There
has long been tension between Bhutan and China, due to territorial disputes and
the oppression of Buddhists in neighboring occupied Tibet. The two nations
still do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, so it would behoove Americans to
foster greater understanding and relations with the Himalayan nation. Archery
could be one way of doing so. It has long been the national sport of Bhutan,
but the adoption of modern equipment and international rules has been a
relatively recent development. Robert Hixon Hanson examines the Bhutanese
passion for the sport in the documentary Kingdom of Archers, which
screens (virtually) as part of the (online) 2020 Brooklyn Film Festival.
For
years, Bhutan was nearly as isolated as Shangri-La in Lost Horizon.
However, in recent years, the King has approved a wide-ranging modernization
program, while trying to maintain Bhutan’s traditional culture and values.
Hanson uses a similar framework to explore the current state of Bhutanese archery,
but without belaboring the point.
These
days, most archers prefer to use western “composite” bows rather than
traditional wooden ones. Tournaments also increasingly adhere to international
rules, so Bhutanese archers will not be at a disadvantage when competing in
international qualifying competitions. In the past, Bhutan has received Olympic
invitations in archery, based on the sport’s national significance, but the
Bhutanese national team hopes to qualify for upcoming games (if they ever happen
again), through merit-based performance.
Most
importantly, the Bhutanese really enjoy archery and their enthusiasm is
appealing. Most of the interview subjects exhibit a laidback sense of humor
that translates well, despite the subtitles. In some ways, Kingdom is
like a less dramatic or controversial episode of Real Sports (running an
economical seventy-seven minutes). It uses archery in several ways as an
interesting window into Bhutanese society, which is matriarchal (evidently, irresponsible
men often said to squander their money on archery). However, Hanson never delves
too deeply or forces any modern vs. traditional analogies.
It
is good to learn more about Bhutan, because it is a natural ally, geographically
positioned close to China (arguably our greatest geo-political challenge). It
is also a beautiful country, as the stunning backdrops Hanson and
cinematographer Zebediah Smith capture can attest (the doc also has a seriously cool one-sheet). Recommended for archery fans
and those intrigued by the Himalayan region, Kingdom of Archers screens
virtually (for free) during this year’s Brooklyn Film Festival (5/29-6/7).
