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Tibet: the daily struggle of the “Kung-fu nuns”
Discovering “Kung Fu Nuns”. – (France 2)
In their monastery a few kilometers from Kathmandu, the “Kung-fu nuns” pray, dance and learn martial arts like men. An exception to this feminism-oriented Buddhist lineage.
At dawn, in this Buddhist monastery, nuns They present themselves with a sword in hand, with a hard look. That morning, as every day, they engaged in a two-hour war choreography. A surprising morning routine for these women who preach nonviolence and are often destined for a life of prayer and meditation. A nun’s day starts at 3 am. They meet for sung prayers, accompanied by instruments. It is a daily ritual for all religious Buddhists.
“Work as much as men”
In nunneries, men usually travel to celebrate the service. But here it is the nuns who conduct the ceremony. If kung-fu nuns have so many rights, it’s because the Buddhist lineage they came from wanted to give more power to women, starting in 1990. Today, nuns can practice religious dances, study sacred texts, or even do crafts. The youngest is overseen by Jigme Yangchen Ghamo. “Before, parents told their daughters that they should not do certain things. Here we teach them that they can do anything, just as well as men“, she explains.
