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Typical of the sub-continent, the small geographical
area of Bhutan is home to a mosaic of ethnic groups
and sub-groups as well as anguages and dialects.
This is owed largely to the fact that the formidable
mountain passes acted as natural barriers that
separated and isolated valley communities from one
another and the outside world.
Nevertheless, the people can be bunched into broad
collectives. The eastern Bhutanese populace,
believed to be the earliest inhabitants of the
country, are known as Sharchogpas. The most dominant
ethnic group, who originally migrated from Tibet and
settled in western Bhutan in the ninth century, are
called the Ngalongpas. The Nepali-speaking people of
the southern foothills, who are the most recent
immigrants, are called the Lhotsampas.
Dzongkha, the language spoken traditionally by the
Ngalongpas, is the most widely spoken and therefore
the officially adopted national language.
Sharchogpas have their own tongue, a minimalist
language of limited vocabulary that invariably
borrows from Dzongkha for new words and terms.
Speakers of English will find they can get by quite
comfortably in Bhutan because English is widely
used. It is the language of official correspondence,
business transactions, written and spoken media, and
is the medium of instruction in schools.
There exists a dress code in Bhutan. On working
hours of working days Bhutanese men wear their
traditional gho, a blanket-like overall that is
separated by a belt into a jacket-like top and a
kilt-like bottom. When in government offices and
monasteries, the men wrap themselves further in a
long scarf called a kabney. The women’s kira is also
an elaborately worn body-enveloping dress. Held in
place by pins at the shoulders and a belt at the
waist, the kira is known to flatter the female
figure, especially when topped off with a rachu,
which is the female equivalent of the male kabney.
Women also favor jewelry more than men, and mostly
wear heavy necklaces, rings and earrings of
turquoise or coral set in gold or silver.
If
there is such a thing as national character, the
Bhutanese people’s character could be said to
reflect the land. The people are tough and resilient
yet extremely hospitable and friendly. And, like the
picturesque pastoral landscapes of the country, the
Bhutanese carry the reputation of being very
photogenic.
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