One thing you are definitely likely to do while you’re in Bhutan? Trek! But if you need a bit of time to rest your legs in between your various explorations, you might want to do something a little different instead. Why not try a spot of archery?

Bhutanese Archery
If you’ve ever been on a Bhutan trek, you’ll know that the Buddhist beliefs of the Bhutanese are integral to their everyday lives. As such, it might seem a little bizarre that the treasured national sport is, in fact, shooting with a bow and arrow. However, a bow and arrow in Bhutan is not seen as a hunting tool, nor as a weapon, but simply as a piece of sporting equipment. So peaceful are the intentions of the sport that only feathers that have been found on the ground can be used to make the arrows. The level of interest in archery in Bhutan is perhaps best measured by the fact that every village has its own archery range, and also by the fact that archery is the only Olympic sport which Bhutan enters competitors for. However, though they have been sending Bhutanese entrants to the Olympics since 1984, the furthest any have got was in 2004 in Athens, when two athletes made it to the second qualifying round. If you’re wondering why they do not perform better given that archery is the national sport of Bhutan, a deeper insight into the rules may help you to understand.

The Rules. What Rules?
The difference between the rules of Olympic archery and Bhutanese archery are quite simple; in that there are no rules in Bhutanese archery. In fact, one of the most important elements of the sport is to heckle and hamper your competitors as much as possible. If you happen to hear the sound of men shouting and taunting during your Bhutan trek, you can be sure there is an archery competition going on somewhere nearby. Bhutanese archers are allowed to use any imaginative methods they can dream up in order to distract their opponents, so long as they do not touch them. Various methods of distraction come into play, from dancing around the archer, to trying to provoke a reaction by insulting his wife or family. But opponents will give as good as they get, so both may find it hard to concentrate when their turn comes around.

The State of Play
Bhutanese archery competitions are a great thing to watch while you’re on a Bhutan trek, as the levels of enthusiasm are phenomenal. Teams tend to include about eleven people, and each member will take at least two shots per round. However, with no set number of rounds, and a ritual dance to be performed each time the target is hit (about 50% of the time), contests can last for a while. But with high spirits incurred by competing, gambling and a few swigs of vodka, nobody minds if the competition runs on.

So, while you’re in Bhutan, trek by all means. But if you do happen to have a spare Saturday or Sunday morning, then attending an archery competition will certainly show you a different side of the Bhutanese.

Author Bio: Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run Bhutan Trek holidays. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

Category: Travel
Keywords: Walking Peru