Nomads festival.pdf

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Getting There
The Nomad’s festival is held in Bumthang Dzongkhag
(district) in Central Bhutan. Bumthang is approximate-
ly an 8 hour drive from the capital city of Thimphu. To
get to Bumthang you must follow the national high-
way east, past Wangdue and Trongsa Dzongkhags.
You cross 3 high mountain passes wreathed in cool
mists, offering spectacular views of the Himalayan
landscape and through stunning, unspoiled forests
rich with a wide array of flora and fauna.
Travelers can elect to either spend a night in Trongsa
or to travel straight to Bumthang. It is recommended
that you leave lots of time for your journey to bet-
ter allow you to appreciate the beautiful sights.
Road
Capital
International Airport
Domestic Airport
Animals typically spotted along the winding mountain
roads include monkeys, yaks and deer.
the
Contact
Tourism Council of Bhutan
Tel: +975-2-323251/323252
Fax: +975-2-323695/ 337356
Email: info@tourism.gov.bt
Websites: www.tourism.gov.bt
www.bhutan.travel
Nomad’s
FESTIVAL
The Annual Gathering of Bhutan’s
Nomadic Highlanders
The Nomad’s Festival
This annual gathering of Bhutan’s nomadic highland-
ers brings together the nomads of the northeastern
and northwestern Himalayan frontiers in an unforget-
table celebration of their unique culture and
traditions.
You’ll gain an intimate glimpse into the proud com-
munities that have survived virtually unchanged to
this day and form a rich part of Bhutan’s ethnic and
cultural diversity. Dine on delicious traditional recip-
ies whilst sitting cross-legged around a stone hearth
as nomadic families have done for ages.
Dress like a Bhutanese highlander and try on an en-
tire costume spun from yak hair, including the Brokpa
black hat with five long fringes down the front or the
conical bamboo Layap headgear. Ladies can wear the
wide, beautiful hand woven aprons decorated with
colorful motifs of flowers and animals traditionally
worn by women. They can even have their hair plaited
and decorated with colorful ribbons in the traditional
style of the region.
Regional Background
The festival takes place in Bumthang, the sacred heart-
land of Bhutan. This region is dotted with some of the
most beautiful and ancient monasteries and temples
in the Himalayas.
The two major nomadic tribes of Bhutan, the Brokpas
in the east and the Layaps in the west, inhabit some
of the most rugged terrain in the kingdom. Their
economy still mainly consists of ancient bartering prac-
tices and is heavily dependent upon their yaks and the
products they derive from it such as milk, meat, wool,
cheese and leather. In recognition of this interdepend-
ency, the yak features prominently in many of the no-
madic festivals and celebrations.
Things to See and Do
The festival will give you the opportunity to witness
the grand pageantry of the Chipdrel, a ceremonial
procession usually reserved for royalty.
Adventurous visitors will definitely want to try some
yak riding. Immerse yourself in the festival-wide
demonstrations of traditional Bhutanese village life
including using ancient mill-stones to grind maize,
husking harvested rice and tilling fields with ox-drawn
ploughs.
Attain inner peace as you visit some of the most exqui-
site Buddhist temples in Bhutan.
Food
Sample the nomadic twist on Bhutan’s classic ema
datshi. This fiery, cheesy dish is accompanied by high-
lander staples made from maize and buckwheat flour.
You’ll definitely want to try some
Pin,
a fragrant and
spicy roll stuffed with flat onions (Ram in Dzongkha)
cheese, chili powder and local spices. This delicacy is
unique to the region and is extremely popular
amongst the locals.
Experience the simple delectability of buckwheat
pancakes coated in generous helpings of melted but-
ter and served with ema datshi.
Sports/Games
Keyshey
(traditional Bhutanese wrestling): Marvel at
the competition as some of Bhutan’s toughest high-
landers grapple together in this traditional test of skill
and strength.
Join in the fun and try your hand at some traditional
Bhutanese sports like
Khuru
(darts), archery,
Soksum
(light javelin throwing),
Dego
(similar to throwing
horseshoes but with stones).
Arts and Crafts
Not only will you be able to shop for some of the most
exquisitely made Bhutanese handicrafts but you’ll ac-
tually be able to witness skilled artisans breathing life
into bronze statues, blacksmiths utilizing their time-
honed skills to forge beautiful and lethal swords, pot-
ters crafting delicate vessels and much more!
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