Tibetan tradition is one of a kind among the world's cultures. Hospitality, warmth, and friendliness are key to their unique customs, passed down over thousands of years. The people of Tibet take great joy in hosting guests at their homes, going all out with feasts, wine, and dancing well into the night. From special Tibetan rituals such as weddings or costumes, to their distinctive characteristics  - you're sure to leave with memories that will last you a lifetime.

Journeying into Tibet is an incredible experience. Tibet is full of culture and history that will simply take your breath away. That being said, there are things you should know before you visit the mysterious plateau. Be sure to read this blog post before you set foot on your journey, since Tibetan culture can be quite different from ours in customs and mannerisms.

The Locals dressed in traditional costumes

A Day in the Life of Tibetans

To gain spiritual merit and good karma, the Tibetans go through several daily rituals. For example, they often rotate prayer wheels or fly colorful flags in honor of their deities. This is in the hopes that they will receive something in return, such as health benefits or happiness.

Parents enroll children at Buddhist temples to teach them about spirituality. While there, they also gain some level of personal enlightenment from this activity themselves.

The children are playing in Tibetan Buddhist costumes

Tibetan Traditions and Customs

The traditional nomadic lifestyle of Tibetans is fascinating. They follow the seasons, moving around with their livestock in large tents called yurts on the grasslands and on other parts of the plateau. (Needs transition here) Wooden houses covered by Buddhist symbols indicate a permanent residence, and are often adorned by attractive and bright colors during each season change.

Houses covered by the Buddhist symbols

Tibetan Language

Tibetan is a Sino-Tibetan language and belongs to the Tibeto-Burman group. It's spoken by about four million people in Tibet and its surrounding regions. The Tibetan script adapts for the written form of Tibetan languages, and can be considered Old Tibetan, initially derived from Sanskrit. Thus, it exhibits many similarities with modern forms of Indian literary and religious writing.

Tibetan language

Tibetan Clothing

The Tibetan clothing we see today is a combination of many different styles and influences. In the past, Tibetans wore simple robes made from yak hair or sheepskin. Nowadays, they have adapted to modern fashions, such as wearing skirts and pants modeled after western designs. However, some traditional elements remain, with bright colors and accessories.

Traditional Tibetan clothing consists of many styles, such as long-sleeved shirts with high collars, coarse trousers with wide waistlines, leather robes, and more. Common accessories include aprons, belts, boots, and hats, that help pull outfits together.

Tibetan robe varies in style

Tibetan Housing

The nomadic lifestyle consists of farming and herding livestock, such as yak or sheep. Many still follow this path today. Habitually, males typically participate in herdsman activities, while females partake in domestic chores, such as cooking and looking after children.

Housing is typically made of stone or mud-brick, with flat roofs for protection against harsh weather conditions. Oftentimes, there are no windows, so don't be alarmed if you see curtains covering the fronts!

Tibetan housing made of stone

Greetings, Etiquette, Manners, and Taboos When Traveling in Tibet

Traditions and customs can vary significantly from region to region, and even from one family to the next. Here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Greetings, Etiquette, and Manners

Faithful meet and greets are usually reserved for close family or friends. Traditionally, the head is deemed sacred. This means that strangers or those outside the family should never touch it. Since you will be viewed as an outsider, you will most likely be met with a kind nod and a smile. Tibetan people have a reputation for their amiable dispositions.

In Tibetan etiquette, locals typically greet each other with a proverbial greeting, "Namaste." This act involves two hands pressed together in front of the chest, often with a slight bow of the head. The word namaste is beautiful - you can trace it back to Hindu origins, where it means "I honor the divine in you."

Since you are a tourist, Tibetans may be a bit curious about you. Don't be surprised if someone asks you questions about where you're from, although they will likely do so in a respectful manner. For example, some may ask what the weather is like in your country, or how many cities are in it.

If Tibetan people invite you into their home to spend time with them, this is a sign of friendship - in which case, be sure to bring a gift! Traditionally, Tibetans give gifts of fruit or other food items. In addition, to show respect and appreciation, you can put your hand on your chest and say "tashidele," which means “good fortune”.

Tibetans gathering in traditional houses

Gifting or Receiving a Hada

In Tibetan culture, a Khata (commonly referred to as Hada) is a white woven scarf that symbolizes purity and loyalty. It is often wrapped around the head and shoulders. This garment protects you from harsh weather conditions while traveling through remote mountain passes in Tibet. Today, it is still seen as a sign of respect when greeting your elders or visiting important monasteries and temples.

You can also choose to gift a hada, but make sure to first ask for permission before touching their head. If given permission, place the hada gently over the crown of their head, with both hands (palms up) while saying "tashidele.” If you are the recipient, receive the hada politely with both hands. You can then place it over your own head and thank them. Tibetans once carried their Hada with them everywhere, even during sleeping hours! Hadas were also expected to be worn when visiting temples or other holy places.

Tibetans offer Had as a gift to guests

Cultural Customs: Serving Tea, Drinks, and Zanba

When given the honor of having dinner at a local's home, you will most likely be welcomed with a bow, with both hands held at the same level. Afterwards, the host may present you with Tibetan Butter Tea. Generally, this beverage is prepared with boiling water and tsampa flour (roasted barley). The tea is then mixed with yak butter, which gives it a unique taste and consistency.

As a guest, do not hold up the cup and drink straight away. Instead, dip your ring finger into the cup and flick it three times before drinking. This is the religious etiquette of the local Triratna, namely the followers of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

A typical Tibetan dish is Zanba, a dough made with roasted highland barley flour and yak butter mixed together. Locals flatten the dough into a circular shape, then place it on hot stones or coals heated from a fire. Zanba can be eaten as a snack served with tea, but it's also a common side dish. Some of these dishes where you will find it include Thukpa (noodle soup), Yak meat stewed in buttery broth, fried potatoes, and Momo (Tibetan style dumplings).

The typical Tibetan dish--Zanba

Tibetan Culture Taboos and How to Avoid Them

Religious Taboos:

• No 1:Smoking is strictly prohibited in Tibetan Buddhist temples.
• No 2:Do not touch or take photos of statues and articles of religious significance.
• No 3:Please move clockwise around temples, pagodas, and objects of a religious nature such as incense burners, etc.
• No 4:Tibetans believe there is a stove god in all fire stoves. Therefore, please exercise caution around them, as desecrating the stove god means being held responsible for disaster that occurs. Be sure not to spit anywhere near the stove.

Etiquette Taboos:

• No 1:As a guest in a Tibetan home, sit cross-legged. Do not straighten your legs, face the soles of your feet, and avoid looking around.
• No 2:If you go around the mountain, always walk clockwise.

Behavioral Taboos:

• No 1:As you make your way through Tibetan areas, pay attention to the cloth colors on cattle and sheep. If they have red, yellow, or green clothes attached to them, it means these animals are sacrifices for local people who worship the gods of nature. In addition, the eagle is considered sacred by Tibetans who worship birds of prey as deities.
• No 2:Do not use paper with Tibetan words as toilet paper or even to wipe things.
• No 3:It is strictly forbidden to purchase any wild animal fur, wild Tibetan antelope horns, wild yak skulls, etc., in Tibetan areas.
• No 4:Within Tibetan areas, if there are patients or women in Tibetan homes, they will mark the door when they give birth. Some will even make a fire outside the door, and some will stick a branch or a red cloth at the door. If you see these signs, it's best not to go inside.
• No 5:No common person except eminent monks or elders can casually touch another's head.

Wedding and Funeral Customs

Tibetan Marriage Customs

The diverse and colorful Tibetan marriage customs are a reflection of the rich culture in this region. The old custom is that both man and woman marry under their parent's arrangement. However, new generations are changing how things are done.

In today's world, the modern style has more freedom for couples when choosing partners. As long as they share similar values, they can both ask for their parent's consent.

The proposal is the first formality that the couple must go through. However, before this, both zodiac signs must be combined. When this is done, a Khata must be sent to the other party's family to propose formally.

When both parties agree to the marriage, they send a trusted person to choose a lucky day to draft the marriage contract. On their special day, the groom must give the wife a piece of the Khata scarf for everybody in the wife's family.

On the eve of a wedding, the groom must also deliver his bride's dress and jewelry to her home for it to be ready on their special day. He takes an animal as well – a pregnant mare with its color matching the bride's horoscope. On the day of the wedding, this will be the bride's mount.

Funeral Traditions

Tibetan beliefs about death are documented in an ancient book called the Bardo Thodol, or Bar Do Thos Grol. Translated, this means 'Liberation through hearing during the intermediate state.' In the West, It's known as the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Padmasambhava, an Indian Buddhist master, and the father of the Tibetan Enlightenment Movement wrote the book in the 8th century. He buried it deep within Tibet's Gampo Hills, where it lay forgotten for six centuries.

Tibetan people's funeral customs are quite different from those of other cultures around the world. In Tibet, when someone dies, they must follow several rules before burial or cremation takes place.

Traditionally, the body is not cremated or buried until three days after death. The family would keep vigil by the deceased's side throughout this time, and there were specific rules about how they could act during these days.

For instance, during the four days after a death occurs, relatives and friends assemble at the deceased's home to console one another until the time of burial. At every meal, the body of a person who has died is offered food and drink, and usually remains in the same house with the guests.

The Origin of the Sky Burial Custom

The Tibetan sky burial custom is one of the most fascinating and mysterious rituals. It is called "Jhator" in Tibetan, or Devour by Birds. This tradition has been performed to show respect for deceased people when there was no crematorium available. Instead, the body would be left on a mountain top for vultures to eat.

When arriving at the buried area, people will burn cypress branches to notify the divine vultures. The rising smoke from these cremations is a signal that only animals can perceive, summoning a group of hungry vultures.

Buddhist Tibetans view death as a part of life, just like birth, so they believe the body is only an empty shell in death. The soul will be reincarnated into another life, carrying all good deeds and bad deeds in the previous life.

Water Burial

During a water burial, the body is wrapped in a white cloth and disposed of in a river. The tradition can be traced back to ancient times, when Tibet was covered with ice and snow.

During that time, it would have been difficult for a family to carry a body in such harsh weather conditions. Tibetans came up with this unique idea of letting nature take its course by burying the body in water. This method is said to represent one's continuing journey in the waters of life.

Pagoda Burial

The supreme burial form is known as the pagoda burial. Traditionally, this custom was reserved for Buddhist monks who had reached nirvana. Only very few living Buddha receive this honor.

The body is kept in a sitting position with the legs crossed, and placed inside an open container made of bricks or stones above ground level. The head is slightly raised by placing some kind of support under it, and the body is covered with a thin layer of clay.

The corpse is preserved using unique envoy methods, such as touching the whole body with salt, filling the interior with saffron, and other precious medicinal materials. Tibetan techniques are used to preserve the corpse intact and place it in the spirit tower. Some are placed in the spirit tower after being activated for admiration.

Pagoda complex on the plateau

Fire Burial

In the Tibetan tradition, fire burial is performed by cremation. Traditionally, corpses are carried on a stretcher and placed in front of the crematorium while monks chant Buddhist scriptures. This event is a privilege for those with the ability to lead others, like high-ranking monks.

Generally, after cremation, ashes are collected and scattered in a river or in the winds, but there is also a group of people who keep their loved ones close. They do this by preserving some special beads along with prayer books, clothes, or anything that belonged to the deceased.

Final Thoughts

The plateau is a place of mystery and intrigue, where the past meets the present in an ever-changing landscape. In this blog post, we have explored some of these mysteries while uncovering the significance behind local customs and traditions that are still practiced today. We hope you've enjoyed reading about them!

If you want to learn more about the beautiful Tibetan culture, why not visit the plateau in person? We offer a tour that will take you to its heart, and show you some of the most exciting sites. From incredible Songtsam experiences to the most extravagant stays in our hotels - Songtsam is the best way to explore this magical land.