Remembering Gyalyum Chemo, the Great Mother on International Mother's Day
Tibetan Women's Association observes the special day dedicated to all mothers
Sunday, May 09, 2010; It is a mother who strives, seeks and never yields. The origin of Mother's day traces back to 1870's when Social activist Julia Ward Howe after the American Civil War intended to observe the day as a call to unite women against war. In 1870, she wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation as a call for peace and disarmament. Therefore Mother's day signifies a day of peace.
In 1950s Tibet, the old adage that 'the mother is the precious jewel at home, the father the external fencing' still held true. But in the decades that followed, Tibetan women found a collective voice which saw them increase their influence outside the domestic arena. The rise and rise of Tibetan women is palpable, as well as their establishment as a social and political power to be reckoned with.
Following the reinstatement of Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) in exile in September 1984, the role of Tibetan women in the freedom struggle and in preserving the Tibetan identity and culture has been steadfast, commendable and significant. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed his deep admiration and gratitude for his countrywomen in their fight for Tibet’s freedom and has spoken candidly about their powerful significance in rebuilding their community and offering outstanding examples of spiritual and peaceful leadership to the world.
Suiting the occasion of International Mother's day, TWA screened the documentary film Women of Tibet: 'Gyalyum Chemo-The Great Mother' produced and directed by Rosemary Rawcliffe, (winner of the 2009 Emmy awards) and presented by Frame of Mind Films. A simple village woman, Dekyi Tsering's life was forever changed when she gave birth to the 14th Dalai Lama and became known as the Great Mother of Tibet. In this inspired journey into the universal power of mothering, storytellers, mythologists and His Holiness reflect on how the Great Mother archetype touches all our lives. Weaving anecdotal threads, personal reflections from her children, grandchildren and friends, never before seen photographs from their family collections and rare footage of Tibet, Gyalyum Chemo - The Great Mother offers an extraordinary glimpse into Tibet's first family and the woman who inspired them. In this compelling journey into the spiritual power of mothering, authors Marion Woodman (Addiction to Perfection), Alice Walker (The Color Purple) and Angeles Arrien (The Second Half of Life) link this unique Tibetan story to a broader understanding of how the Great Mother archetype touches all our lives.
Tibetan women have seen light in the abyss and have striven consistently for profound change. They are determined to remain a bedrock of the struggle for freedom, and to be the agents of their own destiny. Even when they have lost everything, surviving perilous escapes across the Himalayas and decades in prison, they have managed to transform the brutality of invasion into a community of compassion and non-violence. Part of a unique trilogy called WOMEN OF TIBET; Gyalyum Chemo-The Great Mother is an inspired journey into the spiritual power of peaceful resistance and a celebration of the human spirit.