Echoes from Dharamsala: Music in the Life of a Tibetan Refugee Community

Nearly the world over, with perhaps the exception of Western classical artists, music is not regarded as a suitable profession by the majority of a society, yet it fulfills a profound, even integral, need of an individual and is at the center of a culture. This extraordinarily good book discusses how music becomes a contentious political and social force within a people living in exile. Influenced, pulled and tugged by Chinese musical forms within Tibet, Hindstani pop and Bollywood film songs, American rock, rap, and blues, and offical traditional tunes and instruments, Tibetan popular music (as opposed to Buddhist ritual music) is continually changing and is a source of pride and worry as it rapidly evolves. Keila Diehl's sociological and anthropological examination within ethnomusicology provides important insights on music as a living, interacting force. Her writing is smooth, without much scholarly argot. Her story as observer, participant, and analytical scholar is a good read. I enjoyed this book, particuarly having listened to many popular Tibetan recordings, and urge readers to also take this literary journey to Dharamsala.

This is a wonderful book about modern life in Dharamsala, exile home of the Dalai Lama in India. Dr. Diehl, an anthropologist, actually became a member of a local rock and roll band, the Yak band. Her story is about the day-to-day struggles of Tibetans to maintain their sense of identity while adjusting to the modernizing forces of global culture. The book is well-written and produced, with lots of sharp photos that give the reader a clear view of what life is like in the 'capital' of the Tibetan world in exile. Refreshingly, there is little anthropological jargon in this substantial and important book. I highly recommend it.