A glimpse into the Monpa community

The Monpas have been pushed to the hinter-land of the remote Black Mountain forests today but they were here before the founders of modern Bhutan built dzongs in the valleys of Paro, Bumthang and Thimphu, says a study on the Monpa community, conducted by two Sherubtse College graduates under the research grant of the UNFPA.  …

Possible foundations’ tie-up in Monpa cause

Tarayana: The founder and president of the Tribal Trust Foundation, USA, Barbara Savage, and her colleagues Kelly Burke and Nancy McGrath donated Nu 250,000 to support Tarayana Foundation’s social impact initiatives. The group, during their visit to the country, discussed possible collaboration between the two foundations, including partnership to support the Monpa community of Trongsa. Barbara …

Monpas: Changing With The Times

The monpa communities living in the villages of Jangbi, Wangling and Phumzur in Langthel Gewog in Trongsa are known to be the natives of Bhutan. Earlier, Monpas were hunter-gatherers and lived very primitive lifestyles depending on natural resources. However in the last few decades, the Monpas have undergone dramatic socioeconomic transformation with increasing exposure to …

The Oleps of Rookha and Monpas of Jangbi

Except for the difference in their dialects and attire, Oleps of Athang Rookha in Wangdue Phodrang and Monpas of Jangbi in Trongsa are seen to have more commonalities. Their food habits and ways of lives are found almost similar according to some of the locals from the region who attended the first-ever Monpa festival at …

Monpas milk the Nabji trail

Khengpas, on the other hand, are more off the beaten track and less into tourists Monpas, residing along the west bank of Mangdechu in Trongsa, 1100-1500m above sea level, benefit more from Nabji ecotourism trail than their neighbours, the Khengpas, a recent study says. The Nabji ecotourism trail, developed and opened in November 2006, consists …

Stonemason homes for Monpa community

22 households in Phumzur and Jangbi are beneficiaries of this phase of the foundation’s housing project Tarayana: The remote Monpa village of Phumzur in Trongsa is seeing a lot of constructions lately. A father of two, Ngenthi, is digging the foundation to construct a new house for his family.  He is planning to add a double …

A farmer turned entrepreneur keeps pottery tradition alive

Despite being uneducated, Ugyen Dema, 25, has become an entrepreneur and an employer today. Born in the remote Monpa community of Trongsa, Ugyen never thought she would travel outside her village while growing up working in the farm and herding cattle. Today, she attends most of the events Tarayana Foundation organises and also the dzongkhag …

Tshazo is facing the brink in Trongsa’s Monpa communities

Tshazo (bamboo craft), one of the main source of income for the people the Monpa community of Jangbi, Wamling, and Phumzur in Trongsa, is slowly disappearing. Tshazo uses cane and bamboo to weave products such as orongbhazib (backpack), lakchu, chungchu (basket), bechab (winnow) and pari (mats), among others. This, according to the people, was due to lack of raw materials that their source of income has …

Bamboo/cane plantation to sustain Monpa livelihood

The community will have their raw material source for a vital source of revenue Tshazho: The Monpa communities of Langthel gewog in Trongsa have now little to worry about sustaining their main source of income tshazho (bamboo craft). The Jangbi, Wamling, and Phumzur Monpa communities have started plantation of its raw materials, cane and bamboo, in their villages. …

Monpas celebrate their day

Monpas are considered as the earliest inhabitant of Bhutan. Other indigenous communities from Ada-Rukha in Wangduephodrang and Lhops from Samtse also attended the event. A resident, Lhajay, said that dedicating a day for them could help in reviving and retaining their unique culture, as modernisation is changing their lives. He said that youth are no …

Curse of development [Monpa]

Sounds of rhythmic drumbeats accompanied by piercing female voices resonate from a single-storey house in Tangchey, Trongsa. All around, there are fruiting mandarin, guava and tall sugarcane forests. Tangchey sits on a high flat. It is the village of the Monpas, one of the earliest inhabitants in the country. The outstanding voice is of Pamo …

Preserving the Monpa traditions

To preserve the culture and tradition of Monpas, students of Jangbi primary school will be wearing their traditional dress once a week from next year. No one in the locality wears the traditional dress, ‘pagay’ today and village elders say it was worn only until three decades ago, as imported clothes are easily available and …

Wish-granting lake is leaving its home

Environment: High up north of Khaling village in Trashigang is a sacred lake that people revere as the abode of guardian deity Meme Dangling. People seek blessing from Dangling Tsho and the deity grants them healthy livestock and bountiful harvest. This vast, holy and deep green lake, however, is shrinking and becoming smaller by the year, …