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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002097 Country Bhutan ICH Domain Oral traditions and representations Address Trashigang is one of the largest Dzongkhag (district) located in the eastern part of the country. Trashigang Dzongkhag has a total area of 2204.5 square kilometers. It has a total of 8,610 households with population of 71,768. The density of population is 33 per sq.km. The forest cover accounts for 77.87 percent of the total. The Dzongkhag has arable land of 3.64 percent of its total area. The altitude elevation ranges from 600 m to over 4500 m above sea level. The climate is mainly temperate with an annual rainfall between 1000 mm and 2000 mm. Trashigang Dzongkhag is administratively divided into three Dungkhags, 15 Gewogs (blocks) and 79 Chiwogs including a Thromde. All the gewogs are connected with motorable roads.Year of Designation 2022
| Description | Abi (Grandma) and Meme (Grandpa) is a native story about the local deity of a Durung Chiwog under Yangnyer Gewog in Trashigang. Durung is one of the farthest chiwog (Community) under the gewog (block) and is a native place and origin of the story. There are different information regarding the origin of Abi and Meme as a local deity of the community. One of source tells that Abi Sangay Lhamo and Meme Gempola were believed to be from Demkhar Village, a village located downhill of gewog centre under Darjeling chewog. Whereas another source states that Meme Gempola was from Demkhar and Abi was from Narang under monger gewog today. However, another oral transmission also states that Meme and Abi were from Zhangzhung, Tibet and they descended to the Durung due to internal conflict with the leader of Zhangzhung. Today, people also believe that the great grandparents of Abi and Meme must have moved and settled from Tibet creating the confusion to these days that Abi and Meme were from Zhangzhung (Tibet). One source emphasize that they had a daughter called Sangay Dema and she went to Woongkhar, a village at Drametse and got married there. Later, Abi and Meme went to her place to attend the death rituals of their late grandchild. Another source also states that Abi and Meme went there to attend death rituals of their relatives. While returning back after attending the rituals, they spend night beneath the cave at Dochurkhaktang near Sengderi, located at downstream between Durung and Narang. At night, the flood washed Abi and Meme from the place killing them on the way. Therefore, it is believed that both are born to Donesphu (large stone) as deity in the place presently below Durung village. It is believed that they protect and have control of land from Boe-Lhasa to Jagar-Dorjiden. Moreover, one of the religious texts (Soelkha text) states that Abi and Meme have control of land and people from Lha (Deity) Wogmay till Jagar Dorjiden. |
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| Social and cultural significance | As reflected in one of the religious text (Wine libation ritual text), Abi and Meme have the control of all land from Lhasa (Tibet) to Ja Dorjiden (Bodh Gaya, India). Therefore, people believe that they are born as deity of the world in the place. To these days, people state that Abi and Meme are serving under the patron deity of Garab Wangchuk. Among various aged people, children become often ill due to the deity. If children suffer from such illness there are always a typical signs and symptoms of their obstruction. Normally, sand particles and patches of red will be visible on the faces of the child indicating them being washed by flood. To get cure of such illness caused by Abi and meme, they have to offer sur and Serkem calling the name of Abi and meme and requesting to release the child from their captive and sickness. At times when parents had to go for work and if their child is left without babysitter, they would seek help and request Abi and Meme to look after their child. Certainly, Abi and Meme, invisible indeed would keep the child safe and sound with sleep until the work is done. But such traditions and practices are faded and not practiced now. For decades, people have offered various female dresses like Kira (Bhutanese Female dress), Tego, Wonju, Kera, Rachu and sickles for Abi. Similarly, Gho (Bhutanese Male dress), Kera, Knife, Spade and Axes are also offered as gift and later used as Sungkud (Protection thread) to get rid of illness and misfortunes. To these days, such offerings can be still be found at the large stone, believed to be home of Abi and Meme. A small part at the edge of the stone is broken and some believe that it’s being sold at Thimphu and other part of the country as a Sungkud of Abi and Meme. Annually, people as far as Thimphu, Samdrup Jongkhar, Pemagatsel and others also come to offer Tshog (Feast offrings) and get them freed from Abi and Meme by local practitioners. |
| Transmission method | There are no written records or scripts that describes about the story of Abi and meme in the community till day. Today, people believe that the oral transmission and knowledge about the story of Abi and meme must have diluted and degraded due to inconsistent and inaccuracy of transmission. One man who practices the local healing of sick people by offering sang, sur and serkem to Abi and meme. Ten small plants with sur (mixture of flour, tea leaves and butter), serkem and fire are needed to offer sur for Abi and memi. He recites religious text on sur and serkem that is believed to be composed by Zhabdrung for Abi and Memi. However, young generation are not willing to learn the practice of sur and serkem for Abi and meme that worries him that he would be last person to practice and perform such rituals in the community. |
| Community | Yang-nyer Gewog (block) has an area of 72.30 sq. km and is situated in the North West of the Trashigang Dzong and is located about 30 km from the Dzongkhang administration and about 19 km from Trashigang and Trashiyangtse highway. The gewog has a boundary with Samkhar, Kanglung, Bartsham gewog (of Trashigang and Jamkhar gewog of Tashiyangtse and Drametse of Mongar. Yangneer Gewog has 5 Major Villages called Chiwog (administrative subdivisions): Darjeeling, Kharza-Shokang, Lephu and Durung-Ngambinang. Durung is a small community comprises of about 20 households today. The community was originated from Mongar Tsakaling and Chali and speaks the Chali dialect. Zhonggarpa Namila targeted wealthy people within the community of Tsakaling and Tsamang in Mongar. Later Choejay Kinzang Wangdi with eight household left the village and came to Durung through Serzhong. Today there are only few elderly people who speak Chali dialect and are in the verge of extension with no young generation willing to learn and speak. People believe that the story of Abi and Meme must have happened before the their resettlement from Durung Chiwog under the gewog is one of the main communities that practices, shares and inherits the stories of Abi and Meme. But there are few other story tellers and practitioners that offers sang and sur for the deity when people get sick. People from other parts of the country come to visit Abi and Meme Phodrang and offer tsho, sang and serkem for good life and protection of their family. Data collected by: Mr. Druptho Gyeltshen, Teacher, Gongthung Middle Secondary School, Trashigang |
Keyword
Information source
National Library and Archives of Bhutan
https://www.library.gov.bt/archive/Materials related to
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PI00006860
Abi and Memi (Story of Local Deity)
Abi (Grandma) and Meme (Grandpa) is a native story about the local deity of a Durung Chiwog under Yangnyer Gewog in Trashigang. Durung is one of the farthest chiwog (Community) under the gewog (block) and is a native place and origin of the story. There are different information regarding the origin of Abi and Meme as a local deity of the community. One of source tells that Abi Sangay Lhamo and Meme Gempola were believed to be from Demkhar Village, a village located downhill of gewog centre under Darjeling chewog. Whereas another source states that Meme Gempola was from Demkhar and Abi was from Narang under monger gewog today. However, another oral transmission also states that Meme and Abi were from Zhangzhung, Tibet and they descended to the Durung due to internal conflict with the leader of Zhangzhung. Today, people also believe that the great grandparents of Abi and Meme must have moved and settled from Tibet creating the confusion to these days that Abi and Meme were from Zhangzhung (Tibet). One source emphasize that they had a daughter called Sangay Dema and she went to Woongkhar, a village at Drametse and got married there. Later, Abi and Meme went to her place to attend the death rituals of their late grandchild. Another source also states that Abi and Meme went there to attend death rituals of their relatives. While returning back after attending the rituals, they spend night beneath the cave at Dochurkhaktang near Sengderi, located at downstream between Durung and Narang. At night, the flood washed Abi and Meme from the place killing them on the way. Therefore, it is believed that both are born to Donesphu (large stone) as deity in the place presently below Durung village. It is believed that they protect and have control of land from Boe-Lhasa to Jagar-Dorjiden. Moreover, one of the religious texts (Soelkha text) states that Abi and Meme have control of land and people from Lha (Deity) Wogmay till Jagar Dorjiden.
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PI00006859
Abi and Memi (Story of Local Deity)
Abi (Grandma) and Meme (Grandpa) is a native story about the local deity of a Durung Chiwog under Yangnyer Gewog in Trashigang. Durung is one of the farthest chiwog (Community) under the gewog (block) and is a native place and origin of the story. There are different information regarding the origin of Abi and Meme as a local deity of the community. One of source tells that Abi Sangay Lhamo and Meme Gempola were believed to be from Demkhar Village, a village located downhill of gewog centre under Darjeling chewog. Whereas another source states that Meme Gempola was from Demkhar and Abi was from Narang under monger gewog today. However, another oral transmission also states that Meme and Abi were from Zhangzhung, Tibet and they descended to the Durung due to internal conflict with the leader of Zhangzhung. Today, people also believe that the great grandparents of Abi and Meme must have moved and settled from Tibet creating the confusion to these days that Abi and Meme were from Zhangzhung (Tibet). One source emphasize that they had a daughter called Sangay Dema and she went to Woongkhar, a village at Drametse and got married there. Later, Abi and Meme went to her place to attend the death rituals of their late grandchild. Another source also states that Abi and Meme went there to attend death rituals of their relatives. While returning back after attending the rituals, they spend night beneath the cave at Dochurkhaktang near Sengderi, located at downstream between Durung and Narang. At night, the flood washed Abi and Meme from the place killing them on the way. Therefore, it is believed that both are born to Donesphu (large stone) as deity in the place presently below Durung village. It is believed that they protect and have control of land from Boe-Lhasa to Jagar-Dorjiden. Moreover, one of the religious texts (Soelkha text) states that Abi and Meme have control of land and people from Lha (Deity) Wogmay till Jagar Dorjiden.
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