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| TibetCul’s Logo |
*UPDATE: March 30, 2011* High Peaks Pure Earth is happy to report that TibetCul is now back online. The founder of TibetCul, Wangchuk Tseten, wrote the following on his blog on March 29, 2011:
Interestingly, TibetCul mysteriously came back online on the afternoon of March 25. We still do not know the reason behind the authorities closing and re-opening the site.
Below is the full text of our blogpost as uploaded on March 23, 2011.
Highlights from TibetCul on High Peaks Pure Earth
High Peaks Pure Earth is concerned about the most popular Tibetan web and blog-hosting site TibetCul.com which has been inaccessible for over a week now. As reported on Global Voices, TibetCul suddenly became inaccessible on March 16, 2011 and, according to China Digital Times, TibetCul had 80,000 registered users whose blogs and contributions have all disappeared now.
Here at High Peaks Pure Earth we have monitored TibetCul closely over the last three years and have often translated blogposts and many more wonderful things that we were fortunate to fine. This blogpost is a compilation of our posts that originated from TibetCul. We hope you enjoy re-visiting these posts and we will report of any developments with TibetCul here – we hope to see it online again soon!
*For those of you based in and around New York, the founder of TibetCul, Wangchuk Tseten, will be giving a talk at Columbia University on March 24, 2011 about his work. Details are here: http://d.pr/jVWT
Music on TibetCul
Who can forget our favourite music group from Amdo, Yudrug (Green Dragon) who stunned us with their hip-hop video “New Generation” and then followed up by celebrating the pioneer of modern Tibetan poetry, Dhondup Gyal?
Their videos came to us via their TibetCul blog: http://qinglong.tibetcul.com
Poetry on TibetCul
Amongst other pieces, the “I Am Tibetan” series of poetry and prose pieces here on High Peaks Pure Earth mainly comprised of pieces found on TibetCul blogs.
Follow the links to read the powerful words of Tibetan poets and bloggers.
“I Am Tibetan” Poetry and Prose Pieces, May 3, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/05/i-am-tibetan-poetry-and-prose-pieces.html
“I Am Tibetan” Series: Poem by Huare Yinggya, May 25, 2010
“I am Tibetan” By “Khampa Snow”
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/05/i-am-tibetan-series-poem-by-huare.html
“I Am Tibetan” Series: Poem by “Son of Snow” Dhondup, June 8, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/06/i-am-tibetan-series-poem-by-son-of-snow.html
A Blogpost and A Poem on Tibetan language, November 15, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/11/blogpost-and-poem-on-tibetan-language.html
“On Lies”: A Poem by Tibetan Female Blogger Namtso, January 26, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2011/01/on-lies-poem-by-tibetan-female-blogger.html
More Poems to Obama by Tibetan Bloggers, December 2, 2009
Debates
As a forum for expression, a great many debates have taken place amongst Tibetan netizens on TibetCul. The following debate centred around Tibetans wearing fur, despite the Dalai Lama’s injunction against the wearing of animal fur, read both blogposts for the debate and the subsequent resolution!
Angry Tibetan Netizens, February 16, 2009
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/02/angry-tibetan-netizens.html
An Apology by Lobsang Dundrup, March 1, 2009
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/03/apology-by-lobsang-dundrup.html
Another interesting discussion was about Chinese tourists and their behaviour when travelling in Tibet. One blogpost translated from TibetCul was by a blogger calling herself Namtso – read also her impressive poem “On Lies” in the poetry section above!
“Fish Speaking Back to Ichthyologists”: Two Blogposts on Chinese Tourists in Tibet, November 26, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/11/fish-speaking-back-to-ichthyologists.html
TibetCul’s own blog ran an online poll in 2010 for netizens to choose their personality of the previous year. This was a fascinating poll to follow and highlighted who the influential Tibetans were on the ground those who were doing meaningful work.
Fun
It was fun to discover the Tibetan Obama on TibetCul in January 2009!
An Address from the Tibetan “Obama”, January 19, 2009
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/01/address-from-tibetan-obama.html
Personal
Many bloggers used their TibetCul blogs as outlets to vent their grievances, frustrations or sadness.
A Blogpost and A Poem About the Mudslides in Drugchu, September 8, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/09/blogpost-and-poem-about-mudslides-in.html
A Proposal to Establish A Tibetan Language Primary School in Xining, December 1, 2008
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2008/12/proposal-to-establish-tibetan-language.html
A Day of Pain, April 22, 2009
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/04/day-of-pain.html
Information Resource
An important function of TibetCul was to provide information on Tibet and Tibetans today. Their “People” section contained profiles of prominent Tibetans, sorted into various categories. When news broke that businessman Dorje Tashi had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010, TibetCul was one place that carried a comprehensive biography of the man.
Our Favourite Blogger “The Lost Curse”
Finally our attention turns to the searing wit of blogger “The Lost Curse” whose blog on TibetCul http://danda-466572.tibetcul.com was always fun to read and full of insights. After having his post on the Yushu earthquake censored by TibetCul, The Lost Curse actually stopped blogging for almost 8 months and resumed in December 2010.
To All Those Longing and Hoping, Summer is Approaching, the Dragon Boat Festival has Arrived!
July 16, 2009
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2009/07/to-all-those-longing-and-hoping-summer.html
Earthquake in Tibet, A Tibetan Blogger Asks…, April 18, 2010
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/04/earthquake-in-tibet-tibetan-blogger.html
Seems up today!
Oh yes! TibetCul appears to be back online!