Bhutan’s national sport runs out of room to fire an arrow

Traditional archery, Bhutan's national sport, is under threat as development pressures reduce the space available for archery ranges, particularly in urban areas like Thimphu.

Despite its cultural significance, safety concerns over the use of more powerful compound bows, alongside the rising popularity of sports like football, pose challenges to its future.

Efforts are underway by the Bhutan Archery Federation and related organizations to find safer locations for ranges and promote the sport among younger generations.

Advocates emphasize the sport's role in fostering social interaction and preserving cultural heritage.

THIMPHU, Sept 19 — Atop a steep hillside near Bhutan’s capital Thimphu, an arrow slices through the air and slams into a wooden target with a thud, prompting a round of celebratory song.

Traditional archery is Bhutan’s national sport and has a storied history, but some fans fear for its future as development and safety concerns eat away at space for archery ranges.

Played with a bamboo bow and arrows, the sport evolved from hunting and military traditions and is now a key part of cultural events, as well as a popular weekend activity.

But it is a sport that requires space and flat terrain, which are in growing demand, particularly in the capital.

“Since now our development is coming up, archery grounds are occupied by residences, so it’s very difficult to get a play ground,” lamented archer Sonam Dorji, who works at a conservation group, as he competed in an all-day tournament.

Bhutanese archery is played in teams that vary in size depending on whether the game is friendly or competitive.

Each team sets up at one end of the range and aims at small wooden targets up to 145 metres away.

Players wear the country’s traditional striped “gho” belted knee-length robe, complete with knee-high socks, though footwear is of the modern variety, ranging from trainers to hiking boots.

Archers get two arrows per go, and the first team to get 25 wins. A hit anywhere on the target earns points, along with an obligatory celebratory song and shuffling dance.

Play is relatively raucous — often enhanced by consumption of beer or the local tipple ara — with taunts and shouts of encouragement part of the fun.

Teammates often stand either side of the target and shout guidance or wave to try to guide incoming arrows, jumping aside at the last minute to avoid injury.

The sport has been struggling for years to compete with the growing popularity of alternatives like football, said Sangay Phuntsho, who had travelled several hours from Wangdue Phodrang to Bhutan’s second city Paro for an all-day competition.

“Times change,” he told AFP in between shots at the target.

“We have a lot of other options now with sports... young people normally they prefer to play advanced games like football.”

‘Stronger safety measures’

The country’s archery association said the declining number of ranges was also due to safety concerns over the rising use of more powerful compound bows.

“Development and increasing pressure on land are contributing factors, but safety has also become a major concern,” said Pema Tenzin, general secretary of the Bhutan Archery Federation.

“Given the power and speed of compound bows, their use in long-range grounds, particularly in densely populated areas, requires much stronger safety measures.”

The federation and Bhutan’s Indigenous Games and Sports Association are working with the country’s Olympic committee to find land to establish more ranges “in a safer and more organised setting”, he added.

Jamyangla, who like many Bhutanese uses a single name, said he encouraged his son to take up the sport, but the lack of ranges made it hard for him to learn.

“He doesn’t have enough grounds to test his ability,” the 48-year-old power company employee said, calling for government support to set up national-level tournaments and additional ranges.

He rejected safety concerns about the sport, though injuries are reported each year, including a man who survived an arrow to the heart earlier this year.

Officials and some opponents of the sport warn that the tradition of drinking while playing makes an already risky sport all the more dangerous.

But players like Sonam consider it part of the fabric of Bhutanese life.

“We are getting more social cooperation and getting to know each other and know more about our people,” he said.

“It is our national game which has come down from our forefathers... we have to preserve (it).” — AFP

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不丹的国技——传统射箭正面临威胁，因为发展压力减少了可用于射箭场的空间，尤其是在廷布等城市地区。

尽管复合弓具有重要的文化意义，但人们对使用威力更大的复合弓的安全担忧，以及足球等运动的日益普及，都给复合弓的未来带来了挑战。

不丹射箭联合会及相关组织正在努力寻找更安全的靶场地点，并在年轻一代中推广这项运动。

支持者强调这项运动在促进社会互动和保护文化遗产方面的作用。

廷布，9 月 19 日——在不丹首都廷布附近的一座陡峭山坡上，一支箭划破空气，砰的一声击中木制靶子，引来一阵庆祝的歌声。

传统射箭是不丹的国球，有着悠久的历史，但一些爱好者担心随着发展和安全问题不断蚕食射箭场的空间，这项运动的未来岌岌可危。

这项运动使用竹弓和箭，起源于狩猎和军事传统，现在已成为文化活动的重要组成部分，也是一项受欢迎的周末活动。

但这项运动需要场地和平坦的地形，而这些场地和地形的需求正在不断增长，尤其是在首都。

“由于我们的开发项目正在进行，射箭场都被居民区占用了，所以很难再找到一个运动场地，”在一家自然保护组织工作的射箭运动员索南·多吉在参加一场全天比赛时感叹道。

不丹射箭比赛以团队形式进行，团队规模根据比赛是友谊赛还是竞技赛而有所不同。

每个队伍在靶场的一端就位，瞄准最远 145 米外的木制小靶。

球员们身穿该国传统的条纹“帼”式及膝长袍，配以及膝长袜，但鞋子则是现代款式，从运动鞋到登山靴不等。

射箭者每次可以使用两支箭，先获得25分的队伍获胜。射中靶心任何位置均可得分，同时还会播放庆祝歌曲并跳一段欢快的舞蹈。

比赛场面相对喧闹——通常会因饮用啤酒或当地特产ara而更加热闹——嘲讽和鼓励的喊叫也是乐趣的一部分。

队友们通常站在靶子的两侧，大声喊叫或挥手引导射来的箭矢，并在最后一刻跳到一边以避免受伤。

桑杰·彭措说，这项运动多年来一直在努力与足球等其他运动日益增长的人气竞争。他从旺杜波德朗出发，花了几个小时来到不丹第二大城市帕罗，参加一整天的比赛。

“时代变了，”他在射击靶子的间隙告诉法新社。

“现在我们有了更多体育运动的选择……年轻人通常更喜欢踢足球这类高难度运动。”

“更强有力的安全措施”

该国射箭协会表示，射箭场数量的减少也是由于人们对威力更大的复合弓的使用日益增多而产生的安全担忧所致。

“发展和土地压力的增加是造成这种情况的原因，但安全也成为一个主要问题，”不丹射箭联合会秘书长佩玛·丹增说。

“鉴于复合弓的威力和速度，在远距离射击，尤其是在人口稠密的地区使用复合弓时，需要采取更严格的安全措施。”

他补充说，该联合会和不丹土著运动会协会正在与该国奥委会合作，寻找土地以“在更安全、更有组织的环境中”建立更多的靶场。

像许多不丹人一样使用单名的贾米扬拉说，他鼓励儿子从事这项运动，但由于缺乏场地，儿子很难学习。

“他没有足够的场地来检验自己的能力，”这位 48 岁的电力公司员工说道，并呼吁政府支持设立国家级锦标赛和增设靶场。

他驳斥了人们对这项运动安全性的担忧，尽管每年都有受伤的报道，包括今年早些时候一名男子被箭射中心脏后幸存下来。

官员和一些反对这项运动的人警告说，边喝酒边比赛的传统让这项原本就危险的运动变得更加危险。

但像索南这样的球员认为这是不丹人生活的一部分。

他说：“我们正在加强社会合作，彼此更加了解，也更加了解我们的人民。”

“这是我们祖辈传承下来的国球……我们必须保护它。”——法新社

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