Calgary’s Tibetan community celebrated its heritage and culture with crafts, food and musical performances in the city’s southwest on Saturday.
The Tibetan Association of Alberta hosted its first cultural festival all day Saturday, filled with authentic Tibetan crafts, food and artisan vendors. Musical performances showcased Tibetan traditional dances and songs, such as the circle dance or gorshey.
“The Tibetan culture is very old and was established in around 127 B.C. We feel it’s a really unique and precious culture and we want to preserve it for our children and future generations,” said Pema Lektsog of the Tibetan Association of Alberta.
“As Calgarians and Albertans and Canadians, we want to share our culture which we feel really proud of with the community.”
Even though the Tibetan community in Calgary is small, Letktsog said it’s really important to promote Tibetan culture and showcase their programs for children. The association hosts language and cultural classes every Sunday for children to learn more about Tibetan culture.
“Canada is a mosaic of different cultures. It’s become a second home for me,” Letkstsog said. “We feel every culture and every individual is unique. That’s what makes everyone special. If we can preserve our culture that makes our communities vibrant.”
Dechen Palmo is a Tibetan Association of Alberta member passionate about traditional Tibetan dance. She told Global News she feels proud to represent her culture and heritage through performances and dance.
“Being a Tibetan, it’s very important to dance and wear your cultural dress. It’s really important to me because I can represent my own traditional culture and preserve my traditions through dance and music,” she said. “Whenever I get the chance to wear my cultural dress, I take it. It’s really nice to dance together … It has a big meaning and impact behind it. Every time I dance, it teaches me about my Tibetan heritage.”
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