Dalai Lama welcomed by Memphis mayor with fist bump and “Hello Dalai”

Dalai Lama comes to Memphis, gets fist bump, joke

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Dalai Lama has been welcomed to Memphis with a fist bump and the greeting “hello Dalai.”

It happened as the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader met interim Memphis Mayor Myron Lowery on Tuesday.

WPTY-TV reported the Dalai Lama appeared confused by the fist gesture until Lowery took his hand and showed him how to return it. Lowery then said he had always wanted to say “hello Dalai,” a reference to the 1960s Broadway musical and movie “Hello Dolly.”

The station reported the holy man appeared amused by both the gesture and the joke.

The Dalai Lama is in Memphis to receive the International Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum on Wednesday.

Information from: WPTY-TV, www.abc24.com/