Bhutan

1. Bhutan Bhutan Land of the Thunder dragon Land of the Thunder Dragon Patrick Perez Brent Gyssler Jonina Provenzano

2. Origin • Destroyed by fires, floods, earthquakes and war. • Under Tibetan rule. • British sought to incorporate their influence with Tibet, which posed a threat to Bhutan. • Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck became the first Hereditary monarch of Bhutan in 1907 • Officially independent in 1949. • Bhutan’s official name is Druk-Yul. The Bhutanese government only uses the name Bhutan when dealing with international affairs. • Archeologists believe that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000-1500 B.C.E.

3. Map and Flag of Bhutan ~ Long Name: Kingdom of Bhutan ~Population: 2,232,300 ~Capital: Thimphu ~Currency: Ngultrum ~National Day: December 7th

4. Infrastructure • Geographically/Demographically ~Three Zones: Southern, Central and Northern. ~Full of Tropical Forests, Fertile Valleys and Mountainous Valleys. ~Population consists of approx. 600,000 people. Bhutanese dissident groups argue the population is actually bigger than the government estimates. • Food ~Ethnic Diversity. Northern Indian Cuisine mixed with Tibetan chilies. Often resembles Chinese and Indian Cuisine. ~Mushrooms, apricots, asparagus, and variety of chilies are grown in abundance. ~Meats include: beef, chicken, pork and dried yak. ~Typical meal includes rice, dried beef or pork and chilies sometimes cooked with soft, white cheese. • Use of Resources ~Homes are built to withstand long, cold winters with wood burning stoves used for both heating and cooking. ~houses are normally surrounded by land used for growing vegetable's

5. Bhutanese Comfort Food Ema Daji (Bhutanese Chiles 'n Cheese) 1 1/2 cups of water heaped 3/4 cup of chiles that have been cut into 1 to 2-inch lengths (deseeded or not - its' up to you) 1 large onion, cut in half vertically and then sliced into then half circles 2 tsp. vegetable oil 5 plump cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped or mashed to a paste 250 grams feta or other mild, non-melting cheese salt, if needed a handful of fresh coriander leaves, torn into small pieces Bring the water to a boil in a medium pan and add the chiles, onion, and oil. Cover, reduce heat to a strong simmer, and cook for about 15 mins. Add the garlic and return to a boil, reduce heat again and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the garlic and chiles are soft. Stir in the cheese and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir once, then cover and set aside for 10 mins. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve sprinkled with a few bits of coriander leaf.

6. Structure • Society ~Made up of Several Ethnic Groups. ~The Sharchops ~Myanmar(Burma) ~Indo- Mongoloids • Economy ~Based on agriculture and forestry that provides livelihoods for 90% of the population. ~Commercial Activates ~Cottage industries which includes weaving. ~Major Industries ~ Manufactured goods: cement, woods products, processed fruit. ~Trade ~Electricity exported to India. Other exports include spices, gypsum, cement. ~Chief Imports-Fuels, fabrics and rice. ~Major Import partners are India, Japan, and the United Kingdom ~Division of Labor ~Majority of Bhutanese are not skilled workers. 93% work in agriculture.

7. Structure ~Daily Life ~livestock raised in the region includes cattle, sheep, pig, chicken and yak. • Education ~Modern education was introduced in the 1960’s. Before it was introduced, monasteries provided the education. ~Over 50% of children still do not attend school ~ Educational system consists of 7 years of primary and then 4 years of secondary schooling. • Religion ~Buddhism is the official religion of Bhutan. They also practice Hinduism. ~Dussera in a national holiday in Bhutan. ~Buddhist monks are involved in both religious and social lives. They visit households and perform rites on such occasions as birth, marriage, sickness and death. • Linguistics ~National Language is Dzongkha. ~Most schools conduct class in English, but majority of the text books are written in Dzongkha. ~ Different dialects are spoken in the east and west.

8. Structure • Social Stratification ~There is no caste system, yet there is discrimination among the Hindus of Nepalese. • Political Life ~Constitutional monarchy, ruled by a heredity king known as the “Druk Gyalpo” ~Cabinet consists of six ministers, six advisors that are elected by the National Assembly. One member is elected by the king and includes two clergy representatives. ~Unicameral National Assembly • Social Problems/Control ~ Legal system is based on English Common Law and Indian Law. ~Family laws are governed by traditional Buddhist or Hindu law. ~Criminal defendants have no right to a jury trial ~Military ~Consists of 5,000 soldiers and is located in the capital city of Thimbu. ~Services include royal police force and militia.

9. Structure • Marriages/FamilyLife ~Most marriages may be arranged by either the parents or by the individuals entering the marriage. ~A certificate is required for the court of law to get married. Most are performed by a religious leader. ~Mostly monogamous. Polyandry has recently been abolished. Polygamy is also legal given consent of the first wife. ~A bride does not necessarily move into her husband’s household. The new husband may reside with the wife’s family if their need for labor warrants it. ~Divorce is permitted. • Gender Roles/Status ~The Bhutanese do not isolate or disenfranchise woman. ~Land is divided equally between sons and daughters. ~Females receive nearly equal educational opportunities. They normally accord lower status but are cherished because they take care of the parents in old age. ~Men and Woman normally work side by side. Most common positions for women are teachers and nurses.

10. Super-Structure • Belief in Festivals ~ “Fire Dance”-Helps childless woman who attend the festival to conceive within the next year. • Belief in Reincarnation and Karma • Strong belief in the Buddhist religion and the Buddhist monks. • Use of Space ~preserving both the environment and the quality of life in Bhutan. Also helps preserve wildlife. • Etiquette ~Follow highly refined system of etiquette called “Driglam Namzha”. ~Code of Conduct: respect authority, devotion to the institution of marriage and family, and dedications to civic duty. ~Helps govern behavior. (send/receive gifts, talking, serve/eat food, how to dress) ~Men and Women intermingle

11. Critical Thinking Questions • Why does the Royal Cabinet have two Representatives from the Clergy on it? • What is Bhutan’s official religion? • What type economic system do they use? • What rites do the monks perform? • What are the three zones in Bhutan? • What is their marriage practice like? • How do their living conditions affect their daily routine? • How is power distributed throughout the culture? • How does this culture differ from some of the other cultures we’ve studied?