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Paper short abstract

"Nature as a living entity in the traditional Tibetan opera tales" explores the relevance of a living nature and its magical creatures in the traditional Tibetan opera tales and how it shapes Tibetan folk tale tradition and the rich cultural heritage the genre of Ache Lhamo carries in modern times.

Paper long abstract

Tibetan Opera, or Ache Lhamo (meaning „Sister Goddess”) as it is called in Tibetan language, is an ancient art form, a secular theatre of Tibet that employs songs, dances and drama to tell stories and is still performed today by troupes in India, Nepal and Tibet.

In Tibetan opera tales, the natural environment often functions as a living entitiy and the protagonists are often aided by beings with magical powers, by wise dakinis, or animals with magical abilities, talking parrots, flying horses or helping monkeys. They serve as mediators between realms, help the main characters in their efforts to fullfill their spiritual quest or save them from a slew of enemies and dangers. In the story of prince Dime Kunden, for instance, the barren Hashang Demon Mountain is a hostile environment, abound with beasts, demons and chimeras, it is where the protagonist has to spend twelve years in exile and tackle several obstacles as a punishment for his deeds.

In my lecture, I aim to explore the relevance of an active, living nature and its magical creatures in the traditional Tibetan opera tales and examine how these shape the opera stories, the Tibetan folk tale traditions, what kind of function they have in the narratives and how they contribute to the rich cultural heritage the genre of Ache Lhamo carries in modern times.