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Bhutan Culture

Bhutan is undoubtedly the last country that opened its windows to the outside world. In order to preserve its cultural heritage, Bhutan has always been very isolated. Because of this isolation Bhutan has successfully preserved a culture that dates back to the 17th century.

The languages spoken in Bhutan, Dzongkha and Sharchop, are directly related to Tibetan. Bhutanese and Tibetan are very similar in nature and it is not known when they crossed the Himalayas to settle in the valleys of Bhutan.

Just as in Tibet, daily life is centered around the practice of Tantric Buddhism. Both revere the guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Himalayan Buddhism in the 8th century.

Driglam Namzha, the national dress code, has to be observed while in public. Women are dressed in colourful blouses over which they fold and clasp a large rectangular cloth, the so called kira. Sometimes a toego, a short silk jacked, is worn above the kira. Men will usually wear a gho, a heavy knee-length robe tied with a belt. The gho gets folded in such a way that it forms a pocket in front of the belly. For everyday use the clothes are made from wool or cotton. For special occasions, colourfully patterned silk is used.

In Bhutanese society women traditionally had more rights than men. They had the right to own land. Inheritance passes on to a sister, daughter or niece. This type of inheritance is called matrilinearity. Men and women mostly work together in the field or in the household.

Every year villagers from the surrounding districts come to observe a dzong wich is a religious festival. The cham, a fixed set of religious mask dances is performed for hours. It is believed that observing these dances blesses the audience. On the final day a huge tapestry, a thongdrel, is unfolded in the courtyard to bring spiritual liberation. The tapestry is rolled up before sunset.

It is only since the 1960s that modern technology has been introduced in Bhutan. Radio service started in 1973 and the Bhutanese had to wait until 1999 to see the first television broadcast. Internet was established in the year 2000.