Introduction
In October 2024, Bhutanese citizens residing in Australia had the profound honor of welcoming His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to Perth. This visit, part of a larger tour across Australian cities including Sydney and Canberra, was not only a significant event for the Bhutanese diaspora but also a deeply emotional experience for the thousands of Bhutanese who have made Australia their home. Many of Bhutanese have lived abroad for years, often unable to return home due to distance, economic demands, or personal reasons. His Majesty's royal visit, therefore, represented much more than a formal event—it was a reaffirmation of the enduring bond between the King and his people, no matter how far from Bhutan they may be
Brief
Anecdote of Bhutanese of migrating to Australia
Although the migration of 30,000 individuals may seem insignificant for countries with populations in the millions, for Bhutan, which has a population of just over 0.7 million (Economic Census of Bhutan, 2019), it has become a subject of significant debate. While identifying a clear root cause for this exodus is complex, a common understanding derived from various accounts (Monica, 2023) suggests that the lack of attractive employment opportunities and low entry-level wages are key factors motivating many young Bhutanese to pursue education and work abroad in search of greater economic security. Migration remained relatively controlled until 2022, but saw a sharp (Yidzin,2022) increase following the global pandemic, when Australia reopened its borders to immigrants.
Symbolic
significance of Royal Audience in Bhutan
It
has been aged old tradition of Bhutan where Royal Audience are most awaited movement
for Bhutanese (Karma, 2015). It is a day where king transfer the sacred duty of
nation building to its citizen and in turn, its own subject dutifully moves
ahead with nation building activities in their capacity. For example, a mother
shouldering sacred vision of king to upbring her child and inculcate two human value
that are widely practiced in Bhutan, Ley Judrey and Tha damtsi. ley
judrey - the karmic law of cause and effect, and tha damtsi -
integrity and social commitment (Wangchuk, 2022)
Event
Description and Evaluation
I
was highly anticipated to attend Royal Audience as scheduled on 16th
&17th October, 2024 at HBF park, Western Australia. Since
Australia is busy and fast-moving country, the royal visit was announced more a
than month before which gave me enough time to prepare for days to come. As
soon as the visit was confirmed, I wrote a mail to my manager at work requesting
for leave for a day. Since majority of the staff at my workplace is from
Bhutan, my manager might have faced challenges in finding replacements for our
absence on that day. Some of my friends were even denied leave due to a staff
shortage. This situation is a
direct reflection of the ongoing exodus of Bhutanese to Australia (as discussed
in the previous paragraph), and it also serves as a timely reminder for me, as a
student studying community events and regenerative festival, to ensure ample
preparation time when organizing future events.
The Bhutanese diaspora in Australia (including myself) had eagerly waited for this moment, especially after His Majesty have expressed a personal desire to meet Bhutanese citizens abroad during his National Day speech during last 17th December 2023. For me, the King’s visit was more than a ceremonial gesture, it was a day to remind the bond between king and its citizen.
Event
Type
Planned events are live social events created to achieve specific outcomes such as related to business, the economy, culture, society and the environment (Getz et al., 2014) and in his later part of the study classify events into i) Form and ii) Function . If I were to classify the visit of King Jigme to Australia using the event typology (Getz et al., 2020), it largely falls under the Politics and state where it constitutes of events such as summit, VIP visit, Royal Spectacles. But when it comes to the function of event, visit of king Jigme to Perth (so is the case with other state of Australia) transcends beyond royal spectacles to his beloved people. King Jigme, brought his vision of future Bhutan to Australia specifically designed for diaspora of people living outside of homeland. Future of Bhutan I mean is about King Jigme’s vision of upcoming Gelephu Mindfulness City ( GMC), a project where Bhutan can hope and world can look up to it. We were consulted for ideas and later will be incorporated while designing city.
Reflecting
the events through regeneration lens
Regenerative lens
also known as enablers (Buckton, 2023) are framework enhancing regenerative
social-ecological systems. There are five identified enablers, i) ecological
worldview, ii) mutualism, iii) diversity, iv) agency for all entities, and v) continuous
reflexivity.
King Jigme’s visit to Australia represents a significant moment for the Bhutanese community, highlighting the importance of mutual support and connection among Bhutanese people living abroad. This visit fosters a sense of belonging and cultural pride within the diaspora, reinforcing the ties that bind them to their homeland. As in the study of (Buckton, 2023) regenerative lens, the visit can be viewed as an opportunity to cultivate mutualism and collaboration, a collaboration between kind and his subject. Thereby, encouraging Bhutanese community in Australia to engage with their homeland while physically living in Australia. This interaction not only strengthens cultural identity but also opens pathways for collaboration on shared goals, such as sustainability and community well-being.
While
the event was exclusively for Bhutanese living in Australia, King Jigme have
allowed special entrance for foreign spouse married to Bhutanese to attend the
event and it reminded me of considering diversity (diversity of culture to be specific) while organizing similar events in future. And more
than anything, the event was most promising events for Bhutanses (specially young kids who were born and raised in Australia) as it
was homely and offered an opportunity to remind what is it to be
Bhutanses in this 21st century. Bhutanses are by birth (Wangchuk,
2022) altruistic and connected to the country and Monarch. The unfolded
opportunity to connect ourselves to monarch and young children were able to see
the bond between King and its citizens.
In
short, Royal visit was more than a mere political event; it was an act of
renewal for the Bhutanese diaspora where it offered various cultural and
emotional. The audience with His Majesty helped reinforce Bhutanese cultural
identity, offering a moment of collective reflection on what it means to be
Bhutanese while living abroad. His Majesty’s visit restored a sense of pride
and belonging among the diaspora, reminding us of our duty to uphold Bhutan’s
values and contribute to the country’s development, even from afar. This moment of regeneration renewed
the community’s connection to Bhutan, not only as a distant homeland but as a
living, breathing part of their identity.
Programs
during the event
During
the events, many traditional cultural dances were performed. As the date of the
visit approached, the Bhutanese community in Perth was filled with excitement.
Association of Bhutanese living Perth (ABPI) has opened the invitation to
perform cultural dance during event and due to large number people showing
interest to perform cultural dance during events, ABPI has to conduct separate
selection despite busy work life Australia. However, because of community leaders who worked
tirelessly, the Royal visit was memorable and successful.
Moreover, in the interest of public, there were
diverse food stalls inside the HBF park and it kept people away from feeling
hungry. I was able to connect with classroom lessons where my tutor for TOU503
has repeatedly reminding us about Food as essential part of the event.
using
3Hs of event experience transformation.
The cognitive (Head), conative (Hand), and affective (Heart) dimensions of event experience transformation (Getz et al, 2020) provides comprehensive evaluation framework as it allow us understand impact of event at personal level. For example, experience of event such as before vs. after. This section of the essay will look into personal transformation after experiencing the event with special reference to my beliefs before experiencing the event in terms of 3Hs.
Cognitive
(head) Dimension: Before
the royal audience, my understanding of the importance of cultural identity and
connection to the monarchy was largely theoretical. I had heard about the
significance of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and the centrality of
environmental sustainability in Bhutanese policy. However, attending the royal
audience brought these concepts to life in a profound way. The King’s speech
was not merely informative but deeply personal, as he spoke to the Bhutanese
diaspora (including myself) as a fatherly figure, reminding us of our
responsibilities to one another (specially to help each in a place far away
from homeland) and to our country (To build Bhutan stronger). His message about
maintaining Bhutanese values while adapting to the modern world resonated with
me, challenging me to think critically about how I contribute to my community
and the environment in my daily life as an international student.
During
the event, I was struck by His Majesty’s deep empathy and understanding of the
challenges facing Bhutanese citizens living abroad. He acknowledged the
sacrifices many had made by leaving their homeland in search of better
opportunities, but he also reminded us of our duty to preserve Bhutanese
culture and values, no matter where we are in the world. This cognitive shift
deepened my appreciation for Bhutan’s unique approach to development, one that
places the well-being of its citizens and the unbreakable bond between 44 years
old king and his people. It also prompted me to reflect on my own role in
upholding these values while living in Australia.
The
royal visit also had a significant impact on my behavior. During the event, I
observed how the Bhutanese community came together to prepare for the King’s
arrival. There was a collective sense of responsibility and mindfulness, as
everyone worked to ensure that the event was a success. This sense of community
and shared purpose inspired me to think more critically about my own actions
and how I can contribute to the well-being of my community.
Some
challenges I faced during the event
Overall, the event was a
grand success, but I encountered challenges due to sitting in an open-air
stadium, exposed to the elements. On the event day, part of the time was sunny,
while the other half became windy and rainy. Thankfully, the organizers had
advised us in advance to bring raincoats, which helped mitigate the situation.
Interestingly, raincoats became so popular that they ran out of stock in Perth
due to the high demand from the Bhutanese community. This experience reminded
me of the importance of considering weather-related factors when organizing
similar outdoor events in the future.
Conclusion
Royal visit of His Majesty King Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck to Perth in October 2024 was a profoundly emotional and
culturally significant event for the Bhutanese diaspora in Australia, including
myself. It was not merely a political spectacle, but a moment of reconnection
and renewal for Bhutanese citizens far from home. Through His Majesty’s speech
and presence, we were reminded of our cultural heritage, values, and
responsibilities both to Bhutan and to one another. The event also provided an
opportunity for deep personal reflection on themes such as identity, belonging,
and mutualism, particularly within the framework of regenerative community
events.
The royal audience, which transcended its political function, allowed for the reaffirmation of our ties to Bhutan, as well as the chance to envision a future of collaboration between Bhutanese citizens abroad and the country itself. On a personal level, it left a lasting impact on me, transforming my perspective on community engagement and my role as a Bhutanese citizen living in Australia. The event served as a powerful reminder of the enduring connection between the King and his people, no matter the distance, and reinforced the importance of upholding Bhutanese values in every aspect of life.
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