The glance on the history of Lhop.

Celebration of Lhops's losar

Sweet Home of Lhops
 Lhops are one of the unique tribal communities found in the Southwestern part of Samtse Dzongkhag. It has a population of around 7000 people. Lhops are believed to be living along the Amo Chhu valley ever since their existence. As per their mythology, their territory stretches down till Mainaguri in India in the South till Haa in the North. They called themselves as “Lhop”meaning the people of South or Lhophu (Southerner).  They are considered to be native Bhutanese.

Nowadays, Lhops are mostly known by Doya (actually Doya, lhotshampa term of kind hearted given by lhotshampa immigrants). “Doya” this term is used at the end of the Lhop’s name. Lhops shows their grievance and dissatisfaction when their name is being suffixed by Doya not Lhop. They prefer to call themselves as Lhop and Lhophu not Doya or Doyap.  

Lhops originally wear a simple dress of plain white cotton cloth. For male, this cloth is wrapped around neck crossing the chest by two ends. It is knotted at the back side of the neck. It is then well dressed at the waist like the present Gho and tied with the karat.  For female dress, it is being wore same as present Bhutanese women except there will be no tego or wonju (as it was not available in the past), but nowadays they wear same as the present kira with tego and wonju because in the ancient periods, due to unavailable of the cotton fiber they couldn’t wear wonju and tego.  Fibers are made from the nettle plant to weave the cloths.

Nowadays, Lhops are hardly seen wearing their traditional dress due to the need of wearing Bhutanese dresses for official purposes.

In the past, Lhops used to live as an extended system of family with maternal uncle as the head of the family. He is responsible for the welfare and well being of the family. They encourage the intra-family marriage (son or daughter of maternal uncle). Due to this, Lhops used to have family members of more than 20 people in the past. This is in order to have close and strong family bond. But nowadays, Lhops have started to separate household from their maternal uncle. Lhop’s marriage system is very simple. Lhops do not have arranged system of marriage. The girl or boy is allowed to choose their own couple. Once accepted, the boy then joins the family of the girl. The simple feast will be organized within the family to welcome the son-in-law to the family. The real celebration of the marriage is done when the girl get conceived. It should be done before the birth. This celebration should be organized in odd month of the pregnancy.

Lhops are superstitious in believe and a traditionally bound. Lhops have great faith in their protective deities. They appease their deities from time to time so as to have ill-free life. Lhops appease their main protective deity called “Gyen Nye”. This is done during the Lo celebration (Lo – the New Year festival of the Lhop). Their religions are extended in bon practices. Lhops appease this Gyen Nye (male deity) by offering rooster head on the roof of their main house. It should be faced towards the present capital Thimphu as they believe that their deities reside in Thimphu. Another rooster head is being offered in the house for the female deities. Lo celebration start on 29^th day of seventh Bhutanese month, which is actually 29^th day of eighth Tibetan month (Lhops follow Tibetan calendar for their Lo celebration). This ritual is being conducted by or under the guidance of maternal uncle as he is the head of the family. It should be over before dawn and before the birds and insects fly over and disturb the ritual. 

Lastly, I would like to thank Mr. Tshewang (teacher of DMSS) for your help and support.