Bow and Arrow - Kara Fox Journalist + Photographer

DHA

Bhutanese Archery, Dha, is the national sport of the Kingdom. In the didactic Buddhist nation, where killing any animal is illegal-- (consumption, however, is accepted) -- the usage of the bow and arrow is used primarily for sport. Every village has a field for the sport, however makeshift grounds and flatted mountain land, can be used for a friendly match throughout the country. Archers can be found practising for formal competitions on the weekends or for fun during the weekdays. Screams of joy echo in the hills around the Kingdom from hitting a target, or even more likely, from heckling an opponent. Dha is a male dominated activity, if not an exclusively male sport entirely.

Archers enjoy a victory dance after hitting the bullseye during a special friendly Dha match in Paro. Like any sport, Bhutanese archery requires its players to wear a uniform. Men are expected to wear a gho, the male national dress, however footwear is up to the archer's discretion. Paro, 2012.

Once a game of improvised bows and arrows from natural materials such as bamboo, carbon bows have become the new norm for archery enthusiasts. Modern equipment can cost up to 40,000 Nultrum. ($800 USD)

Pieces of colored cloth serve as targets away from the bullseye. If the target is hit, the winning archer will remove it from the target, and wear it on his gho.

In Bhutanese archery, the targets are set 140 meters apart -- nearly 3 times the length of the Olympic standard at 50 meters.

Delicacies such as geap, are prepared during special matches. This favorite Bhutanese dish is prepared with a fiery mixture of dried red chilis, any variation of greens, and cow intestines.