Bhutan's indigenous Layap ▎Royal Highland Festival, the vanishing polyandry and bamboo hat culture

25. únor 2026

Photographed by Jesse Montes, 2016

The Layaps are an indigenous highland people in northern Bhutan. They live most of the year on plateaus above 3,800 meters, relying mainly on herding for their livelihood as a semi-nomadic group. They wear a distinctive hat known as the "Belo," a bamboo-woven cap that has become an iconic symbol of Layap culture.

Layap Culture Photographed by Dorte Verner/Christian/David Samuel Robbins

Syncretism of Bon and Tibetan Buddhism

Bhutan's Layap village is one of the most remote places on Earth. It is the northernmost settlement in the Himalayan kingdom and the highest village in Bhutan, with over 110 houses. The Layaps call their homeland "Be-Yul," meaning "the hidden land."

Gateway to Layap Photographed by Christian

110 houses in Layap Photographed by Christian

Before Buddhism was introduced to Bhutan from Tibet in the 7th century, the Layaps followed the Bon religion. According to legend, Ngawang Namgyal, the lama who unified Bhutan, first entered the kingdom through the village of Layap. Here, Buddhism did not completely replace Bon; instead, the animist beliefs of Bon merged with Buddhism, achieving a balanced coexistence.

Each year, every Layap household holds a ritual called Choku to honor the guardian spirit of the home. Choku is a grand celebration lasting two to three days, during which a village shaman performs ceremonies. These traditional customs date back to the period before the arrival of Buddhism in Bhutan.

Layap dance Photographed by Alex Reynolds

Layap festival

In Laya, the annual 'Bongkpo' festival is held to celebrate the arrival of spring and to pray for the abundance of crops and livestock. Buddhist rituals are performed as part of daily offerings, usually on sacred days (the 10th or 15th day of the lunar calendar).

In addition, the Royal Highland Festival is also one of Laya's grand annual celebrations. This festival was founded by Bhutan's fifth king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Royal Highland Festival

2017 marked the second year of the Royal Highland Festival. The Bhutanese royal family and ethnic groups from other regions gathered in Laya to share their diverse folk cultures. Over the course of two days, people prepared an abundance of local cuisine, while Bhutanese men performed wrestling, horse racing, and dances. This vibrant festive atmosphere brought light and love to Laya, Bhutan's remote highland village.

Layap woman and yak Photographed by Alex Reynolds

Yaks treasured as precious assets

The Layaps are semi-nomadic. Farming is one of their ways of life, primarily cultivating barley. Herding is central to their daily existence; yaks provide not only milk, butter, cheese, and other everyday foods, but also yak hair and wool, which are essential raw materials for making their clothing and tents.

Tents are especially important to the Layaps, as rotational grazing allows their herds to access more abundant nourishment. The Layaps hand-weave strong, tightly made black tents from yak hair. Natural light filters through the woven gaps, while smoke disperses easily. Since ancient times, the craft of working with yak hair has been highly esteemed. The Layaps believe yaks are treasured gifts, blessed with significance.

Yak hair weaving Photographed by Dorte Verner

The Layaps have a strong awareness of ecological protection. To avoid overgrazing, they migrate to towns during the winter, exchanging labor and yak by-products for warm shelter. They use this ancient wisdom to cope with the extreme cold of the Himalayan highlands—a migratory practice that reflects millennia-old Layap traditions. In summer, they spend most of their time living in tents on the grasslands.

Layap woman and black tent Photographed by Jesse Montes, 2016

Layap women farming Photographed by Dorte Verner

Polyandry

The Layap people have traditionally upheld the marital system of polyandry, where husbands are often brothers. This system primarily aims to consolidate family resources, with each husband taking on different roles—one may help tend to the livestock, while another engages in trade with outside communities. This arrangement prevents the division of family land and ensures it can be better passed down to future generations.

Laya Gup Lhakpa Tshering once said: "Laya is remote and has always remained independently hidden in the mountains. Marrying someone from outside the village is often looked down upon. As a small, isolated community, trust is essential. The Layaps prefer to live together because few have the means to build their own houses. Therefore, the custom of marrying more than one husband is common."

Layap women Photographed by Christian

Tshering, 29, has two husbands who are brothers. She married the elder brother at 16. One husband is a carpenter, and the other is a herdsman.

"Since my two husbands are brothers, there is no conflict between them. But things are changing now, and people are becoming more independent." As times change, traditional customs are subtly being influenced. Dorji, 52, said: "These days, children prefer to have only one partner. We cannot force them."

Photographed by Christian

Tracing the origins of the traditional bamboo hat

The traditional bamboo hat is a symbol of the ancient Layap culture. In a conversation with Business Bhutan, Kinley Dorji, Bhutan's Minister of Information and Communications, recounted the legend behind Layap attire: "In the 8th century, when Guru Rinpoche helped Trisong Deutsen build Samye Monastery, the master created two statues called 'Lue'. The male statue was taken to Merak, and the female statue was taken to Laya."

The people of these places then began to try and imitate the attire of these statues, with the traditional bamboo hat becoming an indispensable part of their clothing. In the past, Layap women wore it every day.

Layap woman and child Photographed by Richard Murai, 2009

The bamboo hat is on the verge of disappearing

Now, however, the Layaps wear the bamboo hat only on special occasions such as Tshechu. Under the impact of modern civilization, only three weaving artisans remain in Laya. Most young people are no longer interested in learning this skill. The craft of the traditional Layap bamboo hat is gradually declining and faces the danger of disappearing.

Chimi Dem and her husband are two of Laya's three weavers. Chimi is concerned that the traditional bamboo hat will soon be replaced by imported hats. She says: "If the skill of weaving bamboo hats is no longer needed here, then hats made of plastic will soon enter the Laya market."

Weaving bamboo hats Photographed by Dorte Verner

Chimi learned the craft from her late father. Over the past 15 years, she has woven hundreds of hats. It takes a full day to complete one hat, which can be sold for 600 ngultrum.

Chimi said with dismay: "People have not taken any measures to protect the traditional hat. If young people became interested in learning this skill, that would be a good thing, as it would help pass the craft on. I would be happy to teach them, but so far, there are no students willing to learn."

Weaving bamboo hats Photographed by Dorte Verner

The passing of old ways

Now, many women in Laya no longer prefer to wear the traditional zum dress, opting instead for the kira, which is one of the reasons why the bamboo hat has become rare.

Chimi says: "If we wear traditional clothing, we must wear the hat—it is our custom. But wearing a kira does not require a hat. Young women today prefer the kira, and the tradition of the hat may soon disappear." As modern civilization gradually permeates traditional cultures, the endangerment of traditional crafts is not only a threat in Laya but has become a major challenge faced by the world.

As Ap Pema Dorji said: "Whether change is good or bad is hard to say. Sometimes, old things die out, and new things grow."