𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

…𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒚𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

By Tashi Tshewang

Paro College of Education, led by Tashi Wangmo, conducted a month-long summer engagement for teacher trainees and community volunteers from June 8 to July 8. The program featured workshops in traditional crafts such as weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing. It brought together 15 participants, including volunteer teacher trainees, faculty members, and local artisans, with the aim of preserving Bhutanese cultural heritage and developing practical skills.

The initiative offered immersive, hands-on learning that strengthened understanding of traditional practices and encouraged intergenerational knowledge transfer between experienced artisans and emerging educators. By integrating creative arts into teacher training, Paro College sought to enrich its curriculum with methods rooted in Bhutanese culture.

This was the second time the college offered such a program under the Heritage Educational and Professional Development Centre (HEPDC), building on earlier successes. Organizers noted that the woven textiles, tailored garments, and naturally dyed fabrics created during the program would serve as educational tools and potential income sources for participants. The initiative reflected a commitment to sustaining Bhutan’s cultural legacy through modern education.

Tashi Wangmo, Creative Art tutor and Textiles educator, explained, “The Summer Engagement Program on weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing was designed to preserve Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage by actively involving the younger generation. These traditional skills are a vital part of our identity, yet they are at risk of fading due to modernization and changing lifestyles. Through hands-on, immersive experiences, students connect with these crafts in ways that theory alone cannot offer. The program also created a platform for intergenerational learning, where experienced artisans passed on their knowledge to youth, building mutual respect and cultural continuity.”

She highlighted natural dyeing as a program highlight, noting it reflected Bhutan’s values of sustainability and environmental consciousness by using eco-friendly, locally sourced materials. Recognizing the program’s success, the college plans to incorporate weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing into the Creative Arts section of the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) curriculum. These crafts will be treated not only as cultural knowledge but as interdisciplinary teaching tools connecting subjects like science, history, math, and environmental studies.

Tashi Wangmo added, “We are looking to train the trainer model where graduates of the Summer Engagement Program can return as facilitators and mentors. This builds capacity within the college and ensures cultural knowledge reaches students across the country, especially in rural and underserved schools. We want our future educators to be skilled, creative, and deeply rooted in Bhutanese values, so that heritage is not seen as something from the past, but as a living, vibrant part of classroom learning.”

Teacher trainee Kinzang Pelden shared, “Our crafts were carefully chosen based on the materials we have available locally, this ensured the workshops were both effective and sustainable. We also selected artisans who showed genuine passion and enthusiasm, since that energy really brought the group together.”

This approach reflected Paro College’s broader goal under HEPDC to blend cultural preservation with modern education frameworks like STEM. By grounding the program in local resources and active participation, it not only safeguarded indigenous crafts but equipped future educators with creative and sustainable teaching methods.
Kinzang Pelden added, “This initiative supports our college’s mission by weaving traditional skills into modern educational practices. It inspires us, as future teachers, to value indigenous crafts and bring that creativity and sustainability into our own classrooms.”

Trainer Pema Choki observed, “We have seen fewer young people taking up weaving or following dreams like fashion design because they feel there’s no future in it. That’s why I believe we should include skills like weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing in our teacher education curriculum, even just basic modules to give students a foundation. It helps them value these crafts and builds confidence, so they can see these not just as tradition but as real career paths. Also, programs like this shouldn’t happen only once a year. If we can hold them twice, more students can participate and grow. Showcasing their work in exhibitions or fairs will motivate them and help the community appreciate their talent.”
Incorporating traditional skills into formal education is more than preserving culture; it is a path to empowerment.

When students learn weaving, tailoring, or natural dyeing early on, they begin to see these crafts as valuable, dignified, and sustainable. Consistent opportunities like training programs and community showcases ensure students connect to their heritage in meaningful ways and gain practical skills, which could reduce the need to seek futures abroad.
Pema Choki added, “We are lucky that materials for dyeing and weaving are available locally, thanks to our partnerships with suppliers and artisans. But tailoring is harder, we often have to look outside Bhutan for certain materials, so we are now reaching out to international suppliers. Whatever we do, our goal stays the same: to teach with care, correct mistakes, and keep our culture alive through skilled, confident youth.”

Teacher trainee Pema Yangchen said, “I decided to take part in this program because, first and foremost, it is deeply connected to our culture, which I believe is fundamental in every aspect of education. Understanding and preserving our cultural heritage is important not only for ourselves but also for the students we will teach in the future. Moreover, I have a personal interest in learning traditional crafts such as weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing, so this program offered a perfect opportunity to develop those skills.”

The program’s structure allowed participants to focus on the craft they were most interested in, whether weaving, tailoring, or natural dyeing. This ensured each participant gained hands-on understanding of Bhutanese traditions.
Pema Yangchen added, “Overall, this initiative helped us acquire valuable craft skills that are not only culturally enriching but also practical. Skills like weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing could potentially serve as additional sources of income, which is encouraging for many of us. I believe this program will have a lasting impact on how we appreciate and pass on our heritage, both as future educators and members of the community.”

Teacher trainee Anjuli Gurung said, “This initiative aligned not only with the cultural preservation goals of Paro College and HEPDC, through weaving, tailoring, and natural dyeing, but also complemented STEM education, which is increasingly important today. It broadened my understanding of how culture can be preserved not just through weaving and natural dyes, but also tailoring, and by inspiring others to join and appreciate these traditions.”
Despite the meaningful learning experience, some challenges affected the pace and depth of the program. Anjuli Gurung noted issues with resources, time, and space that occasionally disrupted activities.

She explained, “During the one-month summer engagement, one challenge we faced was the lack of materials. For example, in tailoring, the only sewing machine we had broke down, and we had to wait several days for it to be fixed. Also, the tailoring instructor was available for just four days, which wasn’t enough. Another issue was space; the weaving room was quite small, which made it hard to accommodate more looms or participants comfortably. Without proper resources and technical support, our learning goals were sometimes difficult to achieve.”