 Uncommon Journeys into the Soul of Bhutan
Drukpas ~ The Dragon People
Bhutan’s population is, in many ways, one large family. And one of the main points that sets Bhutan apart is its fundamental sense of interconnectedness. Because the country is so small - only 600,000 people - the warmth of an extended family is evident everywhere and hospitality is an in-built social value in Bhutan. About 90% of people live on subsistence farming in villages scattered across the rugged terrain of the Himalayas, farming narrow terraces cut into the steep hill slopes. Despite a punishing terrain, Bhutanese live a life at a different pace with strong sense of self-reliance within supportive communities.
The linguistic situation is complex with 18 different languages and dialects spoken in this tiny mountain kingdom. The national language is Dzongkha which is derived from the classical Tibetan or Choeke, literally “Language of the Dharma” - the language in which sacred Buddhist texts are written. So different are the dialects that the eastern and western neighbors can have great difficulty understanding each other. A growing proportion of people all over Bhutan speak English. The medium of education in schools throughout the country is English. Visitors are assured of being greeted in English by groups of laughing school childern.
From the Bjops (yak herders) of the north to the Lhotsampas (of Nepalese origin) of the south, and from the Ngalongs of the west to the Sharchops of the east, Bhutan can boast of a fascinating ethnic mosaic and variety of populations. The geography of the land kept each ethnic group separate until the middle of the 20th century when roads were built between the East and the West.
The Sharchops
The Sharchops are Bhutan’s earliest residents and reside predominantly in eastern Bhutan. Their origin can be traced to the tribes of northern Burma and north-east India.
The Ngalongs
The Ngalongs migrated from Tibet from the 9th century. They settled in the west of the country, the region west of the Black Mountains.
The Lhotsampas
The Lhotsampas are the Nepalese migrants who in the early 20th century settled in the fertile agricultural valleys in the south of the country.
The Bjops: Semi-Nomadic Yak Herders
The Bjops or “people of the pasturelands” are those who live in the high altitude mountain valleys in northern Bhutan. They live in collapsible, tightly woven yak hair tents and their livestock include yak and yak-oxen hybrid breeds, sheep, horses and dogs. The yaks provide them with their necessary diary products and meat, as well as transport, containers (of yak hide), and shelter (tents).
The Monastic Community
Buddhism permeates every aspect of cultural, ethical and sociological life in Bhutan. A hierarchy of inspired Lamas or red-robed monks provide spiritually-oriented guidance in every area of Bhutanese people’s lives. Even today, most family endeavor to send a boy to a monastery or a Dzong to become a monk. Generally every district has a Dzong and every village and town has at least one monastery. Monastic life usually begins around the age of six or seven and full ordination take place at about the age of eighteen or twenty.
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