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our fantasy from a few years. Or better, since sweet
Yunchen accomplished a fantastic record, "Tibet Tibet",for Peter Gabriel’s
"Real World". This record lines up ten "devotional songs" realized
with the help of the famous Gyuto Monks of New Delhi, the same Monks that have been
already immortalized in the past for a few records. The first to do this was the Japanese JVC and the second was the English Rykodisc, which
are the best traditional Buddhist songs you could possibly listen to.
It was them - if my memory doesn’t fail me - who were the main way to get to Yungchen
Lhamo. And now she has become the ideal interpreter able to bridge the antique with the
modern: the "Esoteric" Spirituality of the ancient monastery with the one, infinitely
more diffused, of the millions of simple "saved-souls".
Interview
To
begin, Miss Lhamo, could you tell us the real meaning of your name ?
"It’s very simple, in Tibet, Yungchen Lhamo literately means "Chant
Divinity". It’s a name I’m very proud of, not only for the profound
sacreldly of its meaning: but mainly because it was given to me by a Lama of Lhasa, who
appreciated my voice very much. He thought it was an authentic instrument for healing,
like traditional medicine and ancestral philosophy."
Do you think he was right ?
"Sure. In fact, the job I was assigned in this life is to cure people through music
and songs. This is why, since always, I prefer singing alone, just with accompaniment of a
strig instrument, the "dranyem": a sort of lute very much used in my
country."
Is this the reason why you prefer
to perform in churches?
"Exactly, because in church, which ever the practiced religion may be, there’s
always an intense atmosphere, brimful of powerful energies. All this helps develope the
sensation of participation of who is listening. This doesn’t mean I refuse to sing in
other much more " worldly and material" places. In fact a few times, in
England, I sang in pubs and in Australia even in an indoor stadium, as a guest star in a
rock concert."
In those occasions did you sing
"Devotional Songs" ?
"Naturally. I only know how to sing songs on inconditional love, emotions and
compassion. I exclusively sing what my dear grand-mother taught me many years ago. She was
the first person who percieved the potential of my voice. And I’m extremely happy to
be able to do it: I mean, helping others."
Is it possible to define your songs
"mantra", even the modern ones?
"Undoubtly is possible. Some of them, are clearly based on the mantra, of the sacred
Buddhist tradition, like the very famous "Om Mani Padme Hung". Others, even if
recent and entirely composed by me, are still dedicated to the divinities and to the
"Bodhisattvas" of our doctrine, some even to the percepts of "Dhrama",
which means the whole teachings that should guide you in your everyday earthly life."
Is it true that in order to carry
out your mission, you have to leave Tibet, to find refuge in India ?
"It’s true. I was 25 years old and it was a very hard experience. To escape from
the Chinese persecutions, I had to cross the Himalaya by foot, like many other
country-fellowmen."
They say that life in Tibet is now
better then before.
"This isn’t true, the situation is still the same as many years ago. Life is
still hard, there is a dramatic poverty, and a suffocating Chinese dictatorship. But
I’d go back if I could, because my family and all my loved ones are still
there."
Where do you live now instead ?
"Mainly in Australia, a very hospitable and tollerant country. But to say the truth,
I consider myself a citizen of the world, because the spirit doesn’t have
frontiers.
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