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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002062 Country Bhutan ICH Domain Knowledge and practices about nature and the universe Address Punakha Dzongkhag is one of the 20 districts in Bhutan situated in the western part of the country at an altitude ranging from 1100-2500 m above sea level. Sharing its boundary with Gasa to the north, Thimphu to the west, and Wangduephodrang to the east and south. The dzongkhag is administratively divided into eleven gewogs, namely Baarp, Chhubu, Dzomi, Goenshari, Guma, Kabjisa, Lingmukha, Shengana, Talo, Toepisa and Toedwang. (Punakha Dzongkhag, n.d.). The Dzongkhag is not only known for being a popular tourist destination with many iconic tourist hotspots from ancient Bhutan, but also it is known for growing a variety of rice, vegetables, and fruits owing to its favorable location, soil, and climatic conditions. So with its richness in the ancient tales and tradition along with favorable climatic conditions, few communities in the district still practice the traditional way of extracting oil from a wild-grown plant known as Pangtse Shing. According to the respondent, apart from Tshachu-Phu village under Toedwang Gewog, Pangtse trees are also found in Goenshari, Kabji, Chubu, and Shengana-Bjemi gewogs in Punakha.Year of Designation 2022
| Description | 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. |
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| Social and cultural significance | It is said that the extraction of Pangtse Oil, an oil that is being extracted from a plant known as Pangtse not only provides the locals with sustainable consumption of oil production but also the tree has significant socio-economic and ecological benefits to its residents. The resident thought that growing Pangtse Shing on their terrace provides favorable conditions for the paddy to grow well during humid summer and also the growth of trees in the marshy areas helps the soils from erosion. Despite extracting pangtse oil is found to be labor-intensive, the market price per liter costs around 500 Ngultrum which on average can support a middle-income family. Having high medicinal properties, the oil is also being used as a massage oil and nourishing oil for skins by the elderly parents in the community. The villagers were also aware that Pangtse oil is being used to cook delicious and special curries during special national and local. |
| Transmission method | Since there is very limited written documentation on the existence of Pangtse Oil extraction within that local community. The historical account associated with the tradition is being transmitted orally by the grandparents in the community. And the methods and process of extracting oil are being performed by the elder parents or the experts practically in front of the interested individuals. It is also observed that the methods of extracting are being known to everyone without much learning because the extracting methods remained to be as before. The methods of extracting oil involve the following procedure. 1) Collection of ripened Pangtse seeds from the forest by cutting down the branches of the tree 2) Branches are either hit with sticks or made into bunches and hit on wooden locks to remove the seeds from the branches on either a tarpaulin sheet or a traditional threshed bamboo mat. 3) The seeds from twigs and leaves are winnowed. 4) The segregated seeds are being put into a pounding mortar made up of a wooden log or a large stone for grinding. 5) The crushed seeds are being sieved and the fine ones are being dried in sun for some time, 6) Seeds are being put into a Bronze pot with a hollow at the bottom blocked with a cane-woven mat. 7) After 2- 3 hours (depending on the intensity of the fire) the steamed crushed seeds are being transferred into a small bamboo woven sieve (especially meant for the Pangtse makhu extraction) 8) Finally, the sieve filled with steamed seeds is being compressed with a heavily traditionally made wooden log on a stone-crafted plate (Maacho) to extract the oil. 9) The steamed seeds are compressed and extracted oil until the seeds become dry and cold. |
| Community | Tshachu-Phu is one among few communities that still practice oil extraction. Of 32 households in the village, almost all extract Pangtse makhu for self-consumption, whereas 9 households extract oil for both consumption as well as for commercial purposes. The plant is said to be of greater significance to socio-economic and ecological benefits to its residents. However, there were no historical documents as well as an oral account about the origin of the community, the local people go with the name being derived from the Tsha-Chu (Hot-Spring) that is located in the same community. So, the village was located on a hill and also near a hot spring, later the village was named Tshachuphu. Moreover, there is also no history about the people in the community, the background history about the practice of extracting Pangtse oil. But for today, the family of Gyengu and Nariba Village in the community still practice the extraction of oil and they acquired the knowledge from their grandparents by being there doing the extraction and by learning by doing. Data collected by: Mr. Namgay Dorji, Teacher, Dechentsemo Higher Secondary School, Punakha |