Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs\nQuan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs that have been created and supplemented for generations, are alternating response songs between male and female singers who have resided on the two banks of the Cầu River in ancient Kinh Bắc region.\nOn September 30th, 2009, Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs were inscribedon the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the Intergovernmental Committee for 2013 UNESCO Convention on Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, taken place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.\n

In the past, plates and cups were not provided for any visitors in Bhutan. Everywhere people must travel with their own plates and cups as this is part of traditional etiquette. Usually, people bring at least two Phob (traditional wooden cups) and a To-rey (a piece of cloth) instead of a plate. The size of the To-rey must be kha-gang, which means slightly more than half a meter and slightly less than a meter, which is equivalent to a two-foot square. This size and quality of the To-rey applies to every person, regardless of status. The Phob wrapped in the To-rey is carried everywhere in the Hem-chung (Gho-pocket or hanging bag) of our Gho and Kira (traditional Bhutanese clothing).\n\nThe cups come in a variety of shapes and varieties and are made of different types of grains. There are cups with silver and gold layers on the rim and inside the cups, or plain wooden cups that signify the different status of the people depending on the quality of the cup used. There are certain cups that may only be used by monks and lamas (Buddhist spiritual leaders). This is usually the La-phob (monk's cup), which does not have exquisite decorations like the Phob of common people. However, the La-phob has historically used different colors to denote different monastic titles.\n\nOn formal occasions, when we sit with our legs crossed or in meditation posture, the To-rey must be able to cover the surface of our leg. It was not until the turn of the 20th century that people began to keep extra plates and cups for guests, as there had been no development until then and the country and its citizens were economically backward. This happened only when people began to import tableware into the country from abroad. Until then, people used phob (wooden cups), Dha-pa (wooden plates) and Bang-chung (hand-woven bamboo plates). Each household member owned a Dhapa or Bang-chung, at least two Phobs, and a To-rey, which served as a shawl and a cleaning cloth for the plates and cups. The plates and cups were wiped with the To-rey, which was cleaned after a few days, as there was no tradition of washing the utensils.

In the past, plates and cups were not provided for any visitors in Bhutan. Everywhere people must travel with their own plates and cups as this is part of traditional etiquette. Usually, people bring at least two Phob (traditional wooden cups) and a To-rey (a piece of cloth) instead of a plate. The size of the To-rey must be kha-gang, which means slightly more than half a meter and slightly less than a meter, which is equivalent to a two-foot square. This size and quality of the To-rey applies to every person, regardless of status. The Phob wrapped in the To-rey is carried everywhere in the Hem-chung (Gho-pocket or hanging bag) of our Gho and Kira (traditional Bhutanese clothing).\n\nThe cups come in a variety of shapes and varieties and are made of different types of grains. There are cups with silver and gold layers on the rim and inside the cups, or plain wooden cups that signify the different status of the people depending on the quality of the cup used. There are certain cups that may only be used by monks and lamas (Buddhist spiritual leaders). This is usually the La-phob (monk's cup), which does not have exquisite decorations like the Phob of common people. However, the La-phob has historically used different colors to denote different monastic titles.\n\nOn formal occasions, when we sit with our legs crossed or in meditation posture, the To-rey must be able to cover the surface of our leg. It was not until the turn of the 20th century that people began to keep extra plates and cups for guests, as there had been no development until then and the country and its citizens were economically backward. This happened only when people began to import tableware into the country from abroad. Until then, people used phob (wooden cups), Dha-pa (wooden plates) and Bang-chung (hand-woven bamboo plates). Each household member owned a Dhapa or Bang-chung, at least two Phobs, and a To-rey, which served as a shawl and a cleaning cloth for the plates and cups. The plates and cups were wiped with the To-rey, which was cleaned after a few days, as there was no tradition of washing the utensils.

Originally Dabus wasn’t a dance but a form of self-defence. Dabus’s concept is warriorism. Hence, the Dabus dance demands aptness, speed, heroism and happiness in dancing it. Dabus is one of the traditional dances in Perak that manages to withstand since more than 200 years ago. This art form combines the elements of music, songs, dance as well as bravery, and normally performed in festivities events. There are three dance movements in the Bagan Datoh Dabus that are Hayun Tajak, Helang Sewah and Susun Sireh. Helang Sewah and Hayun Tajak are performed by male dancers while Susun Tari by female dancers. These dance movements are accompanied by the beating of the dabus hand-held drum and religious songs. The uniqueness of these dances is that using a pair of sharp instrument named ‘anak dabus’ literally translated as ‘dabus child’. In this performance with ritual essence the dancers pierce the instruments into their arms until bleeding. Then a religious person functions to lessen the pain due to the piercing by performing incantation, washing and tapping on the injury with remedied water. The performance is usually presided over by a ‘Khalifah’. Dabus is defensive and heroic in nature and iInitially only presented by male dancers. This is in relation to the ancient social order that discouraged girls from going out at night that invites disapproval from the community. Since the sixties women began participating in the dance. Dabus was recognised as a National Heritage in 2012.

Originally Dabus wasn’t a dance but a form of self-defence. Dabus’s concept is warriorism. Hence, the Dabus dance demands aptness, speed, heroism and happiness in dancing it. Dabus is one of the traditional dances in Perak that manages to withstand since more than 200 years ago. This art form combines the elements of music, songs, dance as well as bravery, and normally performed in festivities events. There are three dance movements in the Bagan Datoh Dabus that are Hayun Tajak, Helang Sewah and Susun Sireh. Helang Sewah and Hayun Tajak are performed by male dancers while Susun Tari by female dancers. These dance movements are accompanied by the beating of the dabus hand-held drum and religious songs. The uniqueness of these dances is that using a pair of sharp instrument named ‘anak dabus’ literally translated as ‘dabus child’. In this performance with ritual essence the dancers pierce the instruments into their arms until bleeding. Then a religious person functions to lessen the pain due to the piercing by performing incantation, washing and tapping on the injury with remedied water. The performance is usually presided over by a ‘Khalifah’. Dabus is defensive and heroic in nature and iInitially only presented by male dancers. This is in relation to the ancient social order that discouraged girls from going out at night that invites disapproval from the community. Since the sixties women began participating in the dance. Dabus was recognised as a National Heritage in 2012.

Dassain symbolizes the victory of good/virtue prevailing over evil/falsity. It is the most important festival in Nepal. Since most of the Lotshampas (Southern Bhutanese) originated from Nepal, the southern Bhutanese celebrate it every year in September or in beginning days of October. The date of celebration varies every year which marked as per the Hindu calendar. According to Hindu Mythology, Dassain festival has been celebrated since Lord Ram and Goddess Durga had gotten the victory over Ravan and Mahisharura, the demons who had created terror in the Devaloka (the world where God reside.) consequently, the festival is a way of acknowledging triumph over an evil spirit.\n\nDassain is popularly a celebration within families lasting for 15 days starting from bright lunar fortnight to full moon (Hindu calendar) The days are divided for the activities starting from cleaning, washing to shopping. However, in Bhutan the official declaration of holiday is one day (day of Tika.) The community people explain that the significance of celebrating the festival with families is to honour the unity of Lord Ram’s Monkey army who helped him build the stone bridge to connect Lanka where Sita has been confined.

Dassain symbolizes the victory of good/virtue prevailing over evil/falsity. It is the most important festival in Nepal. Since most of the Lotshampas (Southern Bhutanese) originated from Nepal, the southern Bhutanese celebrate it every year in September or in beginning days of October. The date of celebration varies every year which marked as per the Hindu calendar. According to Hindu Mythology, Dassain festival has been celebrated since Lord Ram and Goddess Durga had gotten the victory over Ravan and Mahisharura, the demons who had created terror in the Devaloka (the world where God reside.) consequently, the festival is a way of acknowledging triumph over an evil spirit.\n\nDassain is popularly a celebration within families lasting for 15 days starting from bright lunar fortnight to full moon (Hindu calendar) The days are divided for the activities starting from cleaning, washing to shopping. However, in Bhutan the official declaration of holiday is one day (day of Tika.) The community people explain that the significance of celebrating the festival with families is to honour the unity of Lord Ram’s Monkey army who helped him build the stone bridge to connect Lanka where Sita has been confined.

Dassain symbolizes the victory of good/virtue prevailing over evil/falsity. It is the most important festival in Nepal. Since most of the Lotshampas (Southern Bhutanese) originated from Nepal, the southern Bhutanese celebrate it every year in September or in beginning days of October. The date of celebration varies every year which marked as per the Hindu calendar. According to Hindu Mythology, Dassain festival has been celebrated since Lord Ram and Goddess Durga had gotten the victory over Ravan and Mahisharura, the demons who had created terror in the Devaloka (the world where God reside.) consequently, the festival is a way of acknowledging triumph over an evil spirit.\n\nDassain is popularly a celebration within families lasting for 15 days starting from bright lunar fortnight to full moon (Hindu calendar) The days are divided for the activities starting from cleaning, washing to shopping. However, in Bhutan the official declaration of holiday is one day (day of Tika.) The community people explain that the significance of celebrating the festival with families is to honour the unity of Lord Ram’s Monkey army who helped him build the stone bridge to connect Lanka where Sita has been confined.

A Bhotiya woman washing raw wool in the canal that runs through the village

Washing Sacred carpet with rinsing sticks

Washing Sacred carpet with rinsing sticks

Obdasta. Dish for washing hands. Zokir Ghafurov, Caulker