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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002094 Country Bhutan ICH Domain Traditional craft skills Address Tashiyangtse is one of the twenty dzongkhags (districts). It was created in 1992 when Trashiyangtse district was split off from Tashigang District. Trashiyangtse covers an area of 1437.9 square kilometers with an elevation of 1750-1880m. Tashiyangtse dzongkhag is rich in culture filled with sacred places like Omba Nye, Gomphukora Nye, Dechen Phodrang, Rigsum Goenpa, Gongza Nye and Pemaling Nye blessed by Guru Rimpoche and dwelled by Yangtsep, Tshangla, Bramis from Taang, Khengpas from Zhemgang and Kurtoeps from Lhuntse. Trashiyangtse was named by Terton Pema Lingpa during his visit in 15th century which means the fortress of the auspicious fortune). The northern part of Trashiyangtse encompasses the skill of woodturninig and paper making (Desho). Southern parts depends on cash crops and domestic animals. The three major languages are spoken in Trashiyangtse. In the north, including Bumdeling inhabitant speak Dzalakha. In the south, Tshangla (Sharchopkha), the lingua franca of eastern Bhutan, is spoken in Jamkhar, Khamdang, Yallang and Ramjar Gewogs. In Tongshang, residents speak Chocha Ngacha and Khengkha. Trashiyangtse is divided into eight village blocks (Gewogs). The name Bumdeling is derived from a fairy tale of two groups of one hundred thousand fairies believed to have resided in the region. “Bum” means one hundred thousand, “De” means group and “Ling” means plain area. Hence the name of the place is called Bumdeling. The suitable climatic condition, lush green vegetation, roaring sound of fast flowing Khorlongchhu and the melodious notes of Black Necked Crane and the birds builds up it into a majestic place to live in. Daphne plants are grown in almost in all the higher altitudes of the eight gewogs in Trashiyangtse. However in Bumdeling, Daphne bholua ‘Deynap’ can be abundantly found in places like Tarphel, Cheng, Longkhar, Sanyne, Ngalingmang, Phanteng and Womanang. The people of these communities generate a good amount of income through the peeling of Daphne. The people of these communities sell Daphne peel not only to the Deysho paper maker in Bumdeling but also as far as to Thimphu Jungzhei Paper Factory. Beside the above, the people of Merak, Sakteng, Khaling, Yonphula in Tashigang and Yakgang in Mongar also peel desho and sell to the paper maker. The paper maker of Bumdeling also buys the bark of desho from the people of above places.Year of Designation 1971
| Description | The art of traditional paper making in Bhutan stems from an age-old handicraft tradition whose history can be traced back to the eight century during the reign of Gyelpo Khikhar Rhathor in Bumthang?, used by monasteries for woodblock and manuscript and also for writing prayer books, says Mr. Gonpola , the only Desho paper manufacturer in Bumdeling, Tashiyangtse. It is said that Mr. Tsheten Dorji from Yangtse, Who was Dzongsungpa (Care taker) then, was trained at Bumthang. It is he who actually brought the idea of making Deysho paper to Tashiyangtse. Mr. Tsheten Dorji had trained Mr. Gonpola and a few other friends at Rigsum Gonpa in and around 1971. Daphne bholua is a deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. It grows at an altitude of 1700-3500m in the Himalayas and neighboring mountain ranges. It is found in pastures and grassy glades and reaches a height of about 2.5m, however some specimens reach 4m. Daphne bholua has leathery leaves and pink- white flowers with strong fragrance. In Bhutan it is used for making hand-made paper ‘deysho’. Another species of Daphne ‘Edgeworthia gardneri’ (Deykhar) is also used for making desho paper in some part of Bhutan. It is found commonly in southern part of the country. However in Bumdeling, Daphne bholua ‘Deynag’ is widely used for making Deysho paper. Daphne ‘Deynag’ can be abundantly found in places like Tarphel, Cheng, Longkhar, Sanyne, Ngalingmang, Phanteng. |
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| Social and cultural significance | Daphne bark harvesting is the main raw material for the production of Deysho. Without Deysho papa (bark), there is no other reliable materials to that can replace the paper production in Bhutan. Production of such paper has not only proved to be the good source of income to Gonpola’s family with an annual income of Nu.400000 but also to the community, who earns a handsome sum of income by collecting/ harvesting the raw materials and providing the labor, which earns Nu 750 a day. Desho paper are sold mostly for religious purposes especially manuscript and writing prayer books. It is also used in making envelops, handbags, gift wrappers, greeting cards and certificates. |
| Transmission method | Under his apprenticeship, he trained his son and daughter-in-law, the art of Deysho paper making and now own their small cottage industry, which actually was set up by Gonpola. He teaches the art of Deysho paper making to the interested local people and the school dropout youth. But he is afraid that the art of paper making may not continue during his children’s generation as youth are not really interested in making paper. Till now he had trained around ten people with art of paper making including the peeling and harvesting but none of them have set up the cottage industry. The people of Bumdeling communities like Tarphel, Longkhar, Chheng, Panglo, Pangkar, Ngalimang, Zhapang and Phentsng generate a good amount income through the peeling of Daphne. They collect around 2000kgs to 35000kgs of Daphne barks and sell to the paper maker in Bumdeling and to Jungzhi Paper Factory, Thimphu. The peeling and the harvesting of the bark of Deysho is done especially in the third, fourth, and fifth of the Bhutanese month (late spring and summer) as the peeling of the bark can be done easily and not suitable during the winter as the skin and the bark are stuck together and have to be separated. Traditionally the harvest is done by peeling the bark of the whole tree which not only harms the tree but also kills the plants. It was not at all sustainable. However with the latest techniques, the plant is cut out a foot above the root using the knife, keeping the root intake so that main shoot can grow and mature for another harvest. Then cut off the twigs and the branches. For easy peeling of the skin, the log is cut from the Y- shaped branches and then using the hand, the skin or the bark of the plant is peeled. Next the outer dark barks are removed using a small knife and then dried in the sun. Then bundled up and store in to sell to the paper maker. |
| Community | The residents are the native of Bumdeling communities. The people of the community are all related, either paternally or maternally and share a very strong bond of relationship. Most of them live in extended family and only a few with nuclear family. The art of Deysho Paper making in Bumdeling was initiated by Mr. Gonpola in and around the year 2000. He has set up a small cottage industry to make Desho paper in the same year with a capital investment of Nu 100000. He also received a sum of Nu. 395000 to set up the cottage industry from JICA. He had also received training from JICA about five times, especially in the field of making paper using the latest ideas and the technologies. Today he and his wife are the main labor with a few who reluctantly offer their labor in making Desho paper. He earns around Nu.400000 annually. Beside Ap Gonpola, Mr. Sonam Lhendup and around 20 households from Tarphel community peel around 5000kgs of desho bark annually, Mr. Phuntsho from Longkhar along with some 17 households sell around 3000kgs of desho bark, around 11 households of Panglo also peel around 3000kgs desho bark annually, Mr. Pema from Pangkhar and 15 other households collects around 3000kgs, Mr. Tshering and 17 other household peel around 3000-4000kgs of desho barks. A total of 11 households from Ngalimang and 4 households from Zhapang collects around 2500kgs and 2000kgs-2500ks respectively. The community carry their stock till the road point at Pamadung, which is around 4km from the Gewog. Data collected by: Mr. 2. Dhendup Gyeltshen, Teacher, Bumdeling Lower Secondary School, Trashiyangtse |
Keyword
Information source
National Library and Archives of Bhutan
https://www.library.gov.bt/archive/Materials related to
Photos
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PI00006867
Deyshing pako-shub ni (Daphne bark Havesting)
The art of traditional paper making in Bhutan stems from an age-old handicraft tradition whose history can be traced back to the eight century during the reign of Gyelpo Khikhar Rhathor in Bumthang?, used by monasteries for woodblock and manuscript and also for writing prayer books, says Mr. Gonpola , the only Desho paper manufacturer in Bumdeling, Tashiyangtse. It is said that Mr. Tsheten Dorji from Yangtse, Who was Dzongsungpa (Care taker) then, was trained at Bumthang. It is he who actually brought the idea of making Deysho paper to Tashiyangtse. Mr. Tsheten Dorji had trained Mr. Gonpola and a few other friends at Rigsum Gonpa in and around 1971. Daphne bholua is a deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. It grows at an altitude of 1700-3500m in the Himalayas and neighboring mountain ranges. It is found in pastures and grassy glades and reaches a height of about 2.5m, however some specimens reach 4m. Daphne bholua has leathery leaves and pink- white flowers with strong fragrance. In Bhutan it is used for making hand-made paper ‘deysho’. Another species of Daphne ‘Edgeworthia gardneri’ (Deykhar) is also used for making desho paper in some part of Bhutan. It is found commonly in southern part of the country. However in Bumdeling, Daphne bholua ‘Deynag’ is widely used for making Deysho paper. Daphne ‘Deynag’ can be abundantly found in places like Tarphel, Cheng, Longkhar, Sanyne, Ngalingmang, Phanteng.
Bhutan Tue -
PI00006866
Deyshing pako-shub ni (Daphne bark Havesting)
The art of traditional paper making in Bhutan stems from an age-old handicraft tradition whose history can be traced back to the eight century during the reign of Gyelpo Khikhar Rhathor in Bumthang?, used by monasteries for woodblock and manuscript and also for writing prayer books, says Mr. Gonpola , the only Desho paper manufacturer in Bumdeling, Tashiyangtse. It is said that Mr. Tsheten Dorji from Yangtse, Who was Dzongsungpa (Care taker) then, was trained at Bumthang. It is he who actually brought the idea of making Deysho paper to Tashiyangtse. Mr. Tsheten Dorji had trained Mr. Gonpola and a few other friends at Rigsum Gonpa in and around 1971. Daphne bholua is a deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. It grows at an altitude of 1700-3500m in the Himalayas and neighboring mountain ranges. It is found in pastures and grassy glades and reaches a height of about 2.5m, however some specimens reach 4m. Daphne bholua has leathery leaves and pink- white flowers with strong fragrance. In Bhutan it is used for making hand-made paper ‘deysho’. Another species of Daphne ‘Edgeworthia gardneri’ (Deykhar) is also used for making desho paper in some part of Bhutan. It is found commonly in southern part of the country. However in Bumdeling, Daphne bholua ‘Deynag’ is widely used for making Deysho paper. Daphne ‘Deynag’ can be abundantly found in places like Tarphel, Cheng, Longkhar, Sanyne, Ngalingmang, Phanteng.
Bhutan Tue -
PI00006865
Deyshing pako-shub ni (Daphne bark Havesting)
The art of traditional paper making in Bhutan stems from an age-old handicraft tradition whose history can be traced back to the eight century during the reign of Gyelpo Khikhar Rhathor in Bumthang?, used by monasteries for woodblock and manuscript and also for writing prayer books, says Mr. Gonpola , the only Desho paper manufacturer in Bumdeling, Tashiyangtse. It is said that Mr. Tsheten Dorji from Yangtse, Who was Dzongsungpa (Care taker) then, was trained at Bumthang. It is he who actually brought the idea of making Deysho paper to Tashiyangtse. Mr. Tsheten Dorji had trained Mr. Gonpola and a few other friends at Rigsum Gonpa in and around 1971. Daphne bholua is a deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. It grows at an altitude of 1700-3500m in the Himalayas and neighboring mountain ranges. It is found in pastures and grassy glades and reaches a height of about 2.5m, however some specimens reach 4m. Daphne bholua has leathery leaves and pink- white flowers with strong fragrance. In Bhutan it is used for making hand-made paper ‘deysho’. Another species of Daphne ‘Edgeworthia gardneri’ (Deykhar) is also used for making desho paper in some part of Bhutan. It is found commonly in southern part of the country. However in Bumdeling, Daphne bholua ‘Deynag’ is widely used for making Deysho paper. Daphne ‘Deynag’ can be abundantly found in places like Tarphel, Cheng, Longkhar, Sanyne, Ngalingmang, Phanteng.
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