TRENDWARRIORS BLOG ENTRY
BHUTAN
Rita Penrod
April 10, 2008
I have the pleasure of working with Erika Woelfel–as graphic designer–on many of Colwell’s projects, including trend reports and forecasts. I admit to my ‘guilty pleasure’ of having the first peek and hearing the stories behind the forecast palettes before they’re published; and thanks to Erika’s influence, I can’t help but keep an eye out for emerging trends as I travel the world.
Trends can be exciting (who doesn’t love to see the latest fashion?), helpful (communication technology), good for us (healthy lifestyles), and good for the economy (companies have to make and sell more ‘stuff’), but trends can also be a double-edged sword. All that bottled water that was supposed to be so good for us is now littering the landscape and polluting the soil with discarded plastic. And then there’s the social aspect. As East meets West, and North goes South, the exchange of cultures has created a ‘melting pot’ of ideas and trends. On one hand, this integration dissolves the hard lines that often separate and discriminate, but on the other hand, it can leave cultures less defined as traditions and icons are copied for decoration or entertainment, without an understanding of their cultural significance.
In our fast-paced world, trends come and go so fast we jump on board without thinking about the consequences, then, more often than not, we find ourselves having to ‘fix’ the problems we created.
So imagine if an entire country, rich with cultural identity, had the chance to thoughtfully choose trends that will benefit it’s people, culture and natural resources; and avoid trends that could undermine their progress. Imagine Bhutan.
All of the travel brochures, facts and figures, and recent articles published about Bhutan http://www.online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120612464243755427-MSIKh0551OSWgevhyH8wC0eL0jQ_20080420.html
http://www.ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/03/bhutan/larmer-text couldn’t have possibly prepared me for the ‘state of mind’ I’d experience there, and the profound impact it would have on my life and the way I view the world.
Bhutan is a Himalayan country that lies east of Nepal, situated between India to the west and south, and China (Tibet) to the north. It remained in relative isolation–unconquered and un-colonized for more than a thousand years–keeping it’s rich culture intact until the 1960s, when Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third king of Bhutan, cautiously opened up the country to outsiders. (By the way, only the monarchy has a family name. Everyone else is given a single name, sometimes two, at birth – usually by a lama or high religious figure.)
Understanding that his land-locked country’s richest assets lie in its culture and natural resources, the king wisely decided to protect both through cultural laws (national dress code for schools, religious and government functions), tight restrictions on the use of natural resources, and incremental and calculated interactions with the rest of the world. In fact, it wasn’t until 1999 that Bhutan allowed its citizens access to television, and tourism is still tightly restricted and heavily taxed.
The fourth king, Jigme Singye Wanchuck, protected and advanced the culture even further by redefining the meaning of development and establishing a way to measure Bhutan’s condition (or state) through “Gross National Happiness”, based on four objectives: sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good governance.
The Bhutanese live a very simple, but meaningful life. Basic things, like education, healthcare (with the choice of traditional or scientific medicine), and dirt roads that connect communities, make a huge difference in the lives, and happiness, of so many people. Bhutan truly is a ‘we’ society, with consideration for what is best for the country as a whole, not individual gain at the expense of others. I recall a couple of good examples: A few years ago the National Women’s Society, headed by the king’s sister, lobbied the government to put stove pipes in each home. Until then, the thick smoke billowed out into the room, blackening the walls and everything in the house – including the lungs of the people who lived there. Another example is in Phobjikha Valley – the winter home to the Black Neck Cranes. Fearing that electrical lines would harm the cranes or interfere with their migration, the government compensated the residents by subsidizing solar panels. Granted, the panels do not provide enough energy to run televisions and refrigerators all day long (which isn’t really an issue because so very few people have these things anyway), but they do provide enough light for schoolchildren to study a few extra hours in the evening. Simple solutions can generate much happiness.
Other GNH initiatives include the protection of natural resources. Bhutan is currently over 70% forested, and laws are in place to insure that the percentage never dips below 60%. Only dead trees are allowed to be harvested for firewood, and no one is allowed to build a structure without providing a detailed list of the amount of wood that will be required to build the structure before the government will approve (or deny) the permit. Exporting timber is not allowed. The only natural resource that is exported is hydropower, produced at a few small plants and sold to India, and is Bhutan’s main source of foreign funds.
Bhutan’s national religion is Tantric Buddhism, which plays a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of the country–and shares equal power with the government. Buddhism permeates life and brings an apparent reverence for the land. “Compassion” is a word I kept hearing (and experiencing) over and over again; compassion towards every living thing. Here all animals, including wildlife, are protected by law. From the prayer flags that flittered in the breeze (it is believed that the wind continues to carry the prayer, maintaining continual connection to the heavens), to the rituals each family performs at the break of day, to the magnificent paintings in the temples and the exterior of houses, to the burgundy robes of the monks going about their day, every thing and every move has a purpose, a meaning. Yet, while Buddhism is the national religion, the people are free to follow any belief, but missionaries are not allowed to interfere by trying to convert people to another religion.
This next one blows my mind it’s so “forward thinking”. With a population less than 700,000 people (half under the age of 22), Bhutan is seeking to limit it’s population growth (though education and personal choice) in order to remain sustainable and not burden it’s natural resources.
Finally, and perhaps the most important detail at this moment in time, is that on March 24th, 2008 – just a few days after I left Bhutan – the country democratized, and later this year it will join the World Trade Organization. After 100 years of monarchy, this profound change was not brought on by an uprising or activism. Instead, it was the fourth king himself who introduced and promoted democracy to the citizens. He feared the country could one day fall under a bad ruler, therefore the future of Bhutan would be best kept in the hands of it’s people. In 2006 the fourth king stepped down and handed over the crown to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel (who will now serve as a constitutional monarch) and allowed the democratic process to begin. As I spoke with people about this, there were mixed emotions. Everyone seemed to love the king, and many people didn’t want or see a need to change. However it was the younger citizens who were most excited, for they saw it as an opportunity to actively participate in the future of their country. By now, they’ve seen enough to know there’s a big world out there beyond Bhutan’s borders.
This is indeed an exciting time for Bhutan, but even Shangri-La has its share of problems (poverty, unemployment, media idealizing other cultures) and it certainly deserves all of the opportunities the 21st century offers. But will it lose itself in the process? Will its deeply rooted traditions wither under globalization? One can only hope that the new leaders and future generations will find a way to hold on to Bhutan’s most precious assets–it’s people, culture and natural resources– and perhaps set a new trend of ‘mindful and sustainable change’ that the rest of the world could follow.
Thousands of prayer flags flutter in the breeze throughout the country. It is believed that the wind continues to carry the prayer, maintaining constant connection to the heavens. Every color has significance: White = air and space; yellow = earth; red = fire; green = nature; blue = water.
The magnificent Punekha Dzong (the name translates to “palace of great happiness”) was originally built in 1328. It houses the head Abbot and approximately 300 monks. Half of the compound contains government offices, with the other half is devoted to religious offices and functions.
Young monks stop to chat in front of a beautifully decorated temple door.
Before clocks and watches, monks relied on roosters to announce the time. Here, descendants of those former ‘timepieces’ live peacefully in the Wandge Phodrang Dzong.
Brightly colored architecture, carvings, paintings and fabrics in the temple compounds create beautiful visual collages from any angle.
A painted door seems to float in space in contrast to the whitewashed walls around it.
No matter what your spiritual or religious beliefs are, this sign, located at Chelela Pass, (Bhutan’s highest paved road at approx. 13,000 feet) says it all. “The greatest religion never gives suffering to anybody.” Lord Budha
Miniature chortens sit in the window of a little building housing a prayer wheel. Each hand-made clay chorten contains a bone fragment from a deceased loved one (all bodies are cremated), honoring the spirit and helping it safely to the next life.
Wood carvings at the monastery near the village of Gamgtey await restoration.
On a trek through terraced fields along the Thimphu Chu (river), I met several women taking their children to the local village. It was inoculation day. Health care is provided free-of-charge, by the government.
A simple but beautiful scene as a little girl shyly watches us walk by her house,still holding on to her lunch pail (containing rice and peppers) which she carried to school with her that day.
Schoolchildren in Phobjikha Valley study under daylight streaming in from the window. So as not to disturb the Black Neck cranes that winter here, there is no electricity other than what’s generated by small solar panels and gas-powered generators.
People from all over Pao Valley (and beyond) dressed in their finest ghos (pronounced ‘go’ – the national attire for men, and kiras (pronounced ‘keerah’ – national dress for women) to attend the Paro Festival.
Dancers perform at the Paro Festival.
The Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktshang Goemba) is one of the most holy sites in Bhutan, where the Guru Rinpoche is said to have arrived on the back of a flying tigress and then meditated in a cave (contained within the present structure) for three months. Clinging precariously to the side of the cliff, it’s a wonder how the compound was built (originally build in 1692 and reconstructed in 2004 after a devastating fire) – let alone how the materials were transported. A daunting climb from afar, I made the 1,600 foot vertical trek (which really wasn’t that bad – the trails were very good) and visited the site. I can’t even begin to describe the experience so I’ll just say it was “magical”.
On my last full day in Bhutan, I stood in the courtyard of the Paro Dzong (Rinchen Puny Dqong, est. 1646), trying to take a mental snapshot to carry in my mind forever.
