Aku Pema - performed by Rigzen Dolma and Greg Howard

This recording of Palgon's popular Tibetan song "Aku Pema" is the first musical collaboration between Tibetan singer Rigzen Dolma and American Chapman Stick player Greg Howard. It was recorded during her first visit to Charlottesville, Virginia in May, 2012. Rigzen Dolma is a strong advocate for teaching the Tibetan language, and she sponsors a school in rural Tibet. Wikipedia has the following English translation of the lyrics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aku_Pema "Oh Uncle Pema! Oh mighty Eagle adorned with a conch-white stripe! If you soar up heavenwards, you adorn the azure sky, If you descend earthwards, you gladden the craggy mountains. And, your absence makes the craggy ledges bereft of any life! Oh Uncle Pema! Duck with the golden rosary If you fly out of the water, you adorn the meadows, If you swim in the water, you gladden the water's spirits And, your absence makes the lake bereft of life and spirit! Oh Uncle Pema! Oh handsome Youth, adorned with conch-white teeth like a tiger! If you go away, you are a credit to your fellow townsfolk, and If you come this way, you are a star amongst your peers. And, your absence makes my heart bereft of love and meaning!"