CULTURE & TRADITION

A Glimpse of Living Buddhism

As a tiny landlocked Himalayan kingdom, Bhutan remained sovereign and self-sufficient but unknown to the world outside for most of its existence until the mid 20th century. The country’s heritage of rich culture and environment has remained almost completely untainted. The daily life is influenced strongly by Buddhism and like nowhere else one can experience Living Buddhism in Bhutan. The Middle Path and the concept of Gross National Happiness are a strong basis for the Bhutanese way of life.

Signs of History and Living Myths

There is a myriad of stories about people and buildings in every district in Bhutan. Ruins said to be haunted by ghosts, old Dzongs as reminders of the Bhutanese defence against Tibetan invaders, animals believed to have flown from Tibet to Bhutan and assuming the shape today of huge rocks, stories about the abominable snowman; both true history and myths are fascinating and an inherent part of Bhutanese culture.

Tsechus

The Buddhist festivals or Tsechus are one of the prime examples of the living culture of Bhutan that many have come to admire and to treasure. The tsechu is a festival in honour of Guru Rinpoche, the saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan and the Himalayan world. These Tsechus are held in almost every district attracting hundreds of Bhutanese people in a spirit of festivity, celebration and deep faith.

The People

The Bhutanese people are a good-natured, friendly and fun-loving people. The natural confidence of its people stems perhaps from the fact that Bhutan has never been colonised. The ruggedness of the terrain and the remoteness of its valleys have led to the formation of many scattered communities throughout Bhutan. Hence there are nineteen languages spoken in the country. The people in western Bhutan are called Ngalongs. The eastern Bhutanese are referred to as the Scharshops, and in southern Bhutan, there are the Lhotsampas who are of ethnic Nepali origin. Bhutan also has several small communities who have literally lived in isolation in their own communities for many years keeping their traditional practices alive. These include the Doyas in the south, the Layaps in the north-west, the Monpas of central Bhutan, and the nomads of Merak Sakten in eastern Bhutan.

Ethnic Festivals

Tsechus take place throughout the country in every district at different times of the year. The smaller Tsechus are often more interesting as visitors get a close and better perspective of a local festival. The Department of Tourism maintains a list of Tsechus, locations and dates for the year. (LINK this to the webpage) Apart from the main Tsechus in every district, folk festivals exist on a smaller, community scale that provide a fascinating insight into local beliefs. Some of these festivals are inspired by the pre-Buddhist tradition – the Bon practise.

Arts and Crafts

Bhutan’s arts and crafts reflect the unique spirit and identity of the Himalayan kingdom. The art of Zorig Chosum – or the thirteen arts and crafts of Bhutan – remains very much alive today. They include carpentry, blacksmithing, weaving, sculpting and many of the crafts described below. There are two institutes of Zorig Chosum where these traditional arts and crafts are being taught today – one in the capital, Thimphu, and the other in Trashi Yangtse in eastern Bhutan. The arts and crafts continue to thrive despite a small tourist market. Much of this is due to the government’s support and emphasis on the preservation of culture and tradition.

Traditional Medicines

Health care in Bhutan is free for both Bhutanese and visitors. The health systems have evolved into a fusion of traditional and modern medicine and it is not uncommon that a patient would consult both the modern and the indigenous physician. The rich tradition of indigenous medicine, based primarily on herbal treatment, is kept alive with the Institute for Traditional Medicine Services in Thimphu and 19 indigenous dispensaries scattered across Bhutan. The museum inside the Institute in Thimphu gives an insight into the treatments, and the collection and processing of herbal plants into medication.

Museums

Although some might say that Bhutan in itself is a living museum, it is worthwhile visiting Bhutan’s museums. The National Museum, hosted in the Ta Dzong (watch tower) of Paro Dzong, gives a comprehensive picture about history, culture, people and animals in Bhutan. In Thimphu the National Heritage and Folklore Museum, the Museum of Traditional Medicine, the National Library, the Institute of Traditional Arts give a deeper insight into special parts of Bhutanese life. A great museum on Bhutanese history, life and culture can be found in the Tang valley of Bumthang district, in Tang Ugyen Choling.

Traditional Dress

Bhutanese traditional dress is called the gho ( men’s robes) and kira ( women’s dress). The women’s dress is a length of woven material (kira) that is draped across the body over a blouse, and held in place over the shoulders with silver clasps. A toego ( or jacket) is usually worn over the dress. The man’s gho is a stitched robe, which reaches the ground when first worn. This is then pulled up to knee length and tied in place at the waist with a handwoven belt. Long socks and shoes, or traditional hand made boots complete the attire. Traditional dress is worn for all formal occasions including working in the office. The Bhutanese wear their best handwoven ghos and kiras on formal occasions while machine milled traditional clothing is also popular for daily wear. There has been a revival in interest in the traditional dress largely inspired by the annual national textile competition and shows organised by the Textile Museum. This annual event encourages weavers to design and produce textiles using the season’s colours and has helped to make the gho and kira very fashionable especially among the youth.

Archery – More Than a Sport

Bhutan’s national sport, archery, is not just a sport. It is a festivity where archers, dancers, entertainers, astrologers – in fact, entire communities – gather to eat, drink and have fun. And the competition is serious. The teams will organise cheerleaders to distract their opponents with witty songs and verses. Every score – the target is barely half a meter wide and 140m away from the archer - is celebrated with a dance, every miss greeted with exaggerated groans of regret. Nowadays the game is played with traditional bamboo and modern compound bows.