Author: alixcarson

Bhutan is a small, isolated country with its own language and relatively little international engagement outside of border talks with China and India. Although, as I have mentioned in previous posts, they have a lot to offer on the international stage about environmental policy, anti-corruption and peace. As an aspiring anthropologist, I feel I have something to offer in both better understanding Bhutanese culture and allowing Bhutan to communicate with the rest of the world.

Bhutan is stuck between two giants, China and India, which means it can be kind of forgotten on the international stage. They may have a lot of insight into numerous issues but making their voices heard is the problem. Moreover, due to the traditional nature of the country, many more western cultures are not willing to listen.

Studying different cultures is my passion and by learning more about Bhutan I may be able to ensure they are better understood from the outside. Also, by opening up communication channels, a platform for the Bhutanese to share their knowledge can be established. I can help challenge the misconception of the country being backwards by highlighting the desirable aspects of their culture and constituting meaningful and respectful international engagement.

In a globalising world where international cooperation is increasingly important, having an understanding of others cultures and beliefs is vital. The West is not the all-knowing culture that has the solutions to all problems that it likes to present itself as. Rather, the ‘Rest’ has some wisdom for the West. Bhutan has a lot to share about respecting the land you live on and protecting nature. They also understand the importance of tradition and belief in guiding people through their lives. In Bhutan it is Buddhism but that does not mean you have to rely on a religion, but rather respecting those around you and how your actions affect them. Bhutan has great wisdom to share with the rest of the world if only they are willing to listen and I believe the skill set I bring may help in allowing that to happen.

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Bhutan is often misinterpreted as the least developed country in South East Asia for a number of reasons. Firstly, they still live a very traditional life governed by religion and their first election wasn’t held until 2008. They still have a constitutional monarchy and some aspects of Bhutanese life seem heavily regulated. For example, tourists were not allowed into the country until 1974, TV was banned until 1999 and it’s the only country in the world where smoking is illegal and can lead to jail time.

However, this misrepresentation can be easily disputed, even if some of their laws seem backwards to a westerner, in numerous aspects we could take a leaf out of Bhutan’s book. The main reason being their environmental policies; in Bhutan, every citizen has a constitutional obligation to protect the environment. Sixty per cent of the country must be forest and the trees in Bhutan use more CO₂ than the people produce; they are the only country in the world to do this. Also, Bhutan only uses renewable energy that it produces using hydroelectric technology.

Bhutan is also perceived as poor when in fact only 2% of its population lives below the poverty line and it has some of the greatest freedom of spending and business in South East Asia. It has by far the least corruption of any South East Asian country and their government has managed to run an incredibly peaceful and stable country. These are just some of the reasons that the perception of Bhutan as being underdeveloped are simply false.

This misrepresentation can be damaging for any country because on the world stage they could be viewed as irrelevant to discussions. In the case of Bhutan, this is counter-productive because every country could learn from them in terms of renewable energy and environmental policy especially with climate change such a hot topic. Moreover, the ability of a country to live peacefully with low poverty levels without embracing capitalism and modernity can make an interesting case study to oppose assumptions about what it means to be developed and successful. Bhutan is a country that should be respected instead of looked down upon because even the most ‘developed’ countries can learn from them.

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One of the most well-known symbols of Bhutan is Druk (the thunder dragon) which is mentioned in both Bhutanese and Tibetan mythology. In Dzongkha, the local Bhutanese language, their country is called Druk Yul; translated it means ‘the land of Druk’ and an image of the dragon is present on the national flag and the leader of the country is called Druk Gyalpo ‘Thunder Dragon King’. It is clearly a vital symbol to Bhutanese identity but what does it stand for in modern-day Bhutan?

The symbol was used to represent Bhutan from approximately the 17^th century but it was introduced much earlier. The dragon was the emblem to the Drukpa Lineage in Tibet, a Buddhist sect, whose leader, Tsangpa Gyare the 1^st Gyalwang Drukpa, came to Bhutan in the 10^th century to build a monastery. Supposedly as he was travelling over he saw nine dragons and as they flew away there was a clap of thunder and it began to rain flowers. He interpreted this as an omen and thus named the monastery after Druk as a sign of respect. Some versions of the story say it was violent storm instead of the more whimsical raining flowers and flying dragons.

What does the national symbol being so steeped in religious and spiritual notions mean for modern-day Bhutan? And how can we understand that from a western perspective? Even today Bhutan is an incredibly traditional place, everyone must wear traditional dress and all the houses must be built in the traditional manner. The continuation of such a myth as a national symbol can be seen as a testament to the country’s effort to maintain a traditional lifestyle focused on the collective instead of the individual. Furthermore, Buddhism is pervasive in everyday Bhutanese life so a symbol originating from that tradition seems fitting. It is a symbol of resistance by Bhutan against the trudge of modernity.

From a western secular perspective, it seems odd to avoid modernity but when you begin to look at what the country takes to be important you see the logic behind it. Its less about capital and more about nature and the people. It is somewhat a simpler way of life with more of a focus on community and everyone looking out for one another. We may have modern gadgets and technology but Bhutan has a community spirit that we have lost in our quest for profit.

Thanks for joining me! My name is Alix and I am currently an anthropology and criminology student. I love learning about, and discovering new cultures and this constitutes itself in a love of travelling. Travel allows you to recognise your own oddities and the simple pleasures of home, while also opening your mind to the wider possibilities in life. Life is a beautiful thing, what better way to appreciate it then learn how others live theirs?

Travel for me is about culture and encountering people, places and practices that challenge your own established ways of thinking. Only in challenging your beliefs and subconscious biases can you broaden your gaze and be more open. As an anthropology student, I have come to appreciate human collectives and what they have achieved both physically (cities and towns) but relationally as well (communities). Now I want to go and explore more of them so I can see what, as the human race, we can achieve.

I chose Bhutan, which translates to the land of the thunder dragon,  as my country of study because it has such a contrasting culture to our own. A focus on preserving their natural environment and protecting people, the only country in the world that strives for a higher gross national happiness and not a gross domestic product and a country constituted on Buddhism. There are stark differences between the cultures of Australia and Bhutan one a country of long-standing traditions and the other modernised and capitalised.

Through this blog, I hope to explore the differences in religion, government, environmental protection and everything in between. I hope you enjoy this blog and thank you for joining me.

“…home lies in the things you carry with you everywhere and not the ones that tie you down.” – Pico Iyer