Weaving Bamboo

Of all of the items that Bhutanese people extract from the forests that surround them, bamboo may be the most commonly used and the most critical for everyday life. The country’s forests are home to over 25 different species of this large, useful grass - from bamboos 15 cm in diameter used as scaffolding for building, to mid-sized bamboos 2 cm in diameter used for fencing and roofing, to dwarf bamboos less than 1 cm in diameter used to make ropes and arrow shafts. The man pictured is weaving a mat that will form the roof of a shelter protecting his crops, his firewood, or his home.