The National Institute for Zorig Chusum is located in a cluster of older, traditional buildings in Thimphu. The name, Zorig Chusum, means “Thirteen Arts and Crafts”, skills which are taught in this school.  We walked into various classrooms where we had the wonderful luxury of watching the students learn and practice their skills pragmatically, with a learned master supervising the process. The list of Thirteen Arts and Crafts include:

•Shing Zo: wood work, •Do Zo: stone work, • Pan Zo: wood, slate, and stone carving, • Lha Zo: painting, • Jin Zo: clay sculpture, • Lug Zo: bronze casting, • Sha Zo: wood carving, • Gar Zo: Blacksmithing, • Troe Ko: Ornamental making (what we would call Jewelry making), • Tswha Zo: bamboo and cane work, Desho: paper making, Tshem Zo: needle work (which includes embroidery and tailoring) and Thaj Zo: weaving.

Under the auspices of the National Technical Institute, the students enrolled at the Zorig Chusum have an aptitude for the arts, and are given courses in the school in a  comprehensive program that lasts between four and six years. It was wonderful to witness the government ’s appreciation of Bhutan’s culture, and for their efforts to support and  preserve the arts and crafts which continue to flourish here. I was most impressed with the fact that all these crafts are taught to both young men and women, without gender preference or segregation. This fact is a mirror of equality in Bhutan’s society, where both men and women share in all aspects of labor, from farming to  cooking and child care.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. One of the classroom buildings, currently undergoing renovations, the woodworking done by students. 2. A drawing in a class where the students learn drafting and proportion. 3. A row of traditional back strap looms, warped for weaving in one of the Thaj Zo or weaving classes. 4. A classroom of male and female students, where Tshem Zo, or needle work is taught. Center, Top: A student working on his clay figure of Buddha. Center, Bottom: A classroom clay modeling classroom view, with a modeled clay Buddha figure in the foreground. Right Column: 1. A classroom in the Pan Zo class where wood carving is being taught. Three dimensional masks hang around the wall as examples for the students.  2. A fine example of woodcarving by the students. 3. A student beginning a project in the Pan Zo: wood, slate and stone carving class. 4. An example of a student project in the Tshem Zo needlework class. This embroidery depicts the Four Animal Friendship theme: the elephant, the monkey, the rabbit, and the phoenix, a symbol of cooperation.

SPECIAL THANKS: To Yarab of Uma Paro, who brought me the complete list of the 13 Arts and Crafts taught at the Institute for Zorig Chusum.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE