Conference day
HIMALAYAS AND BEYOND:
Cultural, Religious and Social Research in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and Amdo
Tuesday 25th of September
10:15 a.m. - 17:15 p.m.
University of Helsinki, Main Building
Morning section in the Hall 13, on
Fabianinkatu 33
Afternoon sections in AUDITORIUM XV,
on Unioninkatu 34 (Senate square)
FREE ENTRANCE
Tibetan cultural regions, surrounded by mountains “shining as the many
riches of gods and men”, hold fascinating cultures and religions. In
this conference, researchers of different fields present several
aspects of Tibetan society: languages, history, literature, religion,
political Diaspora and development. After each presentation, there will
be some minutes for questions and discussion. Rare shamanic ritual
objects of Tamang jankhri shamans will be shown to the audience at the
end of the event.
The conference is opened to all the interested: previous studies on the
topics are not
mandatory. It is also possible to follow only one section, or two
sections. By request,
students can obtain credits writing a study diary or essay on the
topics of the
conference.
The conference is organized by
Society for Northern Ethnography
and East Asian Studies of the University of Helsinki.
Information: vesa.piludu@helsinki.fi
MORNING SECTION
in Hall 13 Helsinki’s University Main
Building, New Side on Fabianinkatu 33
SECTION I: LANGUAGE, HISTORY and LITERATURE
10:15-11:00
Prof. Juha Janhunen, University of
Helsinki, East Asian Studies
TIBET: REGIONAL, HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC ASPECTS
A general overview of the Tibetan areas and cultures.
11:00-11:45
PhD, Riika Virtanen, University of
Helsinki, South Asian Studies
ARTISTS AND SOCIETY IN MODERN TIBETAN LITERATURE
Tibetan culture today has both traditional and modern aspects: after
the modernization of Tibetan culture in the latter half of the 20th
century, modern and traditional arts have existed side by side. This
situation is reflected in stories about artists in contemporary Tibetan
fiction: these literary works include stories about artists which
reflect both traditional Tibetan arts and folk culture and modern arts.
This presentation focuses on prose works by three writers, Dhondup
Gyal, Tashi Palden and Tsering Dhondup.
In the works discussed, the main characters are representatives of
different art forms.The stories contain descriptions of the lives of
artists and themes related to becoming, practising and living as an
artist. After the occupation in the 1950’s, Tibetan society underwent a
considerable change from a traditional society into a society under
Communist rule. The changes in society and its norms and values are
also reflected in the descriptions of the artists’ lives. The
relationship between artists and the surrounding society cannot be
characterized unidimensionally. The stories describe highly differing
attitudes and values towards culture and art which range from
appreciating and supportive to limiting and negative attitudes. The
relation between the artist and society may also undergo changes within
a single story, reflecting the influence of different attitudes and
cultural policies in the society toward the practising of the artistic
vocation.
Examining the descriptions of artists and the theme of living as an
artist and the motifs connected to this theme, this presentation
contributes to the discussion of the genre of artist stories in Tibetan
culture.
11:45-12:00
Discussion
Lunch break: 12:00-13:00
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AFTERNOON SECTIONS
in Hall AUDITORIUM XV Helsinki’s
University Main Building,
Old side on Unioninkatu 34 (Senate
square)
SECTION II: SOCIETY, DIASPORA AND DEVELOPMENT
13:00-13:45
MA Rebecca Frilund, University of
Turku, Geography
TIBETAN NEWCOMERS IN DHARAMSALA
My presentation will discuss the situation of the Tibetan newcomers in
Dharamsala’s
Tibetan diaspora settlement in India. I will concentrate especially on
their migration
aspirations, particularly aspirations to migrate to the West and the
reasons behind this phenomenon. The newcomers are facing many
socio-cultural challenges especially in their early years in Dharamsala
while the livelihood-related issues were highlighted as the worst
problems by my informants. Hence, getting a better life in the
wealthier West has become a dream for many.
13:45-14:30
MA Päivi Ahonen, University of Oulu,
Education
STRATEGIES OF BHUTAN IN IMPLEMENTING THE GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS
POLICIES. HOW IS GHN PHILOSOPHY APPLIED IN THE CONTEST OF EDUCATION FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The purpose of this paper is to describe and discover the core essence
and principals of the national development policy and implementation of
Gross National Happiness among the policy/education policy makers and
researchers, among the national and municipality level education
authorities and among the heads of schools and teachers. Being
education related research, the focus of the study, is to identify how
different elements and areas of GNH are connected to the education for
sustainable development both in education policy documents and in
education practices at schools. The recently completed National
Education Framework of Bhutan (Royal Education Council, 2012) and a
Training Manual for Educating Gross National Happiness (Ministry of
Educations 2011) will be analyzed as the
key documents.
14:30-14:45 Coffee break (in Auditorium XV)
SECTION III: RELIGION; GENDER AND ETHNOGRAPHY
14:45-15:30
M.Soc.Sc. Mitra Härkönen, Study of
Religions, University of Helsinki
POWER, AGENCY AND TIBETAN FEMALE MONASTICS
Society may be seen either as the product of intentional, willed
agency, or as the
totality of institutional structures which condition all agency. In
addition to questions
about gendered symbolic and material structures in society, feminist
researchers ask how such structures are constructed and contested, thus
bringing together the relationship between structure and agency. In
Tibetan culture, many structures, such as gender, religion and customs,
have limited or determined the agency of female Buddhist monastics. In
recent decades, however, the status of the female monastics has been
changing as nuns have acquired a more visible position in Tibetan
social and religious life. This paper discusses the new agencies of the
nuns as well as factors bringing about this change.
15:30-16:15
MA Tiina Hyytiäinen, University of
Helsinki, East Asian Studies
AMDO TIBETAN WOMEN - PAST AND PRESENTS
This paper presents the different religious and lay roles of Amdo
Tibetan women in
pastoral, agricultural and religious communities. Some recent changes
in their typical
roles will be discussed.
16:15-17:00
MA Vesa Matteo Piludu, University of
Helsinki, Study of Religions
THE RITUAL ART OF THE NEPALESE TAMANG JHANKRI SHAMAN:
THE ALTAR, THE DRUMS, THE HOLY DAGGERS
The Tamang jhankri, speaking a Tibetan-Burman language, are ritual
specialists and trance healers that often are defined by scholars as
the “shamans” of Nepal. However, their beliefs and sacred objects
reveals various Hinduist, Tantrist and Buddisth influences. In
particular the drums, the altar and the daggers shown an original
shamanistic interpretation of Shivaism: Shiva and Kali represents the
two fundamental forces (male and female) governing both destruction and
regeneration. Ganesha, Hanuman and the Yeti are considered by jhankris
a manifestation of Ban-Jhankri, the first “savage” shaman. Rare ritual
daggers and drums of Tamang jankhris, part of the Susanna Aarnio’s
ethnographic collection, will be shown to the audience.
17:00-17:15
Final discussion and conclusion