed in exile and operating out of Dharamsala, India.

Xizang Chinese for western treasure house; The Chinese’ historical name for Tibet.

References:
The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1991.
Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, Random House, New York, 1992.

Timeline of Tibetan History

416 or 127 BC Nyatri Tsenpo becomes first Yarlung King, builds Yambulagang Palace in Yarlung Valley.

627 AD Songtsen Gampo, known as Tibet’s first great religious king, succeeds his father, the 32nd Yarlung King, who had, at the turn of the century, begun to unify many of Tibet’s kingdoms.

649 AD Tibet is unified under the rule of Songtsen Gampo, Tibet’s First Great Religious King: – Minister Thomi Sambhota creates Tibetan alphabet from Sanskrit – Codifies laws – Buddhist temples are constructed

754 AD Trisong Detsen, known as Tibet’s second great religious king, takes the throne. Padmasambhava, Indian Buddhist Master, is invited to Tibet by Trisong Detsen to pacify traditional Bon faith and help spread Buddhism in Tibet.

c. 779 Samye,Tibet’s first Buddhist monastic university, is created by Trisong Detsen and Padmasambhava. First seven Tibetan Buddhist monks are ordained. Major Buddhist texts, translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan.

c. 792 Trisong Detsen declares Buddhism state religion of Tibet.

815 Tri Ralpachen, also known as Trisug Detsen, Tibet’s Third Great Religious King, takes the throne.

821-22 Treaty between Tibet and China

c. 836 Tri Ralpachen dies and his half brother, Langdarma, takes throne suppressing Buddhism in Central Tibet and re-establishing Bon as dominant religion.

842 Langdarma is assassinated by a Buddhist monk. The unified state of Tibet collapses.

988-1069 Tilopa, founder of Kagyu Sect of Tibetan Buddhism

1012 Marpa, “the translator”, is born.

1040 Milarepa, student of Marpa, and great poet saint, is born

1042 Second Dissemination of the Doctrine of Tibet, the revival of Buddhism, led by Atisha, a great Buddhist master brought to Tibet from India.

1073 Khon Konchok Gyalpo builds Sakya Monastery in Southern Tibet.

1207 Ghengis Khan occupies Tibet.

1249 Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) is appointed Tibetan Viceroy by Mongols.

1253 Phagba (1235-1280) succeeds Sakya Pandita in Mongol Court and becomes religious teacher for Kublai Khan.

1260 Kublai Khan appoints Phagpa Imperial Preceptor of Tibet. Sakya sect holds political and religious authority in Tibet.

1357 Tsongkhapa, founder of Gelugpa order of Tibetan Buddhism,is born.

1409 Ganden, first Gelugpa Monastery, is founded by Tsongkhapa. 1578 Altan Khan, Mongol Ruler over Tibet, bestows title of Dalai Lama, “Ocean of Wisdom,” upon Sonam Gyatso (actually Third Dalai Lama)

1624 Antonio de Andrade, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, believed to be first western visitor to Tibet, sets up mission in Western Tibet.

1642 The Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, given rule of Tibet by Mongol leader Gushri Khan.

1720 Manchu overlordship (Ching Dynasty) of Tibet. Chinese Ambans set up office in Lhasa.

1903-04 As a result of The Great Game for Central Asia, a British Expedition, led by Younghusband, invades Tibet from India. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso flees to Mongolia (until 1908). Border and trade agreement signed.

1910 Chinese troops invade Lhasa. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama flees into exile in India.

1911 Ching Dynasty falls. Republic of China is formed after civil war.

1912 Chinese Ambans expelled from Tibet. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama returns to Tibet.

1933 Simla Conference 1933 The Thirteenth Dalai Lama dies.

July 6, 1935 The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is born in Amdo.

1939 The Fourteenth Dalai Lama is installed in Lhasa.

1947 India becomes Independent from British colonial rule.

1947-48 Tibetan trade delegation visit US and Europe using Tibetan passports.

October 1, 1949 Mao Tsetung leads Communist Revolution creating People’s Republic of China (PRC)

1950 Chinese Communist Red Guard invades Eastern Tibet. Khampa Guerrilla Resistance movement is formed to fight invading Chinese army. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, at 16, takes political and spiritual control of Tibet

May 1951 Tibetan Delegation and Chinese Gov’t in Beijing signs 17 Point Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet.

1954 The Dalai Lama goes to Beijing for meetings with Chairman Mao and Chinese leaders.

March 1959 Lhasa Uprising against Chinese occupation. The Dalai Lama flees into exile in India.

1960 United Nations Resolution 1353 (XIV) on Tibet

1961 United Nations Resolution 1723 (XVI) on Tibet

1965 United Nations Resolution 2079 (XX) on Tibet

1965 Tibet named “Tibet Autonomous Region” by People’s Republic of China.

1966-77 China’s Cultural Revolution in Tibet

1984 China’s Cultural Revolution in Tibet

1986 Tibet opened to foreign tourism by PRC.

Sept 1987 Five Point Peace Plan proposed by The Dalai Lama.

June 1988 Strasbourg Proposal by The Dalai Lama.

September 1988 United States Congress Resolution 129 on Tibet

January 1989 The Tenth Panchen Lama, second holiest Monk in Tibetan Buddhism, dies. Soon after search for his incarnation begins.

March 1989 Martial Law imposed in Tibet Autonomous Region.

Marchh 1989 United States Senate Resolution 82 on Tibet

April 1989 Hearings on Tibet and Human Rights, Bonn, Germany

May 1989 United States Congress Resolution 63 on Tibet

October 1989 The 14th Dalai Lama wins The Nobel Peace Prize.

1991 International Year of Tibet

April 1991 The Dalai Lama meets President Bush.

April 1993 The Dalai Lama first meets President Clinton.

May 1993 Largest demonstrations in Lhasa since 1989

May 1995 The Dalai Lama recognizes six year old Gendun Choekyi Nyima as reincarnation of Panchen Lama. Soon after he and his family are taken into Chinese custody, and new search is conducted by PRC.

September 1995 United Nations Women’s Conference held in Beijing

September 1995 The Dalai Lama meets President Clinton and Vice President Gore.

Nov 1995 The State Council of the PRC confirms Gyaltsen Norbu as their selection of the 11th Panchen Lama.

Curricular and Resource Materials for the Study of Tibet

in K-12 Education developed by Tibet Education Network

Landscapes and Lessons of Cultural Survival: A Course Handbook for the 2001 National Summer Teacher Institute on the Study of Tibet in K-12 Education
By Jon Garfunkel and Tibet Education Network at Global Source. This course handbook contains 40 pages of curricular ideas and curricular themes, over 20 pages of suggested sources, and over 50 age appropriate readings, lessons, maps, and other support materials for developing a unit of study on Tibet. This is the most developed curricular resource for the study of Tibet in K-12 education.
Binder. 360 Pages.

Compassion and Cultural Survival: A Course Handbook for the 2000 National Summer Teacher Institute on the Study of Tibet in K-12 Education
By Jon Garfunkel and Tibet Education Network at Global Source. This course handbook contains curricular ideas and curricular themes, pages of suggested sources, and age appropriate readings, lessons, maps, and other support materials for developing a unit of study on Tibet.
Binder. 360 Pages.

Praise for TEN’s Course Handbooks:

“Your [Tibet Institute Course Handbook] has to be the best resource for teaching about Tibet in existence!” – Senior Program Director, Primary Source, Boston, MA

“Impressive and Highly Useful” – Editor, Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies, Indiana University, about our Tibet Institute Course Handbook.

Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook for Educators
By Jon Garfunkel & Tibet Education Network, 1998, 1999. 2000. 2001. Sixty pages of curricular and resource materials produced to support K-12 educators. Included in the Handbook: why teach & learn about Tibet, curricular ideas for Tibetan studies, essential questions, maps, facts, historical timeline, suggested bibliographies, videography, resource information, on-line resources, and ideas for broadening one’s Tibetan experience.

Presenting Tibet: A Slide Package for Educators
By Jon Garfunkel & Tibet Education Network, 1996, 2000. Fifty slide images covering Tibet and the Tibetan Diaspora, with over 150 pages of curricular ideas, supporting materials, lessons, readings, and suggestions for further study. The slides have annotated descriptions and accompanying support materials to assist educators in custom designing a presentation, and larger unit of study, on Geography and Natural Environment of Tibet (including three maps), People and Traditional Culture, Tibetan Civilization, Historic and Religious Sites, Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Art, Modern Tibet, The Tibetan Diaspora,The 14th Dalai Lama and 11th Panchen Lama. Presenting Tibet is appropriate for all ages and for educators working in almost any discipline, and is also useful for community and advocacy groups working to increase public awareness of Tibet. This is the only multimedia educational introduction to Tibet of its kind.

When The Iron Bird Flies: A Handbook on Tibetan Cultural Survival
Edited by Jon Garfunkel and the Milarepa Fund, 1995. A comprehensive handbook and starter library for educators and students. The Handbook features over 250 pages of primary, secondary and reference source material selected to introduce teachers and students to the wealth of educationally friendly source material reading on Tibetan civilization, Tibet under Chinese occupation, and the future of Tibet.

Tibetan Buddhist Mandalas: A Cross-Cultural Lesson
By Jon Garfunkel, Tibet Education Network and Seattle International Children’s Festival, 1997. A hands-on lesson plan that teaches students about Tibetan Buddhist mandalas and allows them to make their own mandala incorporating their world view and using compassion as the main theme. Student materials include an introductory reading, sheet of questions, and a mandala making worksheet. Also included in Course Handbooks and Presenting Tibet.

Tibetan Prayer Flags: A Cross-Cultural Lesson Plan
By Jon Garfunkel &Tibet Education Network, 1997. A hands-on lesson plan that teaches students about Tibetan prayer flags and allows them to make prayer flags expressing their own hopes, wishes, and prayers. Materials include an introductory reading with instructions for making prayer flags and a prayer flag outline worksheet. Also included in Course Handbooks and Presenting Tibet.

The World’s Youngest Political Prisoner
By Jon Garfunkel, 1999. An article about The 11th Panchen Lama. Featured in The Culture of Tibet, “Faces: Peoples Places and Cultures,” Cobblestone Publishing October 1999. TEN Director, Jon Garfunkel, was also a consulting editor for this Faces Issue. Also included in Course Handbooks and Presenting Tibet.

Deconstructing a Lhasa Uprising: Understanding the Tibetan Situation, A Lesson in Multiple Perspectives. By Jon Garfunkel &Tibet Education Network, 1998. Included in Course Handbooks and Presenting Tibet.

The Bodhisattva Ideal: An Introductory Reading. By Jon Garfunkel &Tibet Education Network, 1998. Included in Course Handbooks and Presenting Tibet.

The Potala Palace, An Introductory Reading. By Jon Garfunkel & Tibet Education Network, 1998. Included in Presenting Tibet.

Tibetan Portrait: The Power of Compassion, Curricular Ideas & Student Worksheets. By Jon Garfunkel, Tibet Education Network and Phil Borges, 1997. Supporting educational materials to accompany the exhibit and book of the same name, photographs by Phil Borges.

Tibet in Seattle: A Reader and Resource Guide
Edited by Jon Garfunkel, Tibet Education Network, 1995. A collection of newspaper and magazine stories about the Seattle Tibetan community dating back to its beginning in 1960.

The 14th Dalai Lama

THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET

To Tibetans, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama is their temporal and spiritual leader. The Chinese government considers him a “splittest”, causing trouble among Tibetans in the Chinese Motherland. The Dalai Lama considers himself “a simple Buddhist monk.” He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent approach to resolving the Tibet-Chinese conflict. He is recognized as a global leader for his efforts towards achieving world peace. His message is of universal responsibility and compassion. On many levels, The Dalai Lama walks in the footsteps of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Dalai Lama has had a fascinating personal life, and is well known for his charismatic, yet humble, presence. He is an excellent role model for teaching about global leadership, compassion, and a non-violent approach to conflict resolution.

“True compassion is universal in scope. It is accompanied by a feeling of responsiblity.”
—Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

We rely so much on each other and are so interconnected that without a sense of universal responsibility, a feeling of universal brotherhood and sisterhood, and an understanding that we really are part of one big human family, we cannot hope to overcome human suffering, let alone bring about peace and happiness.
—Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

_______________________________________________

Questions for Discussion and Assignments

How was the 14th Dalai Lama discovered?

Who is the Dalai Lama and what does he represent to Tibetans? What was the role of the Dalai Lamas in Tibet before 1959?

Why did the Dalai Lama win the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize?

What is the Dalai Lama’s position on conflict resolution?

How is the Dalai Lamam viewed and treated by the Chinese government?

Why are images of the Dalai Lama currently banned in Tibet?

What is the Dalai Lama’s current position on Tibet? How has it changed over the course of 40 years attempted negotiations with Chinese leadership?

How has the Dalai Lama’s approach to resolving the conflict in Tibet, and the issue of Tibet’s independence, differed from the approach taken by the Chinese government?

What have The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government in exile, and exiled Tibetans done to preserve their cultural heritage and maintain their struggle for Tibet’s independence?What have The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government in exile, and exiled Tibetans done to preserve their cultural heritage and maintain their struggle for Tibet’s independence?

Curricular Ideas

Use the life of the 14th Dalai Lama to examine and discuss leadership skills. Have students study about the early life of the 14th Dalai Lama (through biographies or films like Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet). What leadership skills did the Dalai Lama need to have when he was asked to assume his formal responsibilities as head of state when he was only a teenager? Have students explore and express how they would have dealt with becoming leader of an occupied country in the midst of a national uprising.

Have students explore how the Dalai Lama’s training as a Buddhist monk and temporal leader has influenced his non-violent practice of conflict resolution.

Compare and contrast the lives of Mohandas Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Fourteenth Dalai Lama as leaders of human rights movements, practitioners of non-violence conflict resolution, and global models for peacemaking, compassion and social justice.

Grades K-4
Suggested Source Materials for the Study of Tibet for Grades K-4

The Dalai Lama: A Biography of the Tibetan Spiritual and Political Leader
Written and Illustrated by Demi. A biography of The 14th Dalai Lama for juvenile readers. Beautifully illustrated and written in simple language. Cloth. 31 Pages. Henry Holt & Co., 1998.

A Dog’s Tooth
Text by W.W. Rowe, Illustrated by Chris Banigan. A retelling of a classic Tibetan tale of deception and faith in which a young man who fails to obtain a sacred relic for his dying mother gives her a dog’s tooth instead. Uniquely illustrated in a multimedia of paintings and photographs. Cloth. 31 Pages. Snow Lion Publications, 1998.

Explore Tibet
By Kimberly Evers & Newark Museum Junior Museum Staff. This activity book features teaches young people about traditional Tibetan culture with cut-outs of Tibetan nomads, yaks, tents, recipes, mask making, glossary and board game. Recommended as a text for grades K-3. Paper. 33 Pages. Snow Lion Publications, 1992.

The Mountains Of Tibet
Written and Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. After dying, a Tibetan woodcutter dies is given the choice of going to heaven or living another life anywhere in the universe. A beautifully illustrated, award-winning story for all ages. A wonderful tale of reincarnation. Paper. 24 Pages. Harper & Row, 1987.

Our Journey From Tibet
Written by Laurie Dolphin, Photographs by Nancy Jo Johnson. Documents the journey of a nine year old girl who, with a group of children, illegally escapes Tibet over the Himalayas for a education in the Tibetan exile community of Dharamsala, India. Based on a true story, with the actual photographs from this journey. Includes a letter from The Dalai Lama. One of the few books to age-appropriately introduce students to issues of human rights, cultural survival, migration, and the refugee experience for elementary education (Grades 3 and up). A number of ESL educators have found this book a valuable teaching tool. It was taken out print in 1999, but is still available through Tibet Education Network at Global Source. Cloth. 40 Pages. Dalton Children’s Books, 1997.

Prince Siddhartha: The Story of the Buddha
Written by Jonathan Landaw, Illustrated by Janet Brooke. The story of Prince Siddhartha and how he became the (historical) Buddha, the Awakened One, and founder of one of the world’s great religions. One of the few accessible biographies of the Buddha written for young people. Paper. 142 pages. Wisdom, 1984.

Tara’s Coloring Book
Illustrated by Andy Weber & Nigel Wellings, Text by Jonathan Landaw A coloring book of traditional Tibetan Buddhist art. Detailed text explains history and philosophy behind religious figures and symbols, along with coloring instructions. Great for art projects. Paper. 12 outlined plates. Wisdom, 1979.

Tibet: Tintin’s Travel Diaries
By Daniel de Bruycker. Explores the geography, history, traditional culture, religion and current situation in Tibet combining educational text with Herge’s original cartoons and contemporary photographs. One topic per two pages. Recommended as a text for grades 3-5. Paper & Cloth. 75 Pages. Barrons Educational Series, 1995. (out of print)

Tibet through the Red Box
Written and Illustrated by Peter Sis. A son finds his father’s diaries of travel in Tibet during the 1950’s and imagines his journey in a mystical land on the verge of being absorbed by Communist China. Based on the diaries of the author’s father, who was a Czech filmmaker while hired by the Chinese Government to document the building of a railroad into Tibet, deals with the impact it will have on an ancient society. A provocative story, beautiful illustrated, for children and adults that explores a child’s memories of a father whose work took him to mysterious, far off places. A Caldecott Honor Book. Cloth. 55 Pages. Farrer, Straus and Giroux, 1998.

Special Tibet Issue of Faces
Faces: Peoples Places and Cultures, the well-known children’s magazine, dedicated their October 1999 issue to learning about Tibet. It features ten articles and stories, three activities, and other resources covering a broad scope of Tibetan issues, including The 14th Dalai Lama, Singer Yungchen Lhamo, Dharamsala, traditional Tibetan celebrations, a Tibetan Cultural Center in the US. TEN Director, Jon Garfunkel, was a consulting editor, and contributed an article about The 11th Panchen Lama. Recommended as a student reader the study of Tibet for grades 4-9. Paper. 46 pages. Cobblestone Publishing, 1999.

Halpern, Gina, Where Is Tibet?, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1991

Leo, Veronica & Daknewa, Tashi, The Three Silver Coins, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1995

Raimondo, Lois, The Little Lama of Tibet, Scholastic Inc., New York, 1994

Reynolds, Jan, Himalaya: Vanishing Cultures, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, San Diego, 1991

Schroeder, Alan, The Stone Lion, C. Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1994

Stewart, Whitney,To the Lion Throne, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1990

Little Buddha (video) A young boy from Seattle is identified as the incarnation of a Tibetan Lama, interspersed with flashbacks to scenes from the life of the historical Buddha in ancient India. A Bernado Bertalucci Film. Filmed in Seattle. Feature Film. 1994. 123 minutes. Themes: Tibetan Buddhism & Monastic Culture , Historical Buddha, Tibetan Diaspora

Compiled by Tibet Education Network at Global Source.

Grades 5-8

Suggested Source Materials for the Study of Tibet: Grades 5-8

The 14th Dalai Lama: Spiritual Leader of Tibet
By Whitney Stewart. A well-researched biography of The Dalai Lama, discussing the history of Tibet and the role this global leader plays in his country’s spiritual and political life. Includes many photographs. Cloth (Lib. Bound). 128 pages. Lerner Publishing, 1996.

The Art of Exile: Paintings by Tibetan Children in India
Remarkable, powerful paintings by Tibetan refugee children, tell of their lives in Tibet, escaping into exile, life in India and their hope for a future Tibet. Includes interviews, photographs and essays. Visit their website to find out more about the origins and current status of this art project. Educators can seek permission through the website to reprint certain paintings for classroom use. Paper. 135 Pages. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1998

The Geography Coloring Book
By Wynn Kapit. The best educational atlas Global Source has seen. Students learn about geography with this interactive, sophisticated coloring book covering the world in great detail through maps and text. Originally designed for use in higher education, it has become popular in secondary school classrooms. The only atlas that identifies the political geography of Tibet, along with many other countries of conflict. Paper. 150 Pages. Longman, 1999.

Tibet (Children’s Press Enchantment of the World Series)
Written by Ann Heinrichs. A through overview of Tibet, covering geography, history, culture, religion, politics, The Dalai Lama, and monastic life, with “Facts at a Glance” section and index. Lots of pictures with descriptions. Great as student research source and/ or text. An excellent text and research tool for students in grades 5-9. Cloth (Lib. Bound). 160 pages. Children’s Press, 1996

Tibet (Lands, Peoples, Cultures Series)
By Bobbie Kalman. An excellent reader covering the whole of Tibet, with chapters on geography, history, culture, nomadic life, Tibetan Buddhism, Tibet under Chinese rule, The Dalai Lama, and festivals. Includes glossary and index. Recommended as a classroom text for grades 5-8. Paper. 32 Pages. Crabtree Publishing Co., 1990

Tibet: Enduring Spirit/Exploited Land
By Robert Apte and Andres Edwards. A comprehensive case study of traditional Tibetan land use and ecological wisdom, contrasted with the current, endangered natural environment resulting from Communist Chinese rule. Recommended as a text for high school or college. Cloth. 175 Pages. Heartsfire, 1998.

Tibetan Folk Tales
By Fredrick & Audrey Hyde-Chambers. A collection of 26 traditional Tibetan folk tales that invoke the spiritual wisdom, humor, and cultural heritage of these people from the Roof of the World. Written to honor the oral tradition of Tibetan storytelling. Unfortunately, this book is out of print. Paper. 186 Pages. Shambhala, 1981.

Gibb, Christopher, The Land Of Snows: A History of Tibet, Book One, Tibetan Children’s Village, Dharamsala, 1984

———-, Independence to Exile: A History of Tibet, Book Two, Tibetan Children’s Village, Dharamsala, 1984

Kundun (video)
The story of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama from his birth in 1935 to his escape into exile in 1959, during the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Authentic recreation of life in Tibet starring an all Tibetan cast. A Martin Scorcese film, written by Melissa Mathison. Feature Film. 1998. 135 minutes. Themes: Biography, History, Tibet-China Relationship, Non-violence, Compassion, Leadership

Compassion In Exile: The Story of The 14th Dalai Lama (video)
An award winning film about the life of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama and overview of the current situation in Tibet, including many interviews. Documentary. 1992. 60 minutes. Themes: Biography, Human Rights, Cultural Survival, History, Exile Experience, Compassion

Home to Tibet (video)
A Tibetan exile living in the United States returns to visit his family in Tibet, then leaves with his niece whom he takes to a Tibetan refugee community in India for their formal education. Documentary. 1995. 55 minutes. Themes: Exile Experience, Current Tibetan Situation

Little Buddha (video)
A young boy from Seattle is identified as the incarnation of a Tibetan Lama, interspersed with flashbacks to scenes from the life of the historical Buddha in ancient India. A Bernado Bertalucci Film. Filmed in Seattle. Feature Film. 1994. 123 minutes. Themes: Tibetan Buddhism & Monastic Culture , Historical Buddha, Tibetan Diaspora. Read the book: McGill, Gordon, Little Buddha, Berkley Books, New York, 1994

Mustang: The Hidden Kingdom (video)
Journey of a high Tibetan Lama from Dharamsala, India sent by the Dalai Lama to the Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang, in Nepal to teach and find two young children to bring back to India for a formal education. Produced for the Discovery Channel, narrated by Harrison Ford. Documentary. 1994. 90 minutes. Themes: Tibetan Diaspora, Traditional Tibetan Culture, Tibetan Buddhism, Geography

Tashi Jong: A Traditional Tibetan Community in Exile (video)
An award winning documentary about villagers from a community in the Kham Province of Tibet who flee their homeland after the Chinese occupation and resettle as a community in the foothills of Northern India. The lama who arranges this resettlement named their village Tashi Jong or Auspicious Valley, and helped create a self-sustaining Tibetan enclave in exile The film offers a model for the sustainability of traditional culture, once insulated from the outside world, now redefining itself in a modern world. A valuable cross-cultural source for teaching students (grade 5 & up) about elements and patterns of culture and the growing trend of vanishing traditional culture. Documentary. 1999. 45 minutes. Themes: traditional culture, exile experience, diaspora, sustainability, education, cultural survival.

Tibet In Exile (video)
Follows a group of young Tibetan children who have escaped from Tibet and their introduction and socialization into the Tibetan exile community of Dharamsala, India. Documentary. 1991. 30 minutes. Themes: Exile, Migration, Diaspora, Education, Human Rights, Cultural Survival

Compiled by Tibet Education Network at Global Source

Grades 9-12

Suggested Source Material for Grades 9-12

The below have been compiled by Tibet Education Network at Global Source as recommended as suggested source material for grades 9-12 and useful introductory and background source material for teacher education. It is not an exhaustive resource but does cover the broad landscape of available resources for the study of Tibet.

Ama Adhe: The Voice That Remembers
By Adhe Tapontsang The autobiography of an extraordinary Tibetan woman who survived 27 years in Chinese labor camps for resisting the occupation of her homeland with remarkable courage and strength. Since leaving Tibet in 1987, she has become an international spokeswoman for the Tibetan struggle and champion for human rights everywhere. Paper. 258 Pages. Wisdom, 1998.

The Anguish of Tibet
Edited by Petra Kelly, Gert Bastian, and Pat Aiello An important collection of 24 essays, articles, and speeches, on the current Tibetan situation, with a blend of Tibetan and non-Tibetan scholars, political leaders and activists speaking about Tibetan history, the Chinese occupation, the issue of independence, human rights, environmental issues and political initiatives. Includes appendices of primary source documents from Treaties to UN Resolutions. Paper. 382 Pages. Parallax Press, 1991.

The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk
By Palden Gyatso. The remarkable story of a Tibetan monk who spent 25 years in a Chinese prison enduring incredible hardship and suffering for the strength of his beliefs. He leaves prison in 1992 with the tools of torture used to interrogate him, which he smuggles out of Tibet to help tell the world his story. A compelling biography of the resilience of the human spirit. Paper. 232 Pages. Grove Press, 1997.

The Buddhist Handbook
By John Snelling. A comprehensive survey of Buddhist teachings, history, schools, practice and resources. Recommended as preparation reading for educators and as course material for students. Paper. 337 Pages. Inner Traditions, 1991.

Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture
By Dagyab Rinpoche. An authoritative investigation, with brief commentaries, on the nine best-known groups of symbols in Tibetan culture. An excellent reference source for studying Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan religious art. Paper. 147 Pages. Wisdom, 1995.

Demystifying Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of the Land of Snows
By Lee Feigon. An authoritative overview of Tibetan civilization and history, examining the global perspectives which have shaped our image of Tibet. Written by a professor of East Asian Studies, with detailed footnotes. Recommended as a text for high school and college courses. Paper. 241 Pages. Ivan Dee, 1996.

Feminine Ground: Essays on Women & Tibet
Edited by Janice Willis. A collection of essays by scholars that explore women issues and female role models in ancient and contemporary Tibet. Paper. 164 Pages. Snow Lion, 1989.

In Exile from the Land of Snows
By John Avedon. Considered a primer on the current Tibetan situation, recounting the modern history of Tibet from 1933 through the Chinese invasion, the exile of The Dalai Lama and the evolution of the contemporary Tibetan Diaspora. With chapters on the Tibetan resistance movement, Tibetan medicine, and Tibet’s Chief Oracle. This updated edition contains a useful timeline and an in-depth interview with The Dalai Lama. Recommended as a text for high school students. Paper. 456 Pages. HarperCollins, 1997.

In The Footsteps of Gandhi: Conversations with Spiritual Social Activists
By Catherine Ingram. Twelve interviews with a variety of inspirational leaders, including The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Cesar Chavez, Joanna Macy, Ram Dass, Joan Baez and Gary Snyder. A great source of wisdom to help examine issues of social justice and social responsibility. Paper. 284 Pages. Parallax Press, 1990.

My Land and My People
By Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. This initial autobiography of The Dalai Lama written a few years after his escape into exile in 1959, describing the loss of his country and the struggle maintain an ancient culture in an emerging Diaspora. Written during his mid-20’s, this book is an excellent source for teaching young adults about responsibility and leadership. Recently republished with new introduction and forward. Paper. 231 Pages. Warner Books, 1998 (1962).

The Mystical Arts of Tibet
By Glenn Mullin & Andy Weber. A survey and exhibition of Tibetan arts. Part One introduces the reader to Tibet, Buddhism, and themes in Tibet art, followed by chapters on creating sacred images, sand painting, and sacred music and dance. Part Two features exhibits the personal objects of The Dalai Lama and sacred objects from the Drepung Loseling Monastery, with a closing chapter on maintaining the traditional Tibet art forms in exile communities of India and Nepal. A recommended source for introducing a study of Tibetan art and connecting this function of culture with the larger study of Tibet. Paper. 165 Pages. Longstreet Press, 1996

Open Heart, Clear Mind
By Thubten Chodron. An introduction to Buddhist philosophy and practice written for a western audience. The author, an American Tibetan Buddhist Nun, offers a Buddhist approach to daily life in clear and engaging language. Written for those new to Buddhism and for people who have studied and practiced for years. Includes an insightful and thought-provoking section on working with anger. Paper. 216 Pages. Snow Lion, 1990.

Orphans of the Cold War: America and The Tibetan Struggle for Survival
By John Kenneth Knaus. The history of the Tibetan Resistance against Communist Chinese occupation and America’s involvement in the conflict from the 1950’s through the 1970’s. Knaus is a former CIA Officer who was one of the core team for Tibet Mission, now an associate at the Fairbanks Center for East Asian Research at Harvard. This books makes a valuable contribution to documenting and revealing a little known, but essential part of modern Tibetan history. A valuable source for for the study of American foreign policy during the Cold War years. Paper. 395 Pages. Public Affair, 1999.

A Portrait of Lost Tibet
Written by Rosemary Jones Tung, Photographs by Ilya Tolstoy and Brooke Dolan. A thematic view of traditional Tibetan society and culture prior to 1949, with 131 black and white photographs from Americans on an official visit to Tibet during the early 1940’s. Recommended for those studying Tibetan civilization. You can read the story of the Tolsoy-Dolan expedition in “Across Tibet from India to China”, National Geographic, August 1946. Paper. 224 Pages. U. California Press, 1980.

Seven Years in Tibet
By Heinrich Harrer. The autobiographical story of an Austrian mountain climber who escapes a British internment camp in India during WWII to Tibet, and becomes a personal tutor of the young Dalai Lama. A classic travel tale which offers an intimate outsider’s view of Lhasan society prior to the Chinese occupation. A good book for an English Lit. or Humanities class. The 1998 Hollywood film of the same name makes a good visual companion for discussing the book. See the section on Heinrich Harrer for additional support material. Paper. 329 Pages. Tarcher, 1998 (1954).

The Snow Lion’s Turquoise Mane: Wisdom Tales from Tibet
By Surya Das. A large collection of traditional Tibetan tales and spiritual parables, translated and edited by a western Tibetan Buddhist teacher. Paper. 255 pages. Harper Collins, 1993.

Tibet: Enduring Spirit/Exploited Land
By Robert Apte and Andres Edwards.A comprehensive case study of traditional Tibetan land use and ecological wisdom, contrasted with the current, endangered natural environment resulting from Communist Chinese rule. Recommended as a text for high school or college. Cloth. 175 Pages. Heartsfire, 1998.

The Tibet Guide
By Stephen Batchelor. An updated edition of the best guide for travel in Central, Southern and Western Tibet, offering rich detail and context for visiting monasteries, nunneries, and other traditional Tibetan institutions. One of the few to deal openly with contemporary issues in Tibet. Written by a leading scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, the introductory chapters on land and people, the history of Tibet, and Tibetan Buddhism are thorough and informative. The appendices contain useful information on preparing for a trip, getting to Tibet, iconography, Tibetan language, and glossary of key terms. Paper. 350 Pages. Wisdom, 1997.

Tibet Outside the TAR: Control , Exploitation and Assimilation, Development with Chinese Characteristics
By Steven Marshall and Susette Ternent Cooke. This is a thoroughly researched, detailed educational tool for examining the demographics and development of Tibetan areas absorbed into Chinese provinces outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. CD ROM. Alliance for Research in Tibet, 1997.

Tibet: The Issue is Independence
Edited by Edward Lazar. Eight personal essays by Tibetans-in-exile address the Tibetan issue that the world avoids. A great source for Tibetan voices. Paper. 92 Pages. Parallax Press, 1994.

When the Iron Bird Flies: A Handbook on Tibetan Cultural Survival
Edited by Jon Garfunkel and the Milarepa Fund. An excellent resource or starter library for educators and students. This comprehensive handbook features valuable primary, secondary and reference source material selected to introduce teachers and students to the wealth of educationally friendly source material reading on Tibetan civilization, Tibet under Chinese occupation, and the future of Tibet. Binder. 261 Pages. The Milarepa Fund, 1996.

The Wisdom Teachings of The Dalai Lama
Edited by Matthew Bunson. Collected wisdom excerpted from teachings, speeches, and writings of The Dalai Lama, organized into sections on Buddhism, religion, human rights, non-violence, universal responsibility, and the occupation of Tibet. Recommended as a curricular resource. Paper. 257 Pages.

The World’s Religions / The Illustrated World’s Religions
By Huston Smith. A thoroughly detailed and insightful view of the world’s religions from one of the leading scholar’s of Comparative Religious Studies. Widely used as a high college and college text. Paper. 391 Pages/255 Pages.

Special Tibet Issue of Faces, October 1999
Faces: Peoples Places and Cultures, the well-known children’s magazine, dedicated their October 1999 issue to learning about Tibet. It features ten articles and stories, three activities, and other resources covering a broad scope of Tibetan issues, including The 14th Dalai Lama, Singer Yungchen Lhamo, Dharamsala, traditional Tibetan celebrations, a Tibetan Cultural Center in the US. TEN Director Jon Garfunkel, was a consulting editor, and contributed an article about The 11th Panchen Lama. Recommended as a student reader the study of Tibet for grades 4-9. Paper. 46 pages. Cobblestone Publishing, 1999.

Special Tibet Issue of New Internationalist, December 1995
New Internationalist magazine (based in the UK) dedicated their December 1995 issue to Tibet, providing the reader with a series of engaging stories which cover a wide scope of Tibet issues. This still-timely feature includes nine articles, a map, two-page fact sheet, a visual history of Tibet, and photographs. New Internationalist gives complimentary copyright permission for educational use. Recommended as a student reader the study of Tibet for grades 5 and up. Paper. 23 pages. New Internationalist, 1995.

Videography

Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh
Based on the work of Helena Norberg-Hodge. The ancient Tibetan culture of Ladakh, in the Himalayas of Northern India, struggling between tradition and way of life and modern development. Themes: Ecology, Environment, Sustainability, Patterns of Life Documentary. 60 minutes. Intl Society for Ecology & Culture. 1993.

Compassion In Exile: The Story of The 14th Dalai Lama
An award winning film, by Mickey Lemle, about the life of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama and overview of the current situation in Tibet, including many interviews. Themes: Biography, Human Rights, Cultural Survival, History, Exile Experience, Compassion Documentary. 60 minutes. Lemle Pictures. 1992.

Dalai Lama: Soul of Tibet
A historical and contemporary look at the life of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. Produced by CBS News for the A&E biography series. Themes: Biography, History, Tibet-China Relationship Documentary. 50 minutes. A&E Home Video. 1997.

Dreams of Tibet
Examination of the western imagination and current popular culture surrounding Tibet compared with reality of the current Tibetan situation. Produced for PBS Frontline. Hosted by Orville Schell. Themes: Myth, Media, Foreign Interest in Tibet Documentary. 60 minutes. Frontline/PBS. 1997.

Home to Tibet
A Tibetan exile living in the United States returns to visit his family in Tibet, then leaves with his niece whom he takes to a Tibetan refugee community in India for their formal education. A film by Alan Dater and Lisa Merton. Themes: Exile Experience, Current Tibetan Situation Documentary. 55 minutes. Marlboro Productions. 1995.

Inside Tibet
Rare black and white footage of the 1942 trip to Tibet by United States OSS (former CIA) Officers Brooke Dolan and Ilia Tolstoy, sent on fact finding mission during WWII by President Roosevelt. They receive warm Tibetan hospitality and meet the young Dalai Lama. Themes: Tibet prior to Chinese Occupation, Traditional Culture and Society of Lhasa Documentary. 39 minutes. 1943.

Kundun
The story of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama from his birth in 1935 to his escape into exile in 1959, during the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Authentic recreation of life in Tibet starring an all Tibetan cast. A Martin Scorcese film, written by Melissa Mathison. Themes: Biography, History, Tibet-China Relationship, Non-violence, Compassion, Leadership Feature Film. 135 minutes. Touchtone Pictures. 1998.

Little Buddha
A young boy from Seattle is identified as the incarnation of a Tibetan Lama, interspersed with flashbacks to scenes from the life of the historical Buddha in ancient India. A Bernado Bertalucci Film, shot on location in Seattle, Kathmandu, and Bhutan. Themes: Tibetan Buddhism & Monastic Culture , Historical Buddha, Tibetan Diaspora Feature Film. 123 minutes. Miramax Films. 1994.

Mandala: The Sacred Circle of Vajrabhairava
Follows the construction of a Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala, with a detailed introduction of this sacred process and its meaning. Includes segment of a 3-D computer animated mandala. Themes: Tibetan Buddhist Culture, Buddhist Philosophy, Tibetan Religious Art Documentary. 35 minutes. South Mountain Productions. 1997.

Mustang: The Hidden Kingdom
Journey of a high Tibetan Lama from Dharamsala, India sent by the Dalai Lama to the Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang, in Nepal to teach and find two young children to bring back to India for a formal education. Produced for the Discovery Channel, narrated by Harrison Ford. Themes: Tibetan Diaspora, Traditional Tibetan Culture, Tibetan Buddhism, Geography Documentary. 90 minutes. The Discovery Channel. 1994.

Red Flag
Over Tibet Chronicles the Tibetan situation from Chinese invasion through 1992 APEC Conference. Visits to Tibet, Dharamsala, and US. Interviews with political figures connected with Tibetan issues. Themes: History, Current Tibetan Situation, Human Rights, Geo-Politics Documentary. 60 minutes. Frontline/PBS. 1993.

Seven Years in Tibet
The story of Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer who, after escaping from a WWII British Interment Camp, makes his way to Lhasa, Tibet and develops a close relationship with a young Dalai Lama, at the time of the Chinese Communist Revolution and invasion of Tibet. Authentic recreation of traditional Tibetan society. Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Themes: History, Traditional Tibet, The Young Dalai lama, Cross-Cultural Relationship Feature Film. 136 minutes. Mandalay Entertainment. 1997.

(The Original) Seven Years in Tibet
A 1950’s British documentary of Harrer’s journey to Tibet (see above), using original color film of Tibet taken by Harrer in 1949-50. A mix of dramatic re-creation and actual footage. Themes: Rare Footage of Tibet prior to the Chinese Occupation Documentary. 79 minutes. Seven League Production. 1957.

Tashi Jong: A Traditional Tibetan Community in Exile
An award winning documentary, by Barbara Green, about villagers from a community in the Kham Province of Tibet who flee their homeland after the Chinese occupation and resettle as a community in the foothills of Northern India. The lama who arranges this resettlement named their village Tashi Jong or Auspicious Valley, and helped create a self-sustaining Tibetan enclave in exile The film offers a model for the sustainability of traditional culture, once insulated from the outside world, now redefining itself in a modern world. A valuable cross-cultural source for teaching students about elements and patterns of culture and the growing trend of vanishing traditional culture. Grade 5 & up. Themes: Traditional Culture, Exile Experience, Diaspora, Sustainability, Education, Cultural survival. Documentary. 45 minutes. Tibetan Video Project. 1999.

Tibet: The End of Time
Examination of Tibetan Civilization and Current Tibetan Situation. Part of Time Life’s “Lost Civilizations” Series. Narrated by Sam Waterson. Themes: Civilization, Traditional Culture, Buddhism, History, The Dalai Lama, Exile Experience Documentary. 48 minutes. Time-Life Video. 1995.

Tibet In Exile
Follows a group of young Tibetan children who have escaped from Tibet and their introduction and socialization into the Tibetan exile community of Dharamsala, India. A film by Barbara Banks and Meg McLagan. Themes: Exile, Migration, Diaspora, Education, Human Rights, Cultural Survival Documentary. 30 minutes. Tibet in Exile Video Project. 1991.

Some of these videos may be available to rent or purchase through your local video store. Others are available through the Snow Lion Catalog (800) 950-0313. Many, and more, can be rented from the Office of Tibet (212) 213-5010. An extensive annotated list of Tibet-related videos can be accessed on-line at: www.tibet.com

Periodicals & Discography

News Tibet, The Office of Tibet, New York, NY, (212) 213-5010

Tibet Brief, International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, San Francisco, CA, (415) 252-5967

Tibet Press Watch, International Campaign for Tibet, Washington, DC, (202) 785-1515
World Tibet News, an on-line international news clearinghouse featuring Tibet-related articles from international media sources, you can search their website and/or sign onto a list-serve for daily articles on Tibet, this service is based in Canada: www.tibet.ca

Discography

Cho
By Choying Drolma and Steve Tibbetts. A moving, inspiring musical project of east meets west which has received international acclaim. Choying Drolma and the nuns of Nagi Gompa sing Tibetan Buddhist songs accompanied by guitarist Steve Tibbetts and other Western musicians. Recorded at a Tibetan Nunnery in Kathmandu. CD /Cassette. 50 Mintues. Rykodisc. 1997.

Compassion
Produced by Michael Fitzpatrick. The first recording to combine east-west chanting, featuring Tibet’s world-renowned Drepung Loseling Monks, the revered Abbey of Gethsemani Monks, and some of the finest instrumental musicians from around the world. Inspired by the historic meeting and friendship between Thomas Merton and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it also features words by both spiritual leaders. Recorded in The Cathedral of St. John the Divine. CD. 2000.

Compassion in Exile: The Story of the 14th Dalai Lama
A film by Mickey Lemle, music composed by Philip Glass. In this intimate portrait of the Dalai Lama, we also see the moving story of the brutal treatment endured by the Tibetan people at the hands of the Communist Chinese. The Dalai Lama speaks with unprecedented candor about his upbringing and key moments in his life while his countrymen bear witness to their personal ordeals.

The Cup
The year is 1998 and the World Cup has just been kicked into high gear. Bur for four monks living deep in the Himalayas, watching their favorite sport isn’t only difficult–it’s forbidden. As soccer fever heats up, the young monks break the rules, sneak out of the monastery, and risk their futures in a madcap adventure that’s all for the love of the game.

Dhama Suna
By Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. A rich collection of traditional Tibetan folk music performed by some of the best singers and musicians in the Tibetan Diaspora, along with sacred chants by The Gyuto Monks. 19 selections with liner notes and translations. Some selections were featured in the film, Seven Years in Tibet. CD. 71 Minutes. Warner Music. 1997.

Ethics for a New Millennium
Mystic Fire Video. Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks of the need for an inner transformation as a prerequisite to a new and transformed outer world in the coming millennium. WIth warmth, directness, and humor, he urges us to link individual happiness to an ethical vision of the world in which we care about others. Adopting an approach that blends realism and optimism, he recommends ways in which each of us can begin to make inner changes that will affect these problems.

Freedom Chants from the Roof of the World
By The Gyuto Monks, Philip Glass, Mickey Hart, Kitaro. Two meditative, ritual chants by the world famous Tibetan monks of Gyuto Tantric University (India) during their first 1988 American Tour. Both are over 25 minutes. The third track is a composition by Philip Glass, Mickey Hart, and Kitaro peformed during a concert by the Gyuto Monks at Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Informative liner notes. CD/Cassette. 68 minutes. Rykodisc. 1989.

Quiet Mind: The Musical Journey of a Tibetan Nomad
By Nawang Khechog. This world musician remembers his Tibetan nomadic roots with nine soothing, meditative instrumentals, playing a Tibetan bamboo flute, didgeridoo, and Incan pan pipes. Great for reflective activities or quieting a classroom. CD/Cassette. 55 Minutes. Sounds True. 1991.

Tibet: Heart of Dharma
This CD and booklet introduce listeners to the Buddha’s teachings and the music they inspired through the Tibetan monastic chant and music. Four recordings feature the monks of Drepung Monastery (India) and the fifth selection feature the monks Khampagar Monastery (India). The booklet covers the basics of Buddhism, major figures and deities within the Tibetan tradition, and background of the two featured monasteries. CD & 64 Page Booklet. 62 Minutes. Ellipsis Arts. 1996.

Tibet, Tibet
Yungchen Lhamo Ten devotional and traditional offerings by one of the divas of Tibetan song. Since Yungchen Lhamo escaped Tibet in the 1980’s, she has used her beautiful voice to tell the world of her country’s plight. Since she signed on with Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, she has become an international artist educating people about the Tibetan spirit and struggle for survival. You can find a story on Yungchen Lhamo for young adult readers in Faces magazine, October 1999. CD. 47 minutes. Real World. 1996.

Suggested Resources for Educators

Ethics for the New Millenium
By His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama discusses a Buddhist view of ethics with a universal lens for addressing global issues in the next century and beyond. This book is a great pathway to engage a dialogue in any classroom or educational circle about the human condition and what it takes to cultivate humanity in a global society, from one who is felt by many to be one of our greatest models. Its no accident this book was a NY Times Bestseller for months. Cloth. 237 Pages.

Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of The Dalai Lama
By Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. The later autobiography of The Dalai Lama documenting his remarkable life from childhood through the 1980’s. Full of engaging personal reflections, historical accounts, meetings with world leaders, and the spiritual strength that has kept him focused on his responsibilities as a religious and political leader campaigning to regain his homeland. Paper. 271 Pages. HarperCollins, 1990.

Tibet: My Story
By Jetsun Pema. The autobiography of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s younger sister. She tells of her life in Tibet before the Chinese occupation and describes the formation of the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala, India. During the early years of the Diaspora in she was given the responsibility of starting the Tibetan Children’s Village and later became the first woman minister in the Tibetan Government in Exile. An excellent look at the value of education in the struggle for cultural survival. Paper. 245 Pages. Element, 1997.

Teaching and Learning about The Panchen Lama

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (Ge-duun Cho-kee Nee-ma), born in Tibet on April 25, 1989. At the age of six, he became the world’s youngest political prisoner, and has not been seen nor heard from in public by the since. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was not imprisoned for anything he had done, but because of who people believe him to be: The Panchen Lama of Tibet. This story is not only about the human rights of this one Tibetan. The case of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is about the future leadership and survival of his religion, Tibetan Buddhism.

It is also about the larger conflict between two countries, Tibet and China, which have been immersed in a tragic struggle since China occupied Tibet in 1950. Today, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima would be 18 years old and the same questions persist about his whereabouts and well being as when he disappeared.

For those educators who would like to discuss the situation of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima with their students, at the bottom of this page is a link to a short story about the life of Panchen Lama, originally written for FACES magazine in 1999, but hopefully still timely today. It was written for a middle school audience, but is age appropriate for late elementary and high school students. The story includes discussion questions and resources to learn more about the situation of the Panchen Lama’s and how to get involved.

Questions for Discussions and Assignments

Should people be imprisoned for their religious beliefs?

How is this situation a violation of the rights of a child?

What do you think about the Panchen Lama situation?

Who is rightful Eleventh Panchen Lama?

What about the future of Gedhun Choeki Nyima?

What can you do to help Gedhun Choekyi Nyima?

Curricular Ideas

Have students read the article, The World’s Youngest Political Prisoner. Use the questions above for class discussion and writing assignments, and the suggested source material below for further inquiry and research with students.

Read the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and see what it states about freedom of religion.

Read the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and see what it states about the situation of the Panchen Lama.

What connections can be made between the situation of the 11th Panchen Lama and the future of The Dalai Lamas?

Resources:

The Lives of the Panchen Lamas, Lungta, Vol. 10, Winter 1999, Published by the Amne Machin Institute, Dharamsala, India (available through Snow Lion, (800) 950-0313

Sun Without a Moon, by Alex Shoumatoff, Vanity Fair, No. 432, August 1996

The Boys Who Would Be Lama, by Elizabethg Hilton, Independent (London), April 21, 1996

One Boy’s Arrest Shows a Broad Repression in Tibet, by Seth Faison, The New York Times, March 6, 1996

Faces: People, Places and Cultures, October, 1999, Cobblestone Publishing

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In Fall 2006, Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama, visited the University of Buffalo (NY). The school’s education department contacted Global Source to reprint some materials from the course handbook we developed for our 2001 National Summer Institute on “Tibet in K-12 Education: Landscapes and Lessons of Cultural Survival.” They connected our curricular frameworks to NY State Standards and posted the curricular materials on-line at NYLearns.org. (Make sure to search their site using key words: “Tibet”, “Dalai Lama” or “Global Source”.)

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• Course Handbooks for TEN’s Summer Teacher Institutes on the Study of Tibet in K-12 Education. Edited By Jon Garfunkel and Tibet Education Network. These course handbooks have contained over 300 pages of material, including curricular frameworks, suggested sources, age appropriate readings, lessons, maps, and other support materials for developing a unit of study on Tibet. This is TEN’s most advanced curricular resource, and has been called “…the best resource for teaching about Tibet in existence!”

• Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook for Educators. Edited by Jon Garfunkel & Tibet Education Network, 1998, 2001. Sixty pages of curricular and resource materials produced to support K-12 educators. Included in the Handbook: why teach & learn about Tibet, curricular ideas for Tibetan studies, essential questions, maps, facts, historical timeline, suggested bibliographies, videography, resource information, on-line resources, and ideas for broadening one’s Tibetan experience.

• Presenting Tibet: A Slide Package for Educators. By Jon Garfunkel & Tibet Education Network, 1996, 2000. Fifty slide images covering Tibet and the Tibetan Diaspora, with over 150 pages of annotated descriptions, curricular ideas, supporting materials, lessons, readings, and suggestions for further study. This is the only multimedia educational introduction to Tibet of its kind. Appropriate for all ages and interdisciplinary study.

• Faces Magazine October 1999 Special issue on Tibet. TEN Director, Jon Garfunkel, served as consulting editor and authored “The World’s Youngest Political Prisoner”, an article on the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet, commissioned by Faces.”The World’s Youngest Political Prisoner” is also featured in TEN course handbooks.

EduCulture

Education in the Field

Tibet Education Network Curriculum

Curricular Ideas for K-12 Educators

Preparation

Presentation

Conclusion/Debriefing

Curricular and Resource Materials for the Study of Tibet

The 14th Dalai Lama

Teaching and Learning about The Panchen Lama