“Raise the Tibetan Flag, Children of the Snowland” By Lolo from HPeaks on Vimeo.
This Wednesday, following on from our previous music videos by Dawoe, Choegon and Gebey, High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a song by a detained 29 year old Tibetan singer called Lolo.
According to Radio Free Asia, Lolo was arrested on April 19, 2012 in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The same report tells us that a few months earlier, Lolo had released an album titled “Raise the Tibetan Flag, Children of the Snowland” made up of 14 songs. It is the title track that High Peaks Pure Earth has translated.
The song lyrics are extremely political and talk about Tibetan independence, the national flag and Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives. The video as well shows surprisingly strong scenes such as a candle lit vigil where the candles spell out 3 and 10, possibly a reference to March 10, Tibetan National Uprising Day. When the lyrics about the “Protector” are sung, a photo of the Dalai Lama is shown alongside the Karmapa and what looks like the tenth Panchen Lama, unfortunately the video quality is quite poor.
The organisation for the freedom of musical expression, Freemuse, reported in May that the International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture had requested information from the PRC government on Lolo’s whereabouts and wellbeing. However, there has been no news on Lolo’s situation since his detention.
*Update, March 13, 2013: According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Lolo has been sentenced to 6 years in prison by a court in Qinghai province.*
Below are the translated song lyrics in full.
“Raise the Tibetan Flag, Children of the Snowland” by Lolo
For the sake of protecting Tibet’s independence
Our Kings resisted the red Chinese leaders
From the true meaning of the middle path
Raise the Tibetan flag, children of the Snowland!
For the sake of honouring the Snowland
And to win Tibet’s complete independence
Based on the manifold truth
Raise the Tibetan flag, children of the Snowland!
For the sake of the return of the Protector
For the sake of uniting Tibetans home and abroad
From the wounds of the souls in flames
Raise the Tibetan flag, children of the Snowland!
This snow lion and snow mountain adorned flag
Is the national flag of the Tibetan people
Avenge those departed for the sake of Tibet
Raise the Tibetan flag, children of the Snowland!
Raise the Tibetan flag, children of the Snowland!
[Translation by High Peaks Pure Earth]
For those unable to view the videos on Vimeo, there is also a High Peaks Pure Earth YouTube channel here with our music videos: http://www.youtube.com/highpeakspureearth
Pingback: Tibet: Banned songs by imprisoned singers translated to English « Knowledge and news about Artistic Freedom of Expression
Very moving video and song. If only our Tibetan Govt-in-Exile would follow the wishes of the Tibetan people and fight to regain Tibet’s independence. It seems the Tibetan people in Tibet are in the front lines in our struggle to free our nation from Chinese colonialism.
Pingback: Two Tibetans, monk and singer, sentenced to prison