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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002071 Country Bhutan ICH Domain Knowledge and practices about nature and the universe Address Pemagatshel is located in the south east of Bhutan with an area of 517.8 km2. The Dzongkhag (district) is characterized by highly dissected mountain ranges, steep slopes and narrow valleys with little flat land. The elevation in the Dzongkhag ranges from 1,000 meters to 3,500 meters above the sea level. The dzongkhag is administratively divided into eleven gewogs (blocks). Chongshing is one of the gewog and is located in the central part of the Dzongkhag .The gewog consists of five chiwogs namely Guyum-La-Nangzor, Maendi, Thongsa, Kamri-Yomzor and Chongshing-Jorphoong. Rugged terrain and scattered settlements make the delivery of services both difficult as well as expensive. Guyum is a small village with about twenty households. As many residents are illiterate senior citizens survived by a few children, they mainly practice agriculture. As there is not a single shop in Guyum, it is obligatory to brew Ara for various reasons and therefore, yeast is a must-have thing in every household.Year of Designation 2022
| Description | Pham is a local yeast used to brew local Bhutanese beverage known as Ara. It is made of corn flours, husks (either maize or rice) and wild herbs known as Yangrim in local dialect. Yangrims are collected from forests and are considered a vital ingredient for yeast. They are of different types and most are climbers. Types of Yangrim. 1. Ru-Yangrim (Eponymous: ru (tshangla) means climber): The skin of the herb is peeled, then chopped in desirable lengths to fit in the large mortar, which are later pound using the mortar and pestle. Then they are dried and stored for later use. 2. Gowakhi or Gowa Rokpu Yangrim (local name) (Scientific name: Hedyotis scandens): Whole herbs are chopped to desirable lengths and then pound in mortar and pestle to make pastes. The pastes can be directly used with corn flour and husk to make the yeasts. The leftover pastes are heated in a pan to preserve the tastes and then dried to store for later use. 3. Gonglam daza yangrim(local name) 4. Karbu shing (local name) leaves 5. Peach leaves. Gonglam Daza Yangrim, Karbu shing leaves and peach leaves are processed in a similar manner as Hedyotis scandens to make yeast. Of all the Yangrims, Ru-Yangrim is commonly used to make yeast as it gives a flavorsome or strong alcohol. |
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| Social and cultural significance | Yeast making in Guyum represents the community as they have a borrowing and lending culture, birthing a sense of dependence to each other despite the economic status of a person. It is the main ingredient for fermenting and brewing Ara. It is also an indirect source of income as people sell Ara which can be brewed only in the presence of Pham, at ngultrum (Bhutanese currency) forty per liter, which helps to scale up their economic stability. The residue of Ara (cooked celery like wheat or maize with yeast) which is being fermented by Pham are cattle feed. People consume Ara to subside tiredness due to work, to celebrate various rituals, other social occasions and to present as gifts to higher officials visiting the village. |
| Transmission method | There is no written record of Pham making in the locality, the knowledge is passed on by the elder people to the younger generation orally, observation and participation. Thus, the participants learn through active participation in making yeast and no special method has been used so far. |
| Community | The twenty households are either close or far relatives or the settlements are clustered. As all the residents are farmers, agriculture is the main occupation. Maize is grown as the main staple crop and is used for brewing ara. Despite the availability of commercial alcoholic beverages in nearby gewogs or chiwogs, home brewing is prevalent and preferred in Guyum. In doing so, yeasts are made by almost all the households. If the household is in need of yeast and hasn't made it, there is a culture of borrowing and lending either the yeast or grains. That way the yeast helps in uniting the people. Data collected by: Ms. Sonam Zangmo, Teacher, Yurung Central School, Pemagatshel |
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National Library and Archives of Bhutan
https://www.library.gov.bt/archive/Materials related to
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PI00006813
Pham (The Local Yeast)
Pham is a local yeast used to brew local Bhutanese beverage known as Ara. It is made of corn flours, husks (either maize or rice) and wild herbs known as Yangrim in local dialect. Yangrims are collected from forests and are considered a vital ingredient for yeast. They are of different types and most are climbers.
Bhutan 2022 -
PI00006812
Pham (The Local Yeast)
Pham is a local yeast used to brew local Bhutanese beverage known as Ara. It is made of corn flours, husks (either maize or rice) and wild herbs known as Yangrim in local dialect. Yangrims are collected from forests and are considered a vital ingredient for yeast. They are of different types and most are climbers.
Bhutan 2022