For many years our Tibetan freedom bracelets have been a popular item in the Tibetan Nuns Project online store.

Now we have a limited number of colorful freedom bracelets, each handmade by a nun in India.

Freedom or “rangzen” bracelets were first made by Tibetan political prisoners near Lhasa. In prison, they were woven from white and black yak hair or from whatever bits of thread were available from the prisoner’s clothes. Their pattern of “nine eyes” has a deep historical significance and is based on the traditional Tibetan slingshot used by nomads, thereby symbolizing the conquering power of good over evil.

Our freedom bracelets are made by the nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery near Dharamsala in northern India. Many of the nuns who escaped to India were once political prisoners and experienced great suffering and torture while in prison. The nuns make the bracelets in the hope that they will spread awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people and the desperate need for basic human rights in Tibet.

Each bracelet is handwoven by a Tibetan Buddhist nun using 100% cotton yarns. The bracelet measures 11″ long (27.9 cm) and is adjustable to fit most wrist sizes. The bracelets come with a card explaining their significance. Colors of the bracelets will vary.

Purchase of these bracelets benefits the Tibetan Nuns Project, which provides education, health care, and basic humanitarian aid to over 800 Tibetan refugee nuns now living in India.

You can learn more about freedom bracelets in our special blog post at https://tnp.org/tibetan-freedom-bracelets/