Archery - National Sport, Pass-time and Passion
~ About Bhutan~ BHUTAN – The Name
~ Bhutan and Buddhism
~ The Raven -National Bird and the Embodiment of a Guardian Deity
~ The Takin – National Animal (an elusive goat-cow hybrid of the Himalayas)
In the 1860s the British redcoats were kept at bay by our long range archers, as they did for centuries against other invaders as well. Being a landlocked country surrounded by giants in terms of economic parameters as well as military might, we did need a little muscle no matter how puny to assert our presence and sovereignty. Archery provided us just that. Since then, the bow and arrow have not only aided the Bhutanese in battle, but has come to be established as a symbol of festivity and competition. Officially declared as the National Sport in 1971, it is not just the National Game of Bhutan but a celebration of the country's way of life.
In a country where every village and town has an archery range, it is infused into daily life. The most unique feature of Bhutanese archery is that hits on the target are celebrated with song and dance by the whole team, to show respect for the skill involved in delivering it. No festival or celebration is complete without an archery tournament and the attendant songs and dances, and the hollering and the cheering and the festivity and the prizes.
Traditional tournaments between villages are battles (albeit friendly) for honor and glory. The tradition continues even now, infact, it’s stronger than ever. Traditionally, archery had been the social glue that bound the rural communities of Bhutan. Today it is played during religious and secular public holidays and local festivals, between Offices, district and regional, as well as private, individual teams, which very well qualifies it as a social event to bring people from all walks of life who share the passion for archery together. And the fact that the National Dress is mandatory on the range makes it instrumental in preserving our National Dress code too. That way we continue to be faithful to traditions while harvesting the advantages of modernity.
Though people in the villages still use the bamboo bows, in the urban areas most people use the compound bow. Archers use compound bows, and they are shot without the use of release aids. The modern bow of choice is the hi-tech and the deadly hunting bow rather than updated versions of the old bamboo longbows which, with the many bolt-on aids, are the Olympic standard. The hi-tech hunting bows, designed for taking down big game in the wilds like bear and moose are used in Buddhist Bhutan for harmless fun and competition - yet another illustration of the Bhutanese talent for taking ideas and practices from the west and giving it their own unique twist.
A standard Bhutanese archery range is 475 feet from target to target, which is more than twice the Olympic distance. Archers shoot a pair of arrows at each target on the opposite end of the range. The targets are festooned with streamers of different colors, which archers wave back at their teammates to signal where their last arrow landed, so that he can adjust his next short accordingly. The target is but 31 centimeters wide and 107 centimeters tall. One can only imagine the size of the Bulls eye. And the interesting fact is that they manage to hit the Bulls eye!!! Not once or twice but several times in a row!!!
It is probably the only sport, where players are allowed, in fact, encouraged to drink. And interestingly enough, this is a game in which referees aren’t made use of. Each team usually has their own group of dancers and singers who not only to cheer for their team, but also distract their opponents through songs and dances. Opponents are heckled using the most lewd expressions whilst team-mates are egged on in the loftiest terms. Incidentally, emotions run high during these alcohol-fueled competitions, and support for teammates and ridicule of opponents can take on quite brutal, raucous and vulgar dimensions. Hits are celebrated with the most theatrically exaggerated songs, gestures and dances, while misses are lamented at with the same degree of theatricality, which make it a very colorful event indeed.
Preparations for these archery matches are radically different from that of other ‘normal’ sports. Just to get an idea of how intense the competitions are, competitors are not allowed to spend the night with their wives the night before the competition, in order to achieve and maintain a high level of concentration and focus. Women are not allowed to touch the bow and arrows, especially prior to a match. As tough as the archers may seem, many are not above consulting astrologers or imploring the assistance of their deities to emerge victorious and unscathed. Sometimes the matches can go on for several days. For centuries, the common belief was that through these matches, the fate of the village was destined. The village of the losing team stood to be threatened by a bad harvest. Hence the intensity of the competition.
As a community sworn to our traditions, culture and beliefs, archery truly is in the Bhutanese blood. Despite the rate at which the world is changing, this is definitely the one proud tradition that we Bhutanese refuse to surrender to history.
Apparently a big tourist draw, visitors flock here from far and wide to witness Bhutanese archers in action. In fact no visit to Bhutan is complete without at least a glimpse of an archery match, with the more enthusiastic and daring visitors even partaking in the games at times. So come get yours….and let us at Bhutan tours assist you in whatever ways we can…
Traditional tournaments between villages are battles (albeit friendly) for honor and glory. The tradition continues even now, infact, it’s stronger than ever. Traditionally, archery had been the social glue that bound the rural communities of Bhutan. Today it is played during religious and secular public holidays and local festivals, between Offices, district and regional, as well as private, individual teams, which very well qualifies it as a social event to bring people from all walks of life who share the passion for archery together. And the fact that the National Dress is mandatory on the range makes it instrumental in preserving our National Dress code too. That way we continue to be faithful to traditions while harvesting the advantages of modernity.
Though people in the villages still use the bamboo bows, in the urban areas most people use the compound bow. Archers use compound bows, and they are shot without the use of release aids. The modern bow of choice is the hi-tech and the deadly hunting bow rather than updated versions of the old bamboo longbows which, with the many bolt-on aids, are the Olympic standard. The hi-tech hunting bows, designed for taking down big game in the wilds like bear and moose are used in Buddhist Bhutan for harmless fun and competition - yet another illustration of the Bhutanese talent for taking ideas and practices from the west and giving it their own unique twist.
A standard Bhutanese archery range is 475 feet from target to target, which is more than twice the Olympic distance. Archers shoot a pair of arrows at each target on the opposite end of the range. The targets are festooned with streamers of different colors, which archers wave back at their teammates to signal where their last arrow landed, so that he can adjust his next short accordingly. The target is but 31 centimeters wide and 107 centimeters tall. One can only imagine the size of the Bulls eye. And the interesting fact is that they manage to hit the Bulls eye!!! Not once or twice but several times in a row!!!
It is probably the only sport, where players are allowed, in fact, encouraged to drink. And interestingly enough, this is a game in which referees aren’t made use of. Each team usually has their own group of dancers and singers who not only to cheer for their team, but also distract their opponents through songs and dances. Opponents are heckled using the most lewd expressions whilst team-mates are egged on in the loftiest terms. Incidentally, emotions run high during these alcohol-fueled competitions, and support for teammates and ridicule of opponents can take on quite brutal, raucous and vulgar dimensions. Hits are celebrated with the most theatrically exaggerated songs, gestures and dances, while misses are lamented at with the same degree of theatricality, which make it a very colorful event indeed.
Preparations for these archery matches are radically different from that of other ‘normal’ sports. Just to get an idea of how intense the competitions are, competitors are not allowed to spend the night with their wives the night before the competition, in order to achieve and maintain a high level of concentration and focus. Women are not allowed to touch the bow and arrows, especially prior to a match. As tough as the archers may seem, many are not above consulting astrologers or imploring the assistance of their deities to emerge victorious and unscathed. Sometimes the matches can go on for several days. For centuries, the common belief was that through these matches, the fate of the village was destined. The village of the losing team stood to be threatened by a bad harvest. Hence the intensity of the competition.
As a community sworn to our traditions, culture and beliefs, archery truly is in the Bhutanese blood. Despite the rate at which the world is changing, this is definitely the one proud tradition that we Bhutanese refuse to surrender to history.
Apparently a big tourist draw, visitors flock here from far and wide to witness Bhutanese archers in action. In fact no visit to Bhutan is complete without at least a glimpse of an archery match, with the more enthusiastic and daring visitors even partaking in the games at times. So come get yours….and let us at Bhutan tours assist you in whatever ways we can…