People and Culture
The people of Bhutan can be divided into three broad ethnic groups: Sharchops, Ngalops and Lhotshampas.
The Sharchops who live in the eastern regions of Bhutan are considered to be the earliest major group to inhabit Bhutan. Sharchop means “people of the east”.
Ngalops are the descendants of Tibetan immigrants who came to Bhutan in the 8th and 9th centuries AD and settled mainly in the west.
The third group is known as Lhotshampas. They are the Nepali-speaking group. They began settling in the 19th and 20th centuries and live in the southern foothills of Bhutan. They are predominantly Hindu.
Predominantly Buddhist, the Bhutanese people follow the Drukpa Kagyu school of Mahayana Buddhism. Monks and nuns play an important role in the daily lives of Bhutanese people. They perform ceremonies that preserve the ancient culture and promote the teachings of wisdom and compassion. Almost every Bhutanese home has a shrine room called a ‘choeshum’ for daily prayer. The faith of Bhutanese can be measured by the temples, monasteries and stupas built in every corner of the country for their daily worship.
Bhutanese wear distinctive national dress made from wool, cotton and silk. Men wear the ‘gho’ and women wear the ‘kira’. Bhutanese still wear the national dress in schools and offices.
Bhutanese food mainly consists of meat, rice and vegetables. People in Bhutan love chilies. The most popular dish in Bhutan is called ‘Ema Datse’ which is made from cheese and chilies.
Chang, a local beer made from rice, is a common drink especially in the villages.
The folk dances, ancient music and the mask dances during the religious festivals called Tshechu are part of the unique cultural identity that Bhutan has preserved over the centuries.
