Dalai Lama ‘suck my tongue’ controversy: What Tibetan culture say about sticking tongue and geetings

Renowned spiritual leader Dalai Lama sparked massive controversy on Sunday when his video of asking a young Indian kid to ‘suck his tongue’ went viral on internet.

Ever since the video started circulating on social media, several Twitter users, holding high authority lashed out at global spiritual leader and called his act ‘disrespectful’ and ‘absolutely sick.’

However, Dalai Lama has already released an apology for hurting sentiments and revealed how sticking tongue is an act of greeting in Tibetian culture.

“A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for hurt his words may have caused,” the statement read.

What does Tibetan culture say about the action?

As per a report by the Institute of East Asian Studies, UC Berkeley, sticking out one’s tongue is a show of respect or agreement and was frequently done as a greeting.

According to Tibetan tradition, a terrible ninth-century Tibetan ruler had a black tongue, thus people put their tongues out to demonstrate that they are not like him.

In the film, ‘Seven Years in Tibet,’ Brad Pitt’ character sees a group of Tibetans who all stick out theit tongues at him at the same time.

Sticking out one’s tongue is used to convey agreement as well as a greeting, and in recent years, this gesture has grown into a sign of respect.

However, there is no provision of ‘sucking the tongue’ in Tibetan culture and several social media users noticed that the kid felt uncomfortable as Dalai Lama approached him for the same.

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