Traditions in Bhutan

Bhutan has no single national traditions office and no uniform nationwide ritual code. The state framework is provided by Article 4 of the Constitution, which requires the preservation, protection and promotion of language, literature, music, the visual arts, religion and cultural heritage. Traditions are understood as a dynamic force that may continue to develop. Relevant bodies include the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, the Library and Archives Division, the National Library and Archives, the Driglam Unit, the Traditional Performing Arts and Music Division of the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA), the institute for the thirteen traditional arts and crafts (National Institute for Zorig Chusum), and district administrations (Dzongkhag) and Gewog administrations. Monastic, village and family communities safeguard transmission in everyday life. Many festival and everyday traditions are learned collectively and informally. No uniform nationwide participation fee, admission requirement or price schedule is documented; depending on the event, however, local expenses for travel, accommodation or participation may arise. Formal training is offered by RAPA through a National Certificate and Diploma in Traditional Performing Arts and by the National Institute for Zorig Chusum through level 2 and 3 certificates and a Diploma in Zorig Chusum. The term thirteen traditional arts and crafts (Zorig Chusum) refers to woodcarving, woodblock printing, weaving, embroidery, painting, sculpture and metalwork, among others. The annual cycle follows the Bhutanese lunar calendar and the agricultural year. Tshechu festivals combine masked and folk dances, blessings and communal celebration. Paro Tshechu takes place from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second lunar month over five days; on the fifth day, the Guru-Thongdrel image is unfurled at approximately 3 a.m. Haa Tshechu falls on the eighth to the tenth day of the ninth lunar month. During Haa Lomba, on the twenty-ninth day of the ninth or tenth lunar month, groups of Lolay children visit homes and receive Hoentey or other gifts. Ap Chundu’s Lhapsoel in Haa has taken place on 1 November each year since 2023, whereas its date previously shifted between November and December according to the Zakar calendar. Other regional festivals include Choekhor, Tang, Chume and Ura in Bumthang, as well as festivals in Paro, Haa and the eastern districts. Traditional music includes folk songs, Zhungdra, Boedra, Zhay, Zhaym and Cham. RAPA has preserved these forms through training and performances since 1954. In the Drametse Ngacham, 16 masked dancers perform to ten musicians with drums such as bang nga, lag nga and nga chen. The dance has a sacred origin and is now also regarded as an expression of national identity; a shortage of successors, insufficient rehearsal time and declining interest threaten its transmission. Bhutan ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2005. The Mask Dance of the Drums from Drametse has been on the UNESCO list since 2008, while a national inventory, field research and documentation record further traditions. Clothing and behavior also express regional and ceremonial affiliation. The traditional men’s robe (Gho) and the traditional women’s dress (Kira) are traditional garments; Kera, Koma, Toego and Wonju are associated clothing and dress forms. Prescribed forms of bodily conduct, expression and behavior (Driglam Namzha) define specific expectations. At public or ceremonial events, the concrete etiquette depends on the place and institution. Tourism workers also wear clothing according to the applicable requirements while on duty. Rituals relating to birth, marriage, death and family events differ between regions, families and religious communities and are not regulated uniformly nationwide. A ceremony does not replace legal proof: for state recognition, for example, birth and death registration and a Marriage Certificate through Citizen Services or the Royal Court apply. Under the standard procedure of the National Statistics Bureau, births and deaths can be registered within one year. Buddhist contexts shape many Tshechu, Chham and monastic festivals; Hindu Dassai traditions belong primarily to communities in the south. At festivals such as Haa Lomba, the communal preparation and distribution of Hoentey has a social function, without creating a uniform national food rule. The regions preserve different forms: in the west, Haa Lomba, Lolay, Haapi, Hoentey and Ap Chundu are widespread, while Paro is known for Tshechu with Thongdrel. Bumthang is known for regional wool textiles such as Bumthang Yathra; in 2026, an application for geographical-origin designation was submitted for this handwoven textile, together with origin and traceability rules. In the east, Drametse Ngacham, the Zorig Chusum traditions of Trashi Yangtse, and nomadic and yak traditions in Merak and Sakteng form part of the cultural wealth. The south has diverse community traditions. Songs, stories, proverbs and ritual knowledge are often passed on orally; children and young people participate, for example, in Lolay, while schools, RAPA and the National Institute for Zorig Chusum complement informal transmission. Modernization, improved transport links, external influences, lower youth participation, insufficient rehearsal time and commercial tourism are changing the practice. The National Landmarks and Archives Board reports declining knowledge of festivals and falling interest. Inventory work, publications, school programs, local festivals, RAPA and Zorig Chusum training, and the promotion of regional products are intended to strengthen transmission. For any specific tradition, the place, community, annual calendar, responsible institution and current form of practice must therefore always be checked.