𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒌𝒉𝒂 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊-𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔

By Yeshi Dolma

As globalization reshapes the world, preserving languages has become crucial for maintaining cultural identity and traditional knowledge. Peter-Lucas, CEO of Te Hiku Media and a member of the Te Aupouri people of New Zealand, emphasized that ‘Saving a language is about identity… about intergenerational transmission of culture and traditional knowledge.’ This message resonates deeply in Bhutan, where the Dzongkha Development Commission (DDC) is leading efforts to protect and promote the nation’s language and heritage.

The DDC, which succeeded the Dzongkha Development Authority (DDA) in 2007, is tasked with promoting the use and growth of Dzongkha, Bhutan’s national language. Under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the DDC has launched several initiatives to ensure Dzongkha remains an integral part of the country’s daily life, including the publication of dictionaries, the development of new terminology, and the creation of software and typefaces to facilitate easier usage of the language.

Speaking to the importance of these efforts, the Chief of the DDC noted, “When a language dies, we may lose our unique cultural practices too,” stressing that language is deeply intertwined with cultural identity and traditions. The DDC’s initiatives are aimed at reversing this potential loss by ensuring that Dzongkha remains vibrant in every sphere of life.

One of the DDC’s significant projects is an online Dzongkha learning platform, aimed at students from kindergarten to grade six. In collaboration with Educare, the program features animated visuals, vocabulary, and sentence structures, with content edited by the DDC to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. While the program is generally offered for a subscription fee of Nu. 300 per month, the DDC has introduced a subsidized scheme that lowers the cost to Nu. 200 for students who register with the department. This initiative is especially geared toward helping financially disadvantaged children gain access to these educational resources.

In addition, the DDC has rolled out the distribution of Dzongkha newspapers to schools across Bhutan through an initiative known as E-Kuensel. This program aims to expose students, teachers, and government officials to Dzongkha terminology in various sectors. While the full E-Kuensel subscription costs Nu. 700,000 annually, the simplified version distributed to government officials and educators- featuring a single page of Dzongkha terminology- is available for just Nu. 300,000 annually. The DDC’s Chief emphasized that such initiatives help keep Dzongkha alive by reinforcing its use in everyday life.

The response to these programs has been encouraging. Parents and educators alike have praised the quality of the Dzongkha learning tools, and there is a growing interest among children in learning the language. As one teacher from Bhutan shared, “The interest in Dzongkha has definitely increased in the last few months. It’s encouraging to see students taking pride in learning the language.”

Looking ahead, the DDC plans to introduce a Dzongkha language competency exam, similar to the IELTS, that will be used as a benchmark for employment in Bhutan. This move underlines the DDC’s commitment to ensuring that proficiency in Dzongkha remains a valuable asset in the workforce.

While these initiatives have seen success in Bhutan, the challenges of language preservation extend beyond the country’s borders. Bhutanese living abroad, particularly in Australia, have expressed concerns about maintaining a connection to Dzongkha as their children become more immersed in English-speaking environments. Sonam Palden, 32, a Bhutanese expatriate living in Perth for the past 11 years, admits, “To be honest, I barely speak Dzongkha. In my daily life, there’s not much opportunity where I need to use it. But that does not mean I have forgotten how to speak it, I can still speak Dzongkha well.”

Despite her limited use of the language, Sonam expressed hope upon learning about the DDC’s initiatives, saying, “After hearing about DDC’s initiatives, I feel hopeful. My only plan to give my two-year-old daughter the same cultural roots I had was to send her to Bhutan School in Perth. Now, I would love to know more about DDC’s plans and be part of promoting our national language.”

Similarly, Tshering, a Bhutanese mother in Australia with two children, noted the language barrier her kids face, as they are more exposed to English-speaking communities. “My kids speak Dzongkha like a foreign language, as we used to struggle with English when we were younger,” she said, emphasizing the difficulty of balancing English proficiency with a strong connection to their heritage language.

However, many Bhutanese living abroad are still determined to stay connected to their language and culture. Deki Phuntsho, 28, a Bhutanese community member in Australia, believes that cultural organizations play a pivotal role in preserving Dzongkha. “There are so many associations and organizers who bring Bhutanese together. A great example is the National Day celebrations, which is the happiest day for Bhutanese living abroad- it makes us feel at home.”
In fact, Deki suggests that Bhutanese media, particularly Bhutanese Music Television (MTV) and films, could be key platforms for promoting Dzongkha among the diaspora. “I enjoy Bhutanese MTV, and I have noticed that many Bhutanese are taking an interest in Bhutanese movies. So, I believe MTV and films would be a great way to promote our national language,” he added.

Within Bhutan, some young people have shown a preference for English, but they still maintain ties to their roots through Dzongkha. Sonam Lekzang, a 19-year-old student in Thimphu, shared, “I usually speak English, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know Dzongkha. I use it when talking to my grandparents and older people.” Sonam highlighted the importance of Dzongkha dictionaries during his school years, which helped him improve his spelling and vocabulary.

Meanwhile, Singye, 71, a former Dzongkha teacher, expressed concern over the decline in Dzongkha usage among young people but acknowledged the role of societal changes. “Young people today are more interested in learning other languages, but it’s not their fault. Everything around them, like signboards, buses, and advertisements, are in English. Naturally, they will focus on what they see,” he explained.

As Bhutanese communities continue to grow both at home and abroad, the need for preserving Dzongkha has never been more pressing. The DDC’s ongoing projects and the efforts of Bhutanese living worldwide to stay connected to their language and culture offer hope for the future of this vital linguistic heritage. Through collective action, there is optimism that Dzongkha will remain a strong thread in Bhutan’s cultural fabric for generations to come.