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The medias, both social and mainstream, is both frenzy and abuzz with the news of a teacher being implicated by court for using corporal punishment as a method to punish underachievement in academic outcome and as possible means to boost future performance. Although corporal punishment has been legally banned in education/ school, the practice still find its spot for numerous reasons. In my analysis, teachers personal belief system on half truths of educational theories and system induced stress on teacher performance tops the reasons for the existence of corporal punishment in schools. AI generated image 1. The educational Trap of Omnipotence, cultural beliefs on adverse conditioning, and misinterpreted theories As our teachers long ago believed that corporal punishment can induce learning behaviors boosting academic achievement, do today's teachers believe the same? I have seen many do hold on to those believe. It is either because of ignorance or cultural tendency to disbelieve ...
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The Mask Dance of Tiger and Bear (སྟག་དང་དོམ་གྱི་སྐུ་འཆམ་)

The mask dance of Tiger and Bear is one of the iconic and thematically suited performance during the annual Lampelri Rhododendronn festival. The mask dancers consist of two performer one wearing mask of tiger and the other wearing bear. 

The dance is said to be hour long performance with fourteen episodes of dances that comprises of wrathful, peaceful and playful episodes symbolizing the interaction between tiger and the bear. The performance during annual Rhododendron festival is usually curated to fit the time and mood of the festival. The dance captures and fascinates the tourist so much so that it is often performed repeatedly at the request of tourist. 

Tiger and Bear Dance

The Origin of the Mask Dance

The dance Originated from Hongthso, a modern day subsidiary town of Thimphu which was originally a peaceful hamlet occupied by very small group of people. The origin of the dance is credited to Tokden (the realized) Nindha Yeshi, (date unknown) a Lama of Hongthos Phendhay (Phendhaykha) Lhakhang. 

Once, while the revered Lama was meditating at Ney Yatshendra (name verification needed), a sacred site near Hongtsho Phendhay Lhakhang, he experienced a vivid dream. In this dream, a tiger and a lion appeared before him and performed a dance. The following day, as the Lama was deeply immersed in meditation, the very tiger and bear from his dream appeared physically in front of him and graced him with a most captivating dance. 

Lama, pleased and captivated by the dance of tiger and bear, choreograph and spread the significant mask dance of tiger and bear from Hongtsho. Although this dance is not popular in other regions and hardly performed during Tshechu festivals in Dzongs, it hold a special significance in the hearts of people of Hongtsho and nearby community. 

During Lampelri Rhododendron festival, it is not only performed to mark religious and cultural value of the dance, but also to celebrate the significance of such prime predator in our ecosystem in maintaining otherwise delicate ecological balance. 


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