Things I learned about Bhutan

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During the last couple of months, there are so many things I have learned about Bhutan. In many ways, I found Bhutan to be a country which is truly independent because of its location, cultural, and religious belief. It is a country where almost always everyone is born as Buddhist. Because of the size of the country, it creates a very small community and social groups. Denka Tshering, Sonam Lhamo, and many other Bhutanese that I have met once told me, “Everyone knows your business and your life, it’s as if you are being watched 24/7. One wrong thing/behavior can affect the whole entire family’s reputation. That is one thing I hate about Bhutan”. They all have said almost the same thing about having a small community but at the same time, they said they would not want to change that. They have gotten so used to it and cannot imagine having a larger social community.
Furthermore, because Bhutanese people strongly believe in their religion, Buddhism, I was curious to find out what they thought of other religions and how they felt about human rights. Through my research and interviews, I can conclude that most of Bhutanese people are open-minded towards other religions. They respect other cultures and religions and strongly believe and respect in human rights. However, if someone tries to force his/her religion to a Bhutanese person or onto a community, they will not tolerate those kinds of behaviors.
Many unique behaviors I saw Bhutanese people do but now, I have finally come to an understanding of them. It has been influenced strongly by their religions more than culture. The culture adds on to their influence. Buddhism has a lot of belief which some what has to do with superstitious and because over many generations, Bhutanese people have been Buddhists, it affects the cultural belief as well. Because I believe culture is created by the people in that country. I still cannot say I fully agree to the behaviors I saw my friends, Denka or Sonam do. A lot of behaviors have to do with their religion and their natural reaction; they were taught to do those things when they were young. By studying Bhutanese culture and religions, I have come to respect and understand the culture. Instead of looking at particular behaviors and questioning why people do them, I am now able to analyze them.

Music in Bhutan and the significance beneath the music.

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I believe every culture has a cultural music and its own significance to it. Music of Bhutan has traditional genres such as “boedra” and “zhungdra”, and a modern genre called “rigsar”. One of the most famous Bhutanese musicians is called Jigme Drukpa, who is also known as the leading Bhutanese musicologist. During the 17th century, folk music and dance in Bhutan had developed. Traditional instruments include the “lingm”, which is the flute in western music, “dramnyen” (lute), and “chiwang” which is known as fiddle. As I researched about the Bhutanese music, I could find that Drukpa Buddhism and Buddhist music had a big influence on Bhutanese culture as well as music. Many folk songs and chanting style are derived from “Drukpa music”. Bhutanese popular music history recently began with the “Bhutan Broadcasting Service”, which was followed by the band Tashi Nyencha, who established the first recording studio in Thimphu in 1991. Before this era, people in Bhutan mostly listened to “filmi” and other kinds of Indian pop music. “Rigsar” is the dominant style of Bhutanese popular music, and dates back to the late 1980s.
According to my Bhutanese friend, Denka Tshering, she says there are two kind of music in Bhutan. One which is the folk, traditional, and classical music (boedra and zhungdra) which she believes it “creates” the culture. She believes that those types of music tell about the Bhutanese traditional culture and the history of Bhutan. The other style of music in Bhutan, according to her, is “the pop music”; a kind of music which reflects the present Bhutanese culture. She believes that because of the influences on Bhutanese music from other cultures such as India, Korea, as well as the western cultures, this style of music ‘reflects’ the Bhutanese culture instead of ‘creating’ it.
For me, I believe music almost always reflects the culture because of my personal experiences with music and since I am a music major, I have learned many different cultural music. As an example, many people believe that salsa music has been developed from either Puerto Rico or Spain. However it was originated in New York in the late 60s by Cubans and Puerto Ricans. People believe that salsa immediately means Spanish because they believe it is part of a culture. Salsa did not create Spanish culture or Puerto Rican culture but it reflects them. The role of music in culture is that it is there to express that certain culture, society, and feelings of the people in that particular culture but I do not believe it creates a culture.

Food in Bhutan

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During the Thanksgiving break, my Bhutanese friends and I decided to cook some Japanese and Bhutanese food. Like many other Asian countries, Bhutanese food is known to be spicy. Chilies and cheese, in Bhutanese called ema and dates mixed with all kinds of meats, vegetables, poultry and fish are found commonly on many Bhutanese menus. The closest food to Bhutan is Indian food which is also famous for having a spicy taste. Unlike many other Asian food and cultures, Bhutanese people eat their food with their hands. As I researched and asked my friends, they said it is because of the history in Bhutan. Years ago when Bhutan was not as developed as today, people did not have many technology or access to power and resources. They did not have equipments such as forks, knifes, and chopsticks. It is normal for them to serve food on a plate and eat with their hands. One of the biggest rules is when the food is served on a big plate, people have to put the food into their own small plate before they begin to eat. This means they are not allowed to ‘directly’ eat off the main dish. Everyone needs to put the food on their own small plate and then eat from it. It is culturally disrespectful to eat food from the main plate because they eat with their hands so people believe that by constantly picking off the main plate, it is considered to be a very rude behavior. Furthermore, after the funeral, typically and traditionally, people drink teas. There is a certain way to serve the tea in the funeral. The person has to pour the tea in an opposite way than how it is usually poured. If a person is right-handed, she/he would twist the arm towards the left, in other words, counterclockwise. However, during the funeral, she/he would have to twist his/her arm towards right, meaning clockwise. Therefore, in usual occasion, it is considered to be rude if a person pours a tea in this direction. I believe many cultures have certain rule which is considered to be forbidden as they eat or serve food. I was fascinated after having to cook some Bhutanese food during the Thanksgiving break and tried eating with my hands. It felt awkward at first but it also gave me a better understanding of how people eat food in Bhutanese culture.

What is like to visit Bhutan.

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My Bhutanese friend once told me something she loves about home; which also provided me different insights of how Bhutan truly is. She said, “In the middle valleys, you will see massive and colorful dzongs (administrative building) or fortresses. They come alive with festivals, religious events and the daily workings of government and monastic life. You will see the fluttering prayer flags that send out goodwill and blessings to the rest of the world while we, Bhutanese people welcome visitors with openness and curiosity”. She also gave me a beautiful quote, “From spring through early summer, you will see rhododendron blooms add splashes of color while exquisite blue poppies cover high-alpine meadows. Blue Sheep, the endemic moose-like Takin, the extremely rare Golden Langurs and the rarely glimpsed Snow Leopard hint at Bhutan's pristine and zealously guarded environment.”
My Bhutanese friends have officially invited me to come to Bhutan. I felt honored and excited to visit a country that is so different and independent from all the other countries I have been to. Bhutan is a country where one cannot enter freely; in other words, we have to apply to go to Bhutan. There is a thing called, “Tourist Tax”, anyone who has not been formally invited have to pay tax in order to enter Bhutan. The government of Bhutan is trying to limit the number of tourists entering the country at a time. They want to keep the preservation and conservation of Bhutanese culture so that traditional heritage can be maintained. If one is the citizen of the country, Bhutan, she/he is entitled to give invitation to the foreigners. Even though I can completely understand this law, I believe people should be able to ‘visit’ a country freely. However, I strongly believe that Bhutan is a country which truly offers the travelers not simply the splendor and the beauty of the Himalayas but also give an opportunity to experience a vibrant culture and way of life whose continued survival enriches the breadth of human diversity and traditions on our planet.

Bhutan, a country that is filled with nature

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"This peaceful nation ... is emerging as a big draw, attracting those in search of a spiritual journey, a hiking adventure — or just a chance to experience a place before the rest of the world gets there." ~ The New York Times.

Bhutan is only slightly larger than Switzerland and because of the modern development of contented inns and lodges, it has frequently been put side by side to its European cousin. However, unlike Switzerland, Bhutan’s mountaintops and hills are graced not by ski lifts but by vivacious and living monasteries. In the monasteries, monks reflect spiritual texts, mediate, involve in debate, study, and preserve a way of life that has been endangered in the rest of the Himalayas. As I was informally carrying out conversation with my Bhutanese friends, I asked them how they feel to live in a place surrounded by mountains and valleys and what is like for them to live in the United States.

Denka Tshering (from Bhutan, a student at Wheaton College) said,

“I think because I get to go out to different places and live, when I go home, I realize that I take things for granted. It brings a whole different level of perspectives and you appreciate things at home more. I feel so safe when I am surrounded by mountains and I see monasteries. When I go back over the break and I see it, I begin praying, thanking God for bringing me all the good things including home in my life.

Another friend, Sonam Lhamo (from Bhutan, a student at Wheaton College) added,

“After my first year of high school in the U.S., I was truly ready and excited to go home. I was on a plane and as the plane was descending to land to Bhutan, I had tears come out and felt so excited and safe to be home. Mountains, monasteries, and valleys are the symbols of home and I completely connect with it. Anywhere I am, I feel like before making or taking any big steps in life, I pray. Whether I am in the U.S or in Bhutan, it is a perpetual thing that which allows me to connect to home and family.

Denka agreed with Sonam. They both said that behavior of praying or chanting in order to connect with home comes from Buddhist tradition as well as culture influence. They said no matter where they are at, when they pray, it makes them feel closer to home.

Laws, gender roles/status, family & kinship, and education of Bhutan.

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Looking at the culture aspects of Bhutan, there are significant differences compare to the U.S. Due to the small size of the country, much of the legal system is occurs at a local level. Those who are accused of breaking the law have their case heard before local headmen and magistrates. Appeals can be made to an eight member High Court. A last appeal can be made to the king of Bhutan. Family law on the other hand is based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu laws. In the past, Bhutan was virtually crime free but as modernization occurred, burglary and robbery became more common.
Although women are regarded as a lower status than men, women are not disenfranchised nor discriminated against at an institutional level. Land ownership is divided equally for men and women, dowries are not practiced, and women have the same educational opportunities as men. In terms of labor, women and men both tend the fields, yet more women are nurses and teacher than men. This is an indication that the notion of gender roles still exists within the country; they provide the caregiver role. Daughters are also regarded as the ones who care for the parents in old age.
Marriages may be established by either the parents or the individuals. Many of the marriages are performed leaders. Much of the country is monogamous. It has only been in recent times that the act of polyandry (multiple husbands) has been made illegal. Polygamy remains legal still however, but it can only be established if the first wife grants her husband permission.
The brides are not obligated to move into their husband’s side of the family. The husband may move into the wife’s side of the family if his labor is needed. Additionally, newly weds can establish their own households through their own land. Divorce is legal in Bhutan, but compensation from the one seeking the divorce is required.
Education in Bhutan is not mandatory. Over fifty percent of children do not attend schools. The educational system is made of seven years of primary school and four years of secondary school. The number of children attending secondary schools drop drastically compared to those attending primary school. In 1994, the figure of children in primary school was 60,089 compared to 7,299 students in secondary schools. Bhutan only has one college. Hindu students may obtain scholarships to study in Vernares University in India.

Work cited:
Advameg Inc.
2007 Culture of Bhutan for Countries and their Culture. Electronic document,
http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Bhutan.html, accessed October 15th 2007.

History of Bhutan

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In order to understand Bhutan and its culture, one has to examine the history and the ethnic relationships that have shaped the country. Much of the early history of Bhutan remains unknown as records were destroyed from natural disasters. What is known that in the late sixteenth century, Bhutan came under rule of Tibet which established governmental system known as “Zhabdrung Rinpoche.” The system consisted of the country being headed by a spiritual leader and a civil government leader.
This from of government lasted until 1907 when a monarchy was established; the first King being Penlop Uyen Wangchuck. He is most known for his mediator role between Tibet and British India as historically Britain wished to incorporate Tibet within its empire. However, Wangchuck was able to eliminate the threat from Britain through negotiations. In 1949, Bhutan gained its independence.
Much of Bhutan’s national identity highly weaved into its religious identity; Buddhism. Buddhist ideology impacts the Bhutanese people greatly and Buddhist spiritual leaders possess a high amount of influence within the country.
The Bhutanese population consists of many diverse ethnic groups. A number of small tribal groups can trace their ancestry back over three thousands within the region. In recent decades, many immigrants from Tibet, Nepal, and Mongolia have settled in the country. However problems began to arise during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when the Hindu Nepalese population conflicted with the Buddhist majority due to their differing ideals. As such, the Bhutanese government placed restrictions to reduce the influx of Nepalese immigrants into the country. But this policy resulted in protests, demonstrations, and ethnic violence on part by the Nepalese community. As things progressed however, the situation became worse, which lead to thousands of Nepalese fleeing the country. Many of them reside in refugee camps in India and Nepal.