ALL
paddy
ICH Elements 17
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Pangtse makhu: Extraction of Oil from Symplocos paniculata Fruits
The extraction and production of Pangtse Makhu were effectively practiced from the 1970s until 1990s, and have remained to be a part of an income source and source of oil until now to the people of Toed-Wang Gewog (block) under Punakha Dzongkhag (district). “As the plant is highly adaptable and grows naturally on barren, degraded land and dry areas but for better yield, the plant is also grown on the terraces,” said the villagers. But today it is said and observed by the grandparents in the community that because of the country’s speed of development and with advancements in technology and intellectual, the tradition of extracting Pangtse Makhu in the community has significantly declined over time due to the availability of cheaper imported refined oils in the markets. It is also said that during the olden days with abundant Pangtse Shing and with more extractors, people did not have to buy oil rather oil extracted from Toed-wang gewog was sent throughout the region. However, with an increased number of youths going to school and colleges during the harvesting and production time, and also with less market value over more hardships, it has been a challenge for the few people maintaining this practice in the locality to share the value to the younger generation. Today, the community is on verge of losing the tradition of extracting Pangtse oil because of its labor-intensive nature with a tedious and time-consuming procedure. And also, it’s because of people’s choice for the cheaper imported oil over the one that has been naturally extracted and produced which has a slightly higher price in the market. Despite the challenge, the local producers are looking forward to a government intervention in the conservation of the losing tradition.
Bhutan -
Lha-soel (A Local Deity Offerings)
Lha-soel (Lha means local deity and soel means offerings) is the ritual performed annually seeking assistance and blessing from the local deities with the offering and recitation of religious scriptures. Unlike rituals in other places in western Bhutan depending on the need and purposes, the people of Bem si-si, under Toebesa Gewog (block) perform this Lha-soel annually mostly towards the end of the year beginning from October till December month with the presence of the entire family members. As far as history is concerned there is no exact date of origin of this ritual. However, the village households herein perform Lha-soel that is passed down from the forefathers. This ritual originated from the Bonism commonly known as Nak-choe (ritual requiring animal sacrifices) wherein animals such as pigs and oxen were slaughtered for the offering. However, on later dates as per respondents, with blessing and order from the 70th Je-Khenpo (Chief Abbot) Trulku Jigme Chhoeda (1955- ) to avoid killing animals for the purpose of the rituals. The locals in Bem si-si started to offer butter, cheese, and fruits unlike before who used to offer meat, lungs, and blood along with the ritual cakes. Oral traditions say that Lha-soel is considered the most festive occasion of an individual household to gather all the family members who are now in challenge due to expenditures and lack of manpower. However, people in villages believe that these ritual practices are embedded in the lifestyles and traditions for ensuring prosperity, wealth, and long life besides the adoption of it as a medium for the higher Buddhist spiritual message, thus, individual households never fail to perform despite the challenges. The challenges the Lha-soel undergo is accrued that the too many of the present generations are engaged in the schools, colleges, and universities and gives priority to the curriculum in schools that lacks the knowledge of this very ritual in particular. Therefore, the children, unlike in the past who resided in villages, knew and easily inherited the cultural and traditional legacies of their time which decline today. Even though the majority of the younger population resides in the urban areas, therefore, only the older people are left in the villages observing rituals on behalf of all the family members.
Bhutan -
Foods of Lhop Communities
Just like any other communities, the livelihood of Lhops also started with hunting and gathering activities. In the past, Lhops gathered wild edible plants like Burr (Kochu or Colocasia) or Lohbol (Tapoica), and hunted as well as fished. With the recent developments in the community, Lhops have adopted agriculture as their source of food and nutrition, and with the passage of time, agriculture has become a way of life for subsistence and commercial means.
Bhutan -
Beduan
Beduan is the oldest performing arts in the state of Perlis, that appeared about 250 years ago during the Siamese reign. This music was introduced by two families that hid at the top of Tuk Wang Gunung Hill to avoid the evil and brutal Siamese soldiers. At the hill top the families felt lonely thus they hit wooden sticks as drums while singing by hailing. After the war ended the two families returned to their village and introduced the arts to the villagers. They named the music Beduan that originated from the word “berdua-duaan” which means “in twos”. Beduan is very popular during wedding feasts and normally performed on stage built adjoined to the newly-wed’s main residence. The shrieks hailing of the song acts as a direction to guests to the newly-wed’s house. Guests and audiences stand up in front of the house to watch the performance. Beduan members are 10 to 12 persons. They beat drums while singing and hailing. The drum is big with about 140 cm circumference, made of cow hide and jackfruit tree. There are three types of drums used and they are the ‘Gendang Pengibu’ (‘Mother Drum’), ‘Gendang Peningkah’ (‘Rebutting Drum’) and the ‘Gendang Penganak’ (‘Child Drum’). In the Beduan song the drum beater exchanges quatrains with other members. However, only the Beduan members understand the quatrains as they use a dialect understood among themselves only. Among the quatrains is: A chick is inside a betel leaf container, Uncover it and the chick feeds on paddy, Day and night I do remember, Affection is engulfed in my heart.
Malaysia -
Kishuthara: The Silken Kira (Bhutanese women dress)
Kishuthara (The Silken Kira (Bhutanese women dress)), is a native intricate patterned silk textile particularly Khoma Gewog (block) under Lhuentse Dzongkhag (district) where it become the production hotspot of the Bhutanese woven textile in the country. Kishuthara adhere its origin from the Tibetan king Songsten Gampo’s (Reign: c. 618 – 650) wife, Ashi Jaza (Bhrikuti) who introduced the backstrap loom and weaving traditional wear in Bhutan. According to oral source, the design of Kishuthara was tweeted by the bird called Tsheringmo when Azhi Jaza was wondering about motif. The bird tweeted; “chi tu nee nun, nee thu sum nun” (pick one left two, pick two and left three”) Kishuthara- tema design was thus born. Thus, hereafter Azhi Jaza taught her weavers the procedure of weaving loom textile. Later, Khoma women were able to incooperate the patterns of Kishuthara while they were trading with Tibetan merchant. Additionally, in the eight century, during the visit of Guru Rinpoche and his consort Khandro Yeshey Tshogyel at Khoma, Khandro also blessed the progress of Kishuthara as villager’s livelihood and primary source of income. When Tibet was officially incorporated into the territory of China’s Yuan Dynasty during mid- 13th century, some Tibetan fled to Bhutan. Some steeled at Khoma and from there, villagers learnt the patterns of Kishuthara in full swing. Another source traces back to Azhi Jaza’s merchant Tshonpon Norbu Zangpo, the most influential trader around the world, once reached at Khoma for trading purpose. While staying at Khoma, he had fallen in love with one Khomapa girl and as a token of fidelity, he presented kushung to her. Kushung is the name of patterning technique in their local dialects and thara in tshangla dialect means kira. Then girl learnt the motif by looking at kushung and some believe that motif was taught by the same bird Tsheringmo to the girl. Kushung is later called as Kushuthara due to mispronunciation. On contrary, according to the textile Arts of Bhutan, by Susan S. Beans and Diana K Myers, kushuthara was flourishing as early as the 17th century, local noblewomen commissioned more elaborately kiras until kushuthara become a distinct regional fashion. Today Khoma people are depending mainly on Kishuthara as their livelihood because Kishuthara is the primary source for income generation thus, weaving the patterns of their life. Past few decades, people were engaged in farming and when agriculture season is over, women in group set up their backstrap looms in the harvested paddy field and sheltered by bamboo canopies. However, at present few household are engaged in faming activities while rest of the women are busy with Kishuthara throughout the year.
Bhutan -
Dikir Barat
Dikir Barat is a new traditional arts form if compared to others of the same genre, as well as most liked amongst the normal Malay communities in villages and city fringes in Kelantan. In that state it is more popular with the name ‘Dikir Barat’ while in Southern Thailand it is called ‘Dikir Karut’. This arts form has been listed as a National Heritage in the year 2009. The word ‘dikir’ is a product of the combination of two arts that are ‘dikir’ (loosely translated as ‘song’) and ‘pantun’ (‘quatrain’), or ‘dikir’ and ‘karut’ (loosely translated as ‘story’). The word ‘karut’ is from the terminology ‘to tell stories in the form of quatrain or poem’. Thus, the names Dikir Barat, Dikir Karut, Dikir Pantun and Dikir Syair have the same meaning. There are those who opinied that Dikir Barat originated from southern Thailand with the name Dikir Karut. There are those who said that it was the product of the arrangement made by Haji Mat Salleh bin Haji Ahmad (known as Pak Leh Tapang) who improvised this arts form by adding quatrains in it. There are others who mentioned that it originated from Tebu Island, Kelantan. This arts form is normally practiced during paddy harvesting season and wedding ceremonies as entertainment or competition. The content revolves around current issues and lives of universal societies. The performance of a Dikir Barat group is headed by a Tukang Karut (‘The Storyteller’) and Tok Juara (‘The Champion’). They tell ‘stories’ by exchanging quatrains, reciprocated by loud and clear background voices of the Awak-Awak (group members) who don’t need to clap hands, just sufficient to place their palms on their respective cheeks to louden their voices. In a competition normally there are two group participants at a time and using the Kelantanese dialect. They exchange quatrains, insinuating, as if in jester and for entertainment only. At the end of the performance a group’s Storyteller delivers a sad song and requests for forgiveness at the thought of the fate of the Storyteller. At its early development a Dikir Barat performance only used audiphone equipment that were bamboo pieces, knocked to produced the rythmic beat of this arts form. Nowadays, it uses an ensemble of a gong, two small hand-held drums and a pair of maracas, cymbals and small bells. In yesteryears this arts form was a past time game and normally held in a bamboo hut with wooden floor and coconut leaves roof top. However, now Dikir Barat is well-known all over the country and can be seen on TV screen. Its development is also difficult to contain as it often receives changes, like its performance form, according to the era.
Malaysia -
Mongigol Sumundai
Mongigol Sumandai Dance is a dance of the Rungus community in Kudat and Pitas. Mongigol Dance is performed by male dancers while Sumandai Dance is performed by female dancers. These traditional dances are performed simultaneously during events, in which the dancers danced as couples. These dances are performed to express gratitude to bambarayon who has preserved the paddy spirit every year, to prevent misfortunes, at feasts and when moving to a new longhouse. The music accompaniment is produced by four gongs which is sandangau, somponukul, soludon, pompo, tontog and a drum called tawag-tawag.
Malaysia -
Wanchojang (Sedge Weaving)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Wanchojang refers to an artisan with the skill of making objects with sedge (Cyperus exaltatus, wanggol in Korean), which is an annual/biennial plant that grows in a wet rice paddy or swamp. It grows to a height of 60 – 200cm. Sedge is used to make mats, seat cushions, and baskets. According to Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), sedge was used during the Silla Period (circa 57 BC – 935 AD). During the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394), a sedge mat was laid on the place where the deities of the State are enshrined. Sedge mats were used chiefly in royal palaces, and they were also sent to China as gifts. During the Joseon Period (1392 – 1910), sedge mats were used mostly in royal palaces or in the homes of upper class people. In foreign trade, the mats made in Korea were regarded as luxury goods. Sedge products are made either manually or with tools. Mats and cushions are made either with a coarse weaving technique with warps exposed or with a close weaving technique with warps not exposed. As for the manual weaving method, eight warps are entwined to form a “井” shape and then two wefts are woven into it to make round or octagonal cushions and baskets. Production of sedge goods once went through the doldrums, but it regained strength in the 1970s and thereafter. Up to now, sedge has been used chiefly to make mats and baskets, but it can be used to make many other objects without the need for special tools by adjusting the colors and the thickness of warps and wefts.
South Korea -
Tsang mo: Ode
An oral game, Tsangmo or Tsam-mo is short and melodious poetry normally sung for entertainment by people of all ages in all the regions. It is also considered as one of the ornaments of speech. There are several very similar names for the game, with each having its own meaning and definition, according to the elderly village people; Tsam is a short poem either composed on the spot or learnt from elders or friends, which is recited to a melodious tune. Mo means divination or test. Therefore, it is a song sung to test the feelings of another person. In another version, it is also a song sung by individuals in a group, to make the same divination of feelings as above by a stick (Tsang) pointing to the personal items already collected from each of the participants, guided by the rhythms of the song. Another very similar name to that for the stick tsangmo indicates that this tradition may have been derived from U-tsang province of Tibet. However, some elderly villagers interviewed about the game thought that the terminology had nothing to do with U-tsang at all. Taking their local knowledge into account, it seems likely that the slight difference in nomenclature might just reflect a local dilution of the term which has crept in over time. Although there are different names given according to how the game is played, Bhutanese commonly refer to it as Tsangmo. Performance of the game is indigenous and unique to Bhutan, with the poetic songs passed down from our forefathers through the ages and often sung in the respective dialects of the singers’ districts. While singing Tsangmo, the lyrics are actually based on the moods and situation. For stick Tsangmo the rules are as follows: each male and female participant should place an item in the centre. A neutral person is assigned who either closes his eyes or sits facing away from the rest so that he does not know the owner of individual items. When one has finished his/her turn then the assigned neutral person will hold a stick and repeat the song once again. According to the beat of the song, he points at each item. Wherever the point of the stick remains when the song finishes, he makes a comment according to the meaning of the song, “whoever is the owner of the item is, the song’s message is (for example) Love. You are being loved by the singer, are you in love with him/her? If yes, you should tell him/her at the earliest possible.” The message is clearly conveyed through the use of metaphors in the form of a four-line verse with two couplets. Each couplet is self-contained. The first usually makes a statement or describes a situation. The second one makes a response. Then the owner is identified. Sometimes the owner may be the same sex as the singer in which case the group expresses its sympathy in chorus and ends in laughter. “In the old days people were also married through this divination game” explained a few elderly citizens. Apart from these rules, one does not have to stick to one form of expression. Participants can change the context of the lyrics as they desire. Since Ttsangmo is meant for fun, no individual is expected to get emotional at the message as the singer is also blind folded. Moreover, no one in the group clearly knows on whose item the stick will land at the end. General Tsangmo (i.e. not with the stick) is usually sung casually in a group, for example during celebrations, while on a walk, during the transplantation of paddy, weeding, collecting firewood, transporting manure in the fields, harvesting paddy, plantation of maize, harvesting maize and in a leisure period. This is an impromptu entertainment where you hone your skill in creating verses on the spot and also where you learn from and communicate with others. One person sings and another responds, the debate continuing until a winner or a draw is declared. This version of the oral game is played in an unstructured way so there are no particular rules. Today, the Bhutan Broadcasting Service arranges phone-in Tsangmo sessions (akin to talk-back radio) among listeners from different places and the participants either choose to reply to the previous singer or sing their own part without aiming at anyone in particular. Regarding the tune of Tsangmo, there are more than four types depending on custom, language and dialect. According to the knowledgeable citizens, while singing Tsangmo, the first participant must sing a stanza in praise of the Triple Gem or a divine being, as a way of making an offering. The subsequent participants may dwell on friendship, love, odium, discord, joy, sorrow as they like, and end with verses of supplication or good wishes.
Bhutan -
The Sewang or Jenulang Dance
The Sewang or also called Jenulang Dance is one of the traditional dances of the Orang Asli (Indigeneous) community of the Semai and Temiar ethnics in the state of Pahang. This dance combines the elements of dance, music and songs with 18 dancers or more of both sexes, according to the suitability of the stage area. The dance functions as entertainment, ‘opening up of love’, for marriage, appeasing the spirit of paddy and for healing. This dance is led by an elderly man called Tok Halak, who is also the main singer. The dancers repeat every line their leader sings and move in circle while stomping their feet on the floor. They are accompanied by a traditional musical instrument called ‘Buluh Cetong’ made of bamboo that is stomped on a hard wood. There are four dance formations depending on the dance function. Firstly, the dancers are dancing in one line. Secondly, the dancers are dancing in a circle while moving clockwise or anti-clockwise. Thirdly, the dance is performed in couples of both sexes that sometimes holding hands. Fourthly, in groups. For the purpose of happiness, Sewang is danced after paddy harvesting, or receiving the return of a sibling that works far away or the arrival of a new year, at wedding ceremonies and the like that has elements of bliss. For circumcision ceremony the dance is called ‘Ajok’. For healing purposes the dance is performed in the evening. Outsiders are not allowed to ascend the house where the dance is perfomed until the dance is over.
Malaysia -
Migogo
In the KadazanDusun language Migogo means "to hug someone’s or an opponent’s body and drop him with the hands". This traditional game is an activity of the KadazanDusun ethnic that is usually played on the paddy fields after the planting or harvesting seasons. The male players compete with their strengths and skills to attract the attention of village girls to be made as wives. Popular in the 1930s and 1940s, presently since the 1950s this game is made as one of the activities in the Kaamatan Festival celebration that is the festival after paddy harvesting.
Malaysia -
Sonam la: Agricultural Practices
As Bhutan remained under self-imposed isolation for several centuries, modern economic development made its way to this country very much later than in many other countries. Agriculture is still the main source of livelihood for a large majority of the population. More than sixty percent of the people still live in rural villages tilling their land and raising livestock. Farmers generally use traditional methods of farming and homemade tools, but increasing numbers are beginning to use modern technology appropriate to their individual farming needs. Bhutanese farmers grow nine basic varieties of cereal grains – wheat, barley, paddy, maize, bitter buckwheat, sweet buckwheat, pulse, foxtail millet, and finger millet. These are grown at different places and times, depending upon the altitude and season. The most dominant crop is rice followed by maize and wheat. Due to the introduction of new farming technologies and growth in market opportunities, farmers are venturing into commercial crops such as oranges, apples, cardamoms and potatoes. Commercial gardening of chilly, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, and asparagus is also undertaken nowadays. Traditionally, when farming works are due, a suitable day is sought from the village astrologer for ploughing and sowing of seeds. Days coinciding with animal signs such as Ox, Tiger, and Sheep are avoided when oxen are used in the fields. Similarly, days bearing the signs of Rat, Rooster, and Pig are avoided for sowing seeds. Nevertheless, farmers generally stick to the throejor\u0002throechen and throechung, which are combinations of two of the five elements according to astrology. Every farmer aspires for a good harvest in any season. Therefore, the very first step is to gather stubble and twigs, which are then burnt in the field. Thereafter, manure is collected from cowsheds and scattered in the fields. The farmlands are ploughed with the help of a pair of male animals – oxen or yaks yoked together. In the eastern region, two men are required to guide the oxen with one at the yoke and the other holding the plough. In order to encourage the animals, some farmers sing inspirational songs called Lang ke or Lang kor. Please come, my Dongkar, Listen, with your golden ear, Concentrate your mind. Please come, my Yangcha, Even if my voice is not soft as wool, Prove that you are as strong as iron. Come on, my Dongkar, The breakfast that we have eaten this morning, It is vanishing as the sun passes the midpoint. Come on, my Yangcha, Without having worked ahead, It is hard to leave the results behind. Come; turn on, my Dongkar, The time has come for the sun to set behind the mountains, You have to complete one more round of work. Come; turn on, my Yangcha, After successful completion of one more round, The repressing yoke will be removed from your neck. Maize is the first crop to be sowed, right after the New Year celebrations. It is followed by paddy and other crops depending upon the elevation of the land. The maize seeds are thrown directly into the hollows of the soil as the ploughing is in progress. Unlike other crops, rice involves several cycles of attention and is the most tedious of all crops for cultivation, requiring constant irrigation and frequent weeding. Seeds are sown in separate nurseries in early spring and seedlings are transplanted during the monsoon season. Both maize and rice are harvested between September and October. While harvesting the paddy, a beautiful song seeking high production is sung as follows: Please shower, shower with prosperity! The white-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The yellow-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The red-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering. Please shower, shower with prosperity! The green-headed mother of prosperity, Please bring productivity and your first offering.
Bhutan