Competitive Celebrations: Boys of Pangthang and Ritsangdung take each other on
16 February, 2010 – The bamboo bow is taller than Ugyen, but as the nine-year-old Ugyen draws his bow, there is expectation of a karey (hit) from the other end. “Ana, ana (here, here),” his friends at the other end shout, pointing at the target.
The opponents are even louder. One remarks that Ugyen’s gho is too big for him. Another says even flies landing on his head would skid as he had applied a whole bottle of cooking oil on his hair. One of them walks in front of Ugyen to distract him.
But nothing deters his concentration. The arrow is released and Ugyen runs a few steps forward, his eyes on its flight. The arrow hits the target, about 120 m away. Three friends jump and dance ‘Namto mawa yegu’ a popular Sharchopkha song. His opponents watch, incredulous that Ugyen’s arrow hit the target again.
It’s losar and Ugyen, one of the youngest players in the team of nine from Pangthang village in Kanglung, is enjoying an archery game against boys from Ritsangdung village.
The class three student of Kanglung primary school said it was his first time participating in an archery match. According to Ugyen, his friends, mostly lay monks, organised an archery match with their friends from Ritsangdung to celebrate Losar.
These 18 boys, all aged between eight and 17, play in the fields of Pangthang on February 14. “We’ll play in our village tomorrow,” said Karma, 13, the team leader of Ritsangdung. They collected Nu 50 each and bought dhars (scarves). The one, who hits a karey, gets a dhar each to hang around his waist.
With bows made from bamboo, a few modified like imported compound bows for accuracy, and limited arrows, archery was the highlight of losar in the village. Their bowstrings break often and most of their arrows don’t reach the target. “Shift your target nearer as the range is too long for you all,” shouts a 67-year old spectator.
Most of their arrows break. “I’ll have to save some for tomorrow,” says Gappu, 9, as he pulls out a new one from the wooden quiver.
Gappu said that, though he was not a good archer, he took part because of interest and also because it was losar. “This is the time when all our friends gather,” he said.
By noon, most of the boys are hungry. They had thub (porridge) in the morning and came early to the range. The players from Ritsangdung have brought packed lunch, while Pangthang players expect their parents and sisters to bring their lunch.
They have the lunch together in the fields, sharing their meal.
The boys say that they play the game whenever there is an occasion. “It’s our national sport and I’d love to be a part of the Yangphel team one day,” said a 13-year old boy from Ritsangdung.
With five dhars around his waist, Ugyen has hit the maximum kareys. “I’m even good at khuru,” he says. But the bigger boys say that Ugyen hits kareys because he was lucky.
Around 5:30 pm, the boys end the game. Pangthang team has won, but Ritsangdung players say that they will perform better in their village to home advantage. “We’ll surely win tomorrow,” said Karma.
Ritsangdung players had to collect Nu 25 each and pay the players of Pangthang.
As the boys called it a day, three elderly women reached the range with tea and ara. Locally known as ‘tshogchang’, it is an integral part of the village.
As dusk envelopes the village, the boys drink and dance. “This is how boys learn to drink,” said a village elder. But they won’t mind because it’s Losar.
By Tashi Dema
