The national sport in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan – archery played out with alcohol and insults – is under threat from a young population who would rather play football. Since the arrival of satellite television in 1999, bows and arrows appear to be having a hard time staying relevant as centuries of culural isolation come to an end.
“It’s like a lazy game. We don’t need to run,” said Shearee Namgyal, a nine-year-old who plays out his Manchester United fantasies every day at his hilltop school surrounded by mountains and Buddhist monasteries. “Kids like soccer because they get to run and it’s fun. I don’t like to play archery because I can’t pull the string,” said Namgyal, whose exposure to channels like ESPN has left him dreaming of Old Trafford and not the remote Shangri-La he lives in. Rooted in ancient military training, archery events combine serious competition with large quantities of whisky and a little dance if the target – a tricky one hundred metres (330 feet) away – is ever hit. Women also join in, acting as “jeer leaders” who heckle opponents with brutal but light-hearted insults. “You get a certain kick every time you hit the target. It’s also an opportunity to come together with friends and the community,” said Sonam Tobgay Dorji, an education ministry director for youth and sports.
“While you’re on the archery field everyone is an equal, and you get to unleash whatever feelings you have about some of your superiors in the form of jokes,” he said. The 48-year-old official said while change was inevitable, the Bhutanese people will “always maintain the core Bhutanese values and the core Bhutanese identity.” This sentiment was underlined last month when mock elections designed to prepare the country for a change from absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy next year resulted in most voters opting for a fictional party emphasising tradition. “You can go to any village in Bhutan and you’ll find people playing archery. Everyone from young kids to older people. It’s a very enjoyable sport,” Sangye Dorji claimed. Many Bhutanese youth, however, disagree. “The games like basketball and football are cool and it makes people look cool. That’s why they go for it,” said 22-year-old Pema Wangchuk.
“It’s because they are more used to it, and regarding archery, they don’t have much skills in that field,” said the call-centre trainee, who plays basketball for two hours every day. Archery equipment is also becoming expensive too, with competitions now dominated by imported high-tech bows that cost around $1,800 a piece. “I think eventually it will just maybe fade out in the sense that most people can’t afford to buy these imported bows and arrows,” said Sangye Dorji, who is also the captain of the education ministry’s archery team. “It’s quite expensive. Sports like football are much cheaper. All you need is a football and grounds to play on.” While archery is the national sport, Bhutan has never won an Olympic medal in the event. But its footballers have not done so well either – with the national squad ranked as one of the worst in the world.
Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk
