Efforts to preserve the centuries-old Kulungma Osa dress gain momentum in Trongsa, even as declining interest among younger generations and poor road connectivity pose challenges.
In the remote villages of Trongsa, members of Bhutan’s indigenous Monpa community are working to safeguard a distinctive part of their cultural heritage: a traditional garment woven from nettle fibre that has gradually disappeared from everyday use.
Known as Kulungma Osa, the attire once formed an integral part of Monpa life. Today, it is largely confined to cultural celebrations, traditional performances and occasional community gatherings, raising concerns about its survival among future generations.
The Monpas, believed to be among Bhutan’s earliest inhabitants, have maintained a distinct language, customs and cultural practices. Their traditional clothing reflects this identity, with the name Kulungma Osa derived from the Monpa words for nettle plant and dress, respectively.
Norbu, the Community Service Lam of Jangbi Chiwog in Langthil Gewog, explained that the garment has its own place in Monpa tradition, separate from Bhutan’s more widely recognised national attire.
Although older residents retain memories of the dress as part of everyday life, many younger Monpas have encountered it only through family accounts or cultural programmes.
For residents such as Singye Wangmo of Jangbi, encouraging people to wear the garment during festivals and celebrations could help restore its relevance. However, she acknowledged that enthusiasm remains limited among the community’s youth.
Similar concerns are shared in neighbouring Wangling village, where resident Tawpo recalled learning about the traditional attire from his parents rather than through personal experience. He said renewed interest in wearing the garment was motivated by a desire to preserve the customs inherited from previous generations.
Community-led cultural activities have nevertheless begun to generate greater awareness of Monpa heritage. Performances, village programmes and visits by tourists have introduced younger residents to traditions that were once unfamiliar even within their own households.
Tshering Dolkar, another Wangling resident, said cultural events and interactions with visitors played an important role in helping her generation discover the community’s distinctive practices.
The revival effort has roots dating back to 2008, when residents of Jangbi were invited to present a traditional dance at the inauguration of the Royal Heritage Museum in Trongsa. The occasion helped renew attention to the community’s cultural identity and encouraged efforts to bring traditional attire back into public view.
Since then, showcasing Monpa customs to visitors has become one way of keeping the heritage visible. However, the community faces a significant obstacle in developing these opportunities: inadequate road connectivity.
Residents say difficult travel conditions, particularly during the summer months, discourage tourists from reaching their villages. Improved access, they believe, could support cultural tourism while creating more opportunities for local people to present their traditional practices.
Jangbi resident Ugyen Lhamo said visitors frequently struggle to reach the area because of poor road conditions, limiting the community’s ability to share its heritage with outsiders.
The Langthil Gewog Administration has acknowledged the problem. According to Gup Rinzin Wangchuk, gravel surfacing work has already been carried out along the Jangbi farm road, but challenging terrain continues to make travel difficult during both summer and winter.
The administration has submitted a proposal to the government seeking approval to blacktop the road, although a decision remains pending.
A separate proposal to construct a farm road linking Phumzur village with Nubi could also improve access to the area and potentially increase visitor numbers.
For Jangbi’s approximately 60 households, the effort to revive Kulungma Osa goes beyond preserving an old form of clothing. It represents a broader attempt to maintain a cultural identity that has endured through generations but now faces the pressures of changing lifestyles.
While tourism and improved infrastructure may help bring greater visibility to Monpa traditions, their long-term survival will depend largely on whether younger community members embrace the practices of their ancestors.
The challenge for the community is to ensure that Kulungma Osa remains more than a garment remembered through stories or displayed during occasional performances, becoming once again a living expression of Monpa heritage.
