Lhuntse
Encyclopedia
Lhuntse District is one of the 20 dzongkhag
(districts) comprising Bhutan
. It consists of 2506 households (Royal Government, Ninth Plan, pg. 2). Located in the northeast, Lhuntse is one of the least developed dzhongkhags of Bhutan. There are few roads, the first gas station was opened as recently as September 2005, electricity is not well distributed and the difficult terrain makes distribution of social welfare difficult. Despite its favourable climate, farming is also hindered by the difficult infrastructure.
and lifestyle of its inhabitants may be contrasted against the dominant western Ngalop
culture.
Notably, eastern Bhutanese culture is distinctive in its relatively high alcohol consumption in relation to other parts of Bhutan. Ara
, the traditional alcohol of Bhutan, is most often home made from rice
or maize
, either fermented
or distilled
, and may only be legally produced and consumed privately. Ara production is unregulated in both method and quality, and its sale has been prohibited in Bhutan and enforced since a severe crackdown. However, because Ara returns far more profit than other forms of maize, many Bhutanese farmers have pressed for legal reform. The Bhutanese government, meanwhile, is intent on discouraging excessive alcohol consumption, abuse, and associated diseases through taxation and regulation.
Through government efforts to reduce ara
production and consumption in Lhuntse District, locals conceded in 2011 that something should be done to curb the distinctly eastern Bhutanese tradition of heavy drinking. The government's strategy is to reduce ara production and consumption gradually until it is eliminated. Alcoholism and ara production have been notable topics of political discussion Bhutan, especially at the local level. Ara, however, is also culturally relevant for its religious and medicinal uses. Previously in 2011, the government passed its Alcohol Control Regulation, which imposed up to three times the previous taxes on alcohol. As a result, alcohol sales have dropped and prices have risen.
an East Bodish language
, is spoken. In southern Lhuntse, Chocangacakha
, a sister language to Dzongkha, is spoken. The northern and western parts of the district are known as the Kurtö region, where inhabitants speak the East Bodish Kurtöp language. This region is renowned as a textiles producing region, and also as the ancestral homeland of the Bhutanese royal family
.
s:
in the north (Gangzur
, Khoma
, Kurtoe Gewog
s), Thrumshingla National Park
in the south (Gangzur
, Jarey
, Metsho Gewog
s), and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary
in the east (Khoma
, Minjay Gewog
s). These three parks are connected by biological corridors that crisscross the central and southern regions of the district.
Dzongkhag
A dzongkhag is an administrative and judicial district of Bhutan. The twenty dzongkhags of Bhutan are further divided into 205 gewogs. Some larger dzongkhags have one or more of an intermediate judicial division, known as dungkhags , which themselves comprise two or more gewogs...
(districts) comprising Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. It consists of 2506 households (Royal Government, Ninth Plan, pg. 2). Located in the northeast, Lhuntse is one of the least developed dzhongkhags of Bhutan. There are few roads, the first gas station was opened as recently as September 2005, electricity is not well distributed and the difficult terrain makes distribution of social welfare difficult. Despite its favourable climate, farming is also hindered by the difficult infrastructure.
Culture
Lhuntse is culturally part of eastern Bhutan. The languagesLanguages of Bhutan
There are over nineteen languages of Bhutan, all members of the Tibeto-Burman language family, except for Nepali which is Indo-European. Dzongkha, the national language, is the only language with a native literary tradition in Bhutan, though Lepcha and Nepali are literary languages in other countries...
and lifestyle of its inhabitants may be contrasted against the dominant western Ngalop
Ngalop
The Ngalop are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan as early as the ninth century. For this reason, they are often referred to in literature as "Bhote"...
culture.
Notably, eastern Bhutanese culture is distinctive in its relatively high alcohol consumption in relation to other parts of Bhutan. Ara
Ara (drink)
Ara, or Arag, is a traditional alcoholic beverage consumed in Bhutan. Ara is made from rice, maize, millet, or wheat, and may be either fermented or distilled. The beverage is usually a clear, creamy, or white color.-Production:Ara is most commonly made from rice or maize at private homes or farms...
, the traditional alcohol of Bhutan, is most often home made from rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
or maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, either fermented
Fermentation
Fermentation may refer to:* Fermentation , the use of fermentation in food preparation* Fermentation , a metabolic process whereby electrons released from nutrients are ultimately transferred to molecules obtained from the breakdown of those same nutrients* Fermentation , the process of...
or distilled
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
, and may only be legally produced and consumed privately. Ara production is unregulated in both method and quality, and its sale has been prohibited in Bhutan and enforced since a severe crackdown. However, because Ara returns far more profit than other forms of maize, many Bhutanese farmers have pressed for legal reform. The Bhutanese government, meanwhile, is intent on discouraging excessive alcohol consumption, abuse, and associated diseases through taxation and regulation.
Through government efforts to reduce ara
Ara (drink)
Ara, or Arag, is a traditional alcoholic beverage consumed in Bhutan. Ara is made from rice, maize, millet, or wheat, and may be either fermented or distilled. The beverage is usually a clear, creamy, or white color.-Production:Ara is most commonly made from rice or maize at private homes or farms...
production and consumption in Lhuntse District, locals conceded in 2011 that something should be done to curb the distinctly eastern Bhutanese tradition of heavy drinking. The government's strategy is to reduce ara production and consumption gradually until it is eliminated. Alcoholism and ara production have been notable topics of political discussion Bhutan, especially at the local level. Ara, however, is also culturally relevant for its religious and medicinal uses. Previously in 2011, the government passed its Alcohol Control Regulation, which imposed up to three times the previous taxes on alcohol. As a result, alcohol sales have dropped and prices have risen.
Languages
Lhuntse is home to a variety of language groups. In the east, DzalaDzala language
The Dzala language, also called Dzalakha or Dzalamat, is a member of the Tibeto-Burman language family spoken in eastern Bhutan, in Lhuntse and Trashiyangtse Districts.- External links :**...
an East Bodish language
East Bodish languages
The East Bodish languages are those Bodish languages not covered by the name Tibetan, such as those spoken by the Monpa. They include:*Dakpa*Dzala*Bumthang *Tawang*Black Mountain Monpa .The most divergent is Dakpa...
, is spoken. In southern Lhuntse, Chocangacakha
Chocangacakha
Chocangacakha is a Southern Tibetan language spoken by about 20,000 people in the Kurichu Valley of Lhuntse and Mongar Districts in eastern Bhutan...
, a sister language to Dzongkha, is spoken. The northern and western parts of the district are known as the Kurtö region, where inhabitants speak the East Bodish Kurtöp language. This region is renowned as a textiles producing region, and also as the ancestral homeland of the Bhutanese royal family
House of Wangchuck
The House of Wangchuck has ruled Bhutan since it was reunified in 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire...
.
Geography
Lhuntse is divided into eight gewogGewog
A gewog, or geog refers to a group of villages in Bhutan. Gewogs form a geographic administrative unit below dzongkhag districts , and above thromde municipalities. Bhutan comprises 205 gewogs, which average 230 km² in area...
s:
- Gangzur GewogGangzur GewogGangzur Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Jaray GewogJaray GewogJarey Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Khoma GewogKhoma GewogKhoma Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Kurtoe GewogKurtoe GewogKurtoed Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan. This gewog is inhabited by speakers of the Kurtöp language....
- Menbi GewogMenbi GewogMenbi Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Metsho GewogMetsho GewogMetsho Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Minjay GewogMinjay GewogMinjay Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
- Tsenkhar GewogTsenkhar GewogTsenkhar Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
Environment
Most of Lhuntse district is part of the environmentally protected areas of Bhutan. The district contains parts of Wangchuck Centennial ParkWangchuck Centennial Park
Wangchuck Centennial Park in northern Bhutan is the kingdom's largest national park, spanning over five districts, occupying significant portions of northern Bumthang, Lhuntse, and Wangdue Phodrang Districts. It borders Tibet to the north and is bound by tributaries of the Wong Chhu basin to the...
in the north (Gangzur
Gangzur Gewog
Gangzur Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
, Khoma
Khoma Gewog
Khoma Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
, Kurtoe Gewog
Kurtoe Gewog
Kurtoed Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan. This gewog is inhabited by speakers of the Kurtöp language....
s), Thrumshingla National Park
Thrumshingla National Park
Thrumshingla National Park in central Bhutan covers just over across four districts, but primarily in Mongar. It is bisected by the Lateral Road, and contains the Thrumshing La pass.-Flora and fauna:...
in the south (Gangzur
Gangzur Gewog
Gangzur Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
, Jarey
Jaray Gewog
Jarey Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
, Metsho Gewog
Metsho Gewog
Metsho Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
s), and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary
Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary , which also contains the former Kulong Chu Wildlife Sanctuary, covers in north-eastern Bhutan at elevations between and . The Sanctuary covers most of Trashiyangtse District, including Bumdeling Gewog. The Sanctuary was planned in 1995 and established in 1998...
in the east (Khoma
Khoma Gewog
Khoma Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
, Minjay Gewog
Minjay Gewog
Minjay Gewog is a gewog of Lhuntse District, Bhutan....
s). These three parks are connected by biological corridors that crisscross the central and southern regions of the district.