Preserving Traditions: Bhutanese Weaving at Gagyel Lhundrup Centre

Bhutan places a high importance on preserving the country’s traditions. In fact, it’s one of the four pillars of the country’s Gross National Happiness Index. With this index, the country’s economic success is not based on wealth, but on preservation of the environment (their constitution mandates Bhutan be at least 60% forest), good governance, sustainable socio-economic development and cultural preservation. At the Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre we enter a small room with a low ceiling full of local women working with backstrap looms to weave colorful handmade garments. Kinley explains that most weavers come from the eastern part of Bhutan where weaving is a strong tradition, and that some garments, especially those of pure silk, can take up to six-to-seven months to create. After we peruse the upstairs showroom — you can also learn more about local garments in the Bhutan Textile Museum in Thimphu — we head into the art gallery next door, where 15-20 local artists showcase paintings mainly depicting culture and Buddhist scenes.