Supporters of the Dalai Lama say critics misunderstood an interaction with a young boy that many criticized as inappropriate this week, saying it was 'westernised.'
argued criticism was coming from Westerners who misunderstand Tibetan culture. Sticking out one's tongue at another person is considered a sign of respect or affirmation in the region's culture, according to the University of California at Berkeley's Institute of East Asian Studies.
"At [the] Dalai Lama’s temple, a child asked him if he could hug Dalai Lama & he said yes, then he asked for a kiss & Dalai Lama did a kiss, then jokingly Dalai Lama said ‘you can suck my tongue’. So that was a part of a joke or just a play with the kid, so we should not go more than that," said Dawa Tsering, a member of the Tibetan Parliament In Exile.
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