The Wandering Voice of Tibet: Life and Songs of Dubhe

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article concerns the life and songs of Dubhe, one of the most influential and adulated singers of contemporary Tibet, who passed away in February 2016. The voice of Dubhe is instantly recognisable, and his artistic legacy is acknowledged by Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet. He began singing as a young nomad boy in the early 1980s, which coincided with the Tibetan cultural revival in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. Over the following decades his melodious voice, musical flair, immersion in Tibetan oral poetry and public-spirited nature deepened Dubhe’s dunglen songs (Tibetan guitar songs) and broadened their appeal. Although many Tibetans regard him as a national hero and find his songs cathartic, accessible, and patriotically expressive, little is known of his life. As a result, through the presentation of a short Tibetan oral composition this article will present some key aspects of his life and some of his most popular songs. The exploration of this extempore proverb-suffused speech shows that informative records of someone’s life can be found in small fragments. It reveals that such tiny pieces not only contain significant biographical material but also form as well as revealing socio-cultural conditions that shape one’s life.