The Annual Druk Wangyel Traditional Archery Tournament, which is supposed to begin tomorrow, has now been postponed by a week. This comes following a row over the use of pheasant feathers on arrows. The Department of Forest and Park Service doesn’t allow it as the bird is an endangered species. But the archers insist on using pheasant feathers.
The indigenous arrow is generally 80 centimetres long. It is made of bamboo shaft. The arrows have four vanes of feathers. The feathering extends more than 10 centimetres. The feathers are obtained from pheasant, locally known as Bjedha.
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“Last year, they were allowed to use pheasant feathers on their arrows. But from this year pheasant feathered arrows are not being allowed but the archers are resisting it,” said BIGSA’s General Secretary, Lhagey Tshering.
Archers disapprove the decision. They say it doesn’t pose any threat to the bird. Some even dispute the bird’s endangered status.
“We are told that pheasants are endangered birds. But our friends from the highlands say the number of the bird has actually increased. The Forest officials cannot just blankly say the number is decreasing. I don’t believe them,” said Archer, Ugay.
More than 25 teams have registered for this year’s Druk Wangyel Traditional Archery tournament. The team captains are to seek approval for use of pheasant feathered arrows. Some of the team captains warned that they will pull out from the tournament if the approval is not granted.
