Academic literature on the topic 'Indigenous Bhutanese'

A total of 68 Bhutanese indigenous chicken eggs were collected from Research station (imitating improved management) and villages (farmer’s management) to estimate the egg quality. The weight of eggs sampled from Research farm was comparatively heavier (50.63g ± 5.04) than the extensive farmer’s system (45.94 ± 5.68). The yolk index was higher (39.85%±5.69) in village management than that of improved management (41.93% ±

The Oleps are the first human inhabitants of Bhutan and the country’s last remaining hunter-gatherers. We conducted a preliminary study into the meaning of the traditional Bhutanese saying tog-ge-teng-nang-gong; gong-ge-teng-nang-thee (Ole) and tag-ge-ta-lay-gung; gung ge-ta-lay-theb (Dzongkha). Tag in Dzongkha refers to Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) and gung refers to clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). The saying describes the existence of a species, which Oleps people believe is the clouded leopard, that is superior to the apex predator the tiger. The saying is further elaborated as gung-gi-ta-lay-theb (Dzongkha), which means that a skilled human hunter is superior to the clouded leopard. We used semi-structured interviews to ask 19 Oleps people to explain this traditional saying and narrate the beliefs embedded in it. Participants related the saying to their views of the clouded leopard, and we explored how these views might influence the current conservation status of clouded leopards living in the Oleps’ locality. Our interviews showed that Oleps revered and respected clouded leopards, but they also viewed them and other wild cats as harmful to livestock, and some expressed a desire to acquire clouded leopard pelts or to keep them as pets. Indigenous knowledge and beliefs are important to consider in the development of a conservation plan for clouded leopards. We recommend that Oleps’ sayings and stories be documented for posterity and that conservationists continue to engage in dialog with Oleps people to better understand the effects clouded leopards and other wild cats have on their livelihoods.

Bhutan has increased exports of surplus hydropower generation, whereas Nepal has been suffering from domestic power shortages. Why has Bhutan successfully promoted hydropower development and exports, while Nepal has failed to do so? This paper focuses on inherent development barriers that stem from domestic power supply, internal governance systems, and indigenous societal sensitivity. There are lessons to be learned from Bhutan’s practices that could be applied in Nepal. First, hydropower development can be severely affected by electricity scarcity that arises when power export is privileged over domestic power supply. Nepal has fallen into this negative loop, whereas Bhutan has overcome it through policy interventions that ensure visible links between power exports and domestic power consumption. Second, the sector reforms in the two countries contrast in terms of institutional, operational, and financial efficiency. Without fundamental reforms, Nepal’s sector-wide inefficiency fuels a vicious circle. Third, local resource conflicts and social complexities have made Nepal’s hydropower projects more complicated than Bhutan’s. In planning hydropower projects, it is crucial to pay careful attention to domestic stakeholders and local benefits. Planners and governments must ensure that projects are designed with extensive benefit sharing mechanisms, sustainable value chains, effective sector reforms, and sufficient societal conflict management.

Abstract The country of Bhutan, and India’s Northeast is an economically deprived region inhabited by diverse groups of indigenous and underserved communities. They live in mostly rural areas, where cancer disparity is very high. On the other hand, they have rich traditional knowledge systems including tantra philosophies (remnant of the Vedic age philosophy), herbal medicinal practice, and spiritual practices that can be traced back to India’s Vedic age. To harness this traditional knowledge to reduce cancer disparity, we have taken an indigenous knowledge system (IKS) based approach (1) and initiated a community-based participatory research (CBPR) program in 1998 to conduct public health research in tuberculosis and cancer (2,3). Using this CBPR program, we have unraveled a Vedic age philosophy of Vedic Jiva Upkara Cikitsha Tantra (Vedic altruism-based medicinal system) (2,3). Specially, using the CBPR program we seek to identify novel herbal medicinal agents having anti-cancer activities. Methodologies: We used the CBPR methodologies of focused group discussion (FGD), debate, and community social work with various indigenous communities living in the Sualkuchi-Hajo cultural complex of Assam, Roing of Arunachal Pradesh, and Mongar of Bhutan. Since 1994, BD has conducted CBPR through the KaviKrishna Telemedicine Care. We have retrospectively analyzed the data of FGD, and suppositional reasoning (tarka) with the community healers, various Hindu, and Buddhist ethnic spiritual organizations of the region. Thematic analysis and the grounded theory method were applied to organize the data. The resulting database of herbal medicinal plants was searched in the scientific database to find the scientific names. Out of the 36 medicinal plants, we have prepared herbal extracts of 10 medicinal plants and then tested for their anti-cancer efficacy at the KaviKrishna Laboratory. Results: We have found the names of 32 plants used by the indigenous healers practicing the Vedic Jiva Upakara Cikitsha Tantra. We also found that these healers used curd-made whey protein concentrate, special soil, and fecal extracts to treat cancer (3). Our CBPR process also led to the research capacity building in the Sualkuchi-Hajo community. Conclusion: The study unraveled a unique cancer-care-related philosophy of Vedic Altruism. Our work indicates that IKS-based CBPR can equitably involve researchers and community members to develop a partnership for the process of knowledge emergence. We found that CBPR-based research takes new meaning because of the unique perspectives that inform the ways that research studies take shape for knowledge emergence. References: 1. Pathak L et al AACR abstract 3342, 2019. 2. Baishya T et al. https://zenodo.org/records/8062404. 3. Pathak et al AACR abstract 2772, 2023 Citation Format: Sorra Sandhya, Rupam Das, Pragya Dutta, Avra Pratim Chowdhury, Pranjal Das, Sonali Das, Tutumoni Baishya, Lekhika Pathak, Debduti Dutta, Nihar Ranjan Das, Pranab Sarma, Ista Pulu, Ujjal Mahanta, Dayal Krishha Bora, Hem Bhai, Bikul Das. A three-decade-long community-based participatory research among India and Bhutan’s ethnic minorities led to the discovery of 32 unique medicinal plants having anti-cancer properties [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1005.

This study was designed to compare the physical egg quality of 4 Bhutanese indigenous chickens (BIC) namely Seim (SM), Phulom (PL), Khuilay (KL) and Yuebjha Narp (YN) with Hyline Brown (HL). A total of 160 eggs were collected to represent the sample size. The BIC egg shell colour varied from white to brownish however, egg shells with cream (51.50%) and white colour (33.00%) were considerably common. The overall mean egg weight in BIC was 47.44g with the lowest for SM (45.95g) and highest for PL (50.35g). Mean egg weight and volume (43.60±6.35) of BIC eggs were comparatively lower than Hyline Brown. The egg phenotype and correspondingly the crushing strength of five populations increased from YN < SM < KL < PL < HL. The specific gravity was the lowest and greatest for YN (1.03) and KL (1.17), respectively. Moreover, the shell thickness measures among the BIC strains were not significant (P<0.05) and ranged from 0.30mm (PL) to 0.33mm (KL). The statistical evaluation presents non-significant difference among the five chicken populations for yolk index. The albumen height of BIC ranged from 5.98mm (KL) to 6.93mm (PL) with the mean 6.54mm. The yolk weight was the lowest for SM followed by KL. Superior physical property of shell and egg shape reveals that KL is better quality among the BIC strains. Furthermore, the less fat percent content in KL also supports and this information may be used for improving this population to produce a good egg quality for consumers.

AbstractHigh-altitude rangelands support the economies of mountain communities in the Himalayas. This article highlights institutions and policy initiatives for good governance of rangelands in Bhutan and draws lessons from previous efforts to mainstream rangeland development. Both formal and informal institutions support the rangeland governance in Bhutan. The article elaborates on critical rangeland-related amendments to the Bhutanese Land Act. Rangeland stewardship and access rights are outlined, along with alternative governance approaches that rely on pastoralists’ traditions and indigenous knowledge. It highlights concerns and disputes about using and managing rangelands and explains traditional institutions and practices of conflict resolution. The article’s final section discusses the challenges of rangeland governance and the aspirations of herding communities under the new Land Act. Rangeland owners have reconciled with the amendments to the Act. They are willing to work with the government to implement the Act’s provisions and bring the desired reforms in rangeland governance.

As the saying goes “culture doesn't make people, it is the people who make culture”. The are several tribes living in India and are trying to preserve their rich cultural heritage. Toto is an aboriginal Indo-Bhutanese tribe found in some parts of Alipurduar district in North Bengal. Unique to their culture is the idea of having only single wife and strongly advocate anti-dowry system unlike neighbouring tribal practices. As per the reports they are recognized as the smallest tribe on the Earth and are on the verge of complete extinction. Various cultural transformation and other developmental activities around the region is leading to declining Toto’s population, which is further aggravated by Thalassemia virus, which is one of the silent killers of the tribe. It is alarming that an average lifespan of Toto's has suddenly declined to 35 years over the years. The basic objective of the study is to identify reasons beneath transformations of traditional livelihood and sudden decline of Toto tribe. Based on different research, global understandings and valuable readings, what instrumental steps can be taken to preserve and protect them. Primary survey and secondary data sources have been used for the data collection. A household survey was executed with the help of snowball sampling in December 2018 at Totopara in Madarihaat block of Alipurduar district, West Bengal. Remedial and descriptive methods and qualitative techniques have been used for analysis of data. After the analysis, it was concluded that increasing the education and awareness level through workshops, documentaries, camps, public meetings, discussions, discourse, rallies, seminars and cultural programs would play an instrumental role to put a cap on the declining population of the locals and would lead to their sustainable growth and development. Keywords Culture-Aboriginal- Extinction- Thalassemia-Sustainable Growth

As the saying goes “culture doesn't make people, it is the people who make culture”. The are several tribes living in India and are trying to preserve their rich cultural heritage. Toto is an aboriginal Indo-Bhutanese tribe found in some parts of Alipurduar district in North Bengal. Unique to their culture is the idea of having only single wife and strongly advocate anti-dowry system unlike neighbouring tribal practices. As per the reports they are recognized as the smallest tribe on the Earth and are on the verge of complete extinction. Various cultural transformation and other developmental activities around the region is leading to declining Toto’s population, which is further aggravated by Thalassemia virus, which is one of the silent killers of the tribe. It is alarming that an average lifespan of Toto's has suddenly declined to 35 years over the years. The basic objective of the study is to identify reasons beneath transformations of traditional livelihood and sudden decline of Toto tribe. Based on different research, global understandings and valuable readings, what instrumental steps can be taken to preserve and protect them. Primary survey and secondary data sources have been used for the data collection. A household survey was executed with the help of snowball sampling in December 2018 at Totopara in Madarihaat block of Alipurduar district, West Bengal. Remedial and descriptive methods and qualitative techniques have been used for analysis of data. After the analysis, it was concluded that increasing the education and awareness level through workshops, documentaries, camps, public meetings, discussions, discourse, rallies, seminars and cultural programs would play an instrumental role to put a cap on the declining population of the locals and would lead to their sustainable growth and development. Keywords Culture-Aboriginal- Extinction- Thalassemia-Sustainable Growth

Entrepreneurship plays an important role in generating employment opportunities, enhancing public income and promoting societal change, particularly in a budding economy like Bhutan. Given its importance to the country, this paper investigates the challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ventures, and their future prospects in Bhutan. The paper adopts qualitative research methodology to study the perspective of business educators through a semi-structured interview with fifteen participants from Gedu College of Business Studies located at Gedu, Bhutan. The study reveals that, due to a range of challenges the aspiring entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial ventures face today, the Bhutanese entrepreneurs have a long way to go before they can effectively drive changes in the economy. However, the findings suggest that there is a good prospect for the entrepreneurial ventures in the country, and the ventures will have an undue advantage if it can leverage on the technological support from other countries. To ease the way for entrepreneurs in the country, the study finds it important to encourage the consumption of indigenous products by discouraging the import of the goods and services that can be produced within the country, regulate the price of the home made product, explore market and marketing facilities beyond the country to encourage large scale production, initiate discussion about entrepreneurship and the associated benefits at school levels and also take adequate infrastructural facilities (water, electricity and transportation network) across all parts of the country.

Buddhism has been a consistent feature of Bhutanese politics and culture since the country’s founding by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in the seventeenth century. A mixture of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism combined with indigenous customs and worldviews, Bhutanese Buddhism remains a fundamental aspect of contemporary Bhutanese identity. Today, Bhutan is the only sovereign nation with a dual Buddhist-temporal administration (chos srid). The government views the Buddhist faith of many of its citizens as a fundamental aspect of contemporary “Bhutanese” identity, and many Bhutanese revere the king as a bodhisattva. As the Himalayan country becomes more and more integrated into the global twenty-first century, the state continues to support and sponsor Buddhist monasteries, monuments, and festivals and looks to Buddhist values to establish and guide state policies, including Gross National Happiness.