'A sense of oneness, togetherness': Tibetan-Canadians reflect on their heritage

Ontario is now the first jurisdiction in the world to celebrate Tibetan Heritage Month, something that's cause for celebration in Toronto, which has the largest Tibetan community outside of India.

Not only is July significant to Tibetans here because the provincial legislature passed the Tibetan Heritage Month Act, but July 6 marks the birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso. He became an honorary Canadian citizen in 2006.

Filmmakers Rignam Wangkhang and Chosang Tenzin set out to speak with local Tibetans about what they love about their backgrounds and what those who don't know people from Tibet often get wrong — hint: they're not all monks.

In their film, titled What It Means To Be Tibetan, Wangkhang and Tenzin asked 10 Tibetans from Toronto to speak about their heritage and what it symbolizes to them. Some of their answers are light-hearted, others are intimate. 

The film strives to dispel misconceptions that some have of Tibetan-Canadians.

You can watch the full video embedded below and share it via YouTube:

Community health lead Chemi Lhamo says people usually assume that Tibetans from Canada have been to Tibet, which often isn't the case.

"People are like, 'What does Tibet look like? I've heard it's beautiful. It's like the rooftop of the world, the third pole.' And oftentimes someone like me doesn't have an answer." 

Other questions they tend to get lead to funnier insights. Designer Urgyen Badheytsan recalls an especially comical one: "How's the Dalai Lama?" 

After a chuckle, he said: "I don't know! I mean, I check the news just like everyone else. If you found out about him, I'm probably the same. I don't call him every Tuesday." 

When asked what makes their community special, there was much discussion about their inclusivity, hospitality, and warmth.

A restaurateur named Tashi Nangtsetesang relayed it best when he said it came down to "the way that we can rally around each other, and support each other. 

"We've been living in exile for over 65 years now. We've built a great community centre, a sense of oneness, togetherness."