Tapriza NGO

Music is an important part of life in Dolpo. During all rituals and festivities people sing and dance. At the Tapriza Culture School the children learn both tratidional and new songs and perform them at rituals and dances. In 2002 the social anthropologist Marietta Kind made several recordings and compiled this CD.

The CD can be directly ordered at the following link:

Völkerkundemuseum Zurich

Proceeds go directly to the Tapriza project.

Some tunes are taken from modern Nepali songs. In addition, teachers of the Tapriza Culture School have composed new songs. They are performed by Tapriza pupils of different ages.

1. Om matri muye sale du (tib. Om ma tri mu ye sa le 'du) 
   Bon Mantra Prayer Song
   Geshe Wangyal and Tapriza School children

2. Phebsu Shä (tib. phebs bsu gzhas)
   Welcome Song
   lyrics Geshe Wangyal
   Sample* (mp3, 876 Kb)

3. Nyima Tashi (tib. nyi ma bkra shis) 
   Good Luck Day 
   old traditional song

4. Tashi Kyipe Nyima (tib. bkra shis skyi pa'i nyi ma)
   Happy Day
   old traditional song

5. Bal Git (nep.)
   We are going to school and it is fun...
   lyrics Ram Chandra
   Sample* (mp3, 627 Kb)

6. At Pokhara Gate
   Pasang Drolma and Sherab for the girls voices and Ram Chandra, Mahendra, Bujal, Ganga and students for the boys voices
   lyrics Ram Chandra

7. Laure (nep.) - Far Away from Home Song 
   Pasang Drolma and Sherab for the girls voices and Ram Chandra, Mahendra, Bujal, Ganga and students for the boys voices 
   lyrics Ram Chandra
   Sample* (mp3, 533 Kb)

8. Amaleho (tib.) 
   Praise to the Root Lama 
   traditional song
   Sample* (mp3, 564 Kb)

9. Ne ki Topa (tib. gnas kyi bstod pa) 
   Praise of the local Pilgrimages
   traditional song

10. Samling Gompa (tib. bsam gling dgon pa)
    Praise of Samling Monastery 
    traditional song

11. Menmo (tib. smen mo'i glu)
    Call of the Lake Goddess Tshomen Gyalmo
    voice of School Mother Woizer Drolma
    spiritual medium song
    Sample* (mp3, 470 Kb)

12. Pungmo Lhabtsan karpo 1 (tib. spung mo lha btsan gyi gsung)
    Song of the white village protector
    voice of Pema Tsewang
    spiritual medium song

13. Pungmo Lhabtsan karpo 2 (tib)
    Song of the white village protector
    voice of Geshe Wangyal
    spiritual medium song

14. Om matri muye sale du... (tib. Om ma tri mu ye sa le du)
    Prayer Song
    Laughing version

*In order to listen to samples of the songs, you need a soundcard as well as a media player, e.g. Winamp (free download) or Microsoft MediaPlayer.

The Songs:
The first and last song contain the most important Bon mantra "Om matri muye sale du". Each of these holy syllables has its own significance. In the mantra the founder of the Bon religion, master Tonpa Shenrab Miwo and his partner Sherab Jamma are called upon. The syllables point to the six emanations and six body parts representing different principles. The song version of the mantra points to the tradition in Phoksumdo which has its own melody and pronounciation. The Tibetan songs are traditional songs from Phoksumdo, Dolpo and additionally two songs in the fashion of mediums of the local gods. Song 1 welcomes the guests. Song 2 and 3 wish them luck and blessing. Other songs praise the root lama (8), the spiritual leader of the Bon tradition, describe the holy pilgrimage places (9) and the most important Bon monastery of Dolpo in Samling (10). The singing of the Menmo (11) is about the sea goddess addressing the villagers through a medium and answering their questions.  Pungmo Labtsen karpo (12, 13) is the local mountain god speaking through a medium to the locals. Both gods have not appeared through mediums for nearly 20 years, and their song is delivered by people who have been mediums themselves or have often listened to the song of other mediums. It is said that the singing of the mediums was so beautiful that everyone listening broke out in tears. On the CD there are two versions (12, 13) which try to recapture this beauty.

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