Miss Tibet: The contest
This is a patchwork of articles selected for the excellence of their content. beauty contests. (Example Miss Wokha, Miss Tokhu). Obviously, readers will not send any text or photograph that lowers the dignity of South Asia's beauty queens. Readers can send additional information, corrections, and photographs to the Facebook page, Indpaedia.com. |
Contents |
Sources
Organiser
Lobsang Wangyal
410 TIPA Road
McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala 176 219
India
info@misstibet.com
So far all the funds for the contest have been 'coming from the Director [Lobsang Wangyal]’s own pockets.' He has been described as 'a maverick impresario stages a most un-Tibetan spectacle: a western-style beauty pageant.' [1]
The Queens
Miss Tibet 2002 Dolma Tsering
Miss Tibet 2003 Tsering Kyi
Miss Tibet 2004 Tashi Yangchen
Miss Tibet 2005 Tenzin Nyima
Miss Tibet 2006 Tsering Chungtak
Miss Tibet 2007 Tenzin Dolma
Miss Tibet 2008 Sonam Choedon
Miss Tibet 2009 Tenzin Choezom
Miss Tibet 2010 Tenzin Norzom
Miss Tibet 2011 Tenzin Yangkyi
Miss Tibet 2012 None: Pageant was cancelled in homage to those who have died for the Tibetan cause.
Miss Tibet 2013 Tenzing Lhamo
Where held
Miss Tibet Pageant is often held in McLeod Ganj, India, which is where the 2014 contest will be held.
Miss Tibet Pageant 2013, was held from 11 to 13 February in Bylakuppe, South India.
The 2014 contest will be from 6 to 8 June.
Eligibility criteria
Inter alia, all contestants
Must be unmarried and must not have given birth to a child; and
Must have Central Tibetan Administration tax paid up to date. However, this criterion does not apply to a woman coming from Tibet to compete in the pageant.
Global ambassadors for Tibet
The winner of the Miss Tibet Pageant have in the past competed in some world beauty pageants, notably Miss Earth, as representatives of all of Tibet, not just Tibetan exiles in India and elsewhere.
Training
Past pageants provided one week of training before the competition, with courses in physical fitness, stage craft, cat walk, dance, and a make-up and hair styling workshop, along with an orientation on Tibetan history, culture, and current affairs. Due to lack of funding, training has been discontinued for 2014.
Historical trivia
Only 32 girls competed for the crown between 2002 and 2011. It was first started in 2002 by Wangyal, who drew criticism from some sections within Tibetan society, including the Tibetan prime minister Samdhong Rinpoche who said the pageant was "un-Tibetan" and "against Buddhist principles".
Twice in the pageant’s history unopposed contestants had to be declared winners.
The grand prize of 100,000 rupees to the winner is by far the largest prize money given away in any event held in Tibetan society.
Miss Tibet 2002
The first-ever Miss Tibet pageant held in October 2002 was a huge success despite criticism from some prominent figures of the Tibetan community. The pageant was criticised as "aping western culture" and "un-Tibetan". The pageant ended up becoming a global lead story although only four Tibetan girls plunged in to the competition.
Though the pageant was criticised, the leaders did not try to ban it as it is apparently being publicised. It is debatable if beauty pageants are "western culture".
Since the successful conclusion of the first-ever Miss Tibet pageant, the winner Miss Tibet, Dolma Tsering, has contested in two international pageants, one in Malaysia and another in Mexico. She won the Miss Goodwill subsidiary title and the Best National Costume in the two countries respectively.
• Miss Tibet won Best National Costume in Mexico • • Miss Tibet met Miss China in Malaysia • • Dolma went to France • • Dolma failed to go to Turkey because Dolma didn't have her Identity Certificate (the Yellow Book) ready.
Miss Tibet 2004
by Kirsten Hyde [2]
Tashi Yangchen, a 24-year old computer engineer, was crowned Miss Tibet 2004 in McLeod Ganj, India.
The show was attended by over 2,000 people, Yangchen was also announced the winner of Miss Photogenic 2004.
There were five contenders for the coveted title — Dhondup Wangmo, Kalsang Dickey, Sonam Dickey, Tashi Yangchen, and Thinlay Dolma.
Yangchen lives in Sikkim, India
News channels from around the world, including the BBC and ARD in Germany, filmed the pageant,.
The Tibetan theme prevailed throughout the event as the five contestants participated in a Tibetan costume round, sang traditional songs in a talent contest, and gave a presentation on topics about Tibetan current affairs, history, the political situation and culture.
Lauren Cutcliffe, the presenter of the show, invited two dedicated supporters of the Tibetan cause — Palden Gyatso, a former political prisoner who spent 33 years in Chinese prisons in Tibet, and Meghan Howard, winner of the Free Spirit Award 2004 — to begin the ceremony with the lighting of the Free Spirit torches.
The Free Spirit Award was given to Howard to acknowledge her contribution to the Tibetan cause. Last year, she criticised the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, when he gave a speech to students at the Harvard Business School in the US. After he said, "I understand my people and I love my people," Howard stood up, pulled out the Tibetan flag and shouted, "Tibet belongs to the Tibetan people. We will never stop fighting. I am a voice for those inside Tibet. Free Tibet."
She collected her award from Palden Gyatso before a cheering crowd.
The audience was kept entertained in between the pageant rounds by swing dancers Tim Collins and Jessie Litven from the, and Rinzin Palmo, a Tibetan singer who performed two songs from her album, Amay Shelray.
Miss Tibet 2005
MCLEOD GANJ, India, 8 October 2005
Tenzin Nyima was born in 1983 in Bylakuppe, the first and the largest Tibetan refugee settlement in South India. She attended Tibetan Homes School in Mussoorie for her schooling. She is studying in the final year for a BA English Honours degree in Delhi. She would like to continue with her studies. She likes playing basketball and dancing to Hindu dance numbers.
Tenzin Nyima, the lone brave participant for the Miss Tibet 2005 title was crowned as the new Miss Tibet at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts before an audience of a thousand plus spectators.
Nyima felt that the other applicants may have dropped out due to the social pressures on the Tibetan girls.
•On 4 February 2006 Tashi Yangchen went to Zimbabwe to participate in Miss Tourism World
• On 19 February Miss Tibet was expelled from Miss Tourism World due to Chinese pressure • On 10 July Chinese pressure ousted Miss Tibet from Malaysia Pageant
2007
China forced Miss Tibet 2006 to quit Miss Tourism Pageant of Malaysia – 2007
2011
IBNlive had reported at the time, " Tibetan-origin beauties from the US, Australia, and Sweden are among the contestants at this year's Miss Tibet Pageant at Dharmashala. Tenzin Khecheo from USA, Chemi Lhazom from Delhi, Dolma Tsering from Bangalore, Ngodup Dolma from Australia, Tenzin Sangmo from Dharamshala, and Tenzin Yangkyi from Switzerland [we]re the six women competing for the crown. "
