Traditional Bag (Dakpa Jola)

                              Traditional bag

Despite being small, Bhutan has remained an independent country, and its population was over 787,424.9 thousand in January 2023(Bhutan-Historical Population Data, n.d.). The reason behind this could be Bhutan has been preserving its rich culture from ancient times and importantly, Bhutanese people emphasize more on Gross National Happiness over the Gross National Product. As being said the third pillar of Gross National Happiness (GNH) is the preservation and promotion of culture. Traditional cultures such as dance and music, traditional arts, festivals, national language, and performing arts. The above-mentioned cultures make Bhutan unique from other countries and attract foreigners which directly or indirectly helps in the growth of the economy. Similarly, Jangphutse village under Toetsho Gewog in Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag which is located near Arunachal Pradesh where more than 80 households sustain their life by weaving the traditional bag. Economic transactions and trading systems such as the barter system are still prevalent and practiced in the village.

 

 The above pictures depict the weaving of traditional bags (commonly known as Jola) are unique from other regions. Being located far away from the main roads, the people of Jangphutse support their lives by trading traditional bags with their neighbor’s people (locally called Tawang) in Arunachal Pradesh. The people of Jangphutse were hardworking as during the daytime they worked in the field and during night hours they weaved to support their children in education. Therefore, it is hard to find any dropout school children who cannot afford by parents unless they are not willing to study. People were financially independent and self-sufficient.

The traditional crafts such as weaving of traditional bags is not a newly discovered feature rather the history of weaving traditional bags can be traced back to the 17^th century and it has been preserved from generation to generation. Even today young children are interested in weaving and they do not stay idle during vacations. From that, they make their own expenditure, helping their parents, and master in every field. This clearly shows that people still preserve age-old cultures and value their traditional cultures. Moreover, it provides a well-rounded learning experience that nurtures both academic and personal growth.

 The materials they use are threats with different colors. They usually weave different colorful bags of different sizes, embroidered with different flower patterns. In a year, each household sells more than 110 bags and gets an income of one lakh which is enough for the people who are living in remote. It is appreciating that it not only sustains them but also contributes to fulfilling the third pillar of GNH.

For the people of Arunachal Pradesh, the traditional bag is an indispensable thing as they carry their personal belongings like Bhutanese people carry their handbags. Additionally, weaving became a part of their lifestyle for the people.