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Bhutanese Refugee Families Bhutanese Refugee Families This resource provides general cultural information, while rec- ognizing that every family is unique and that cultural practices Practice Tip: will vary by household and by generation. Several Bhutanese ”Namaste” is a typical greeting, used when saying hello and community leaders were interviewed for this backgrounder. goodbye. Literally it means, “I bow to you,” and may be ac- While general information is provided here, it is best to get to companied by palms pressed together. know each family and learn their unique characteristics; wher- ever possible, ask members of the community about different cultural practices. Culture and Religion Most Bhutanese refugees are Hindu, though a fair number are Buddhist or Christian. They follow the Nepali calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar used in the U.S. Thus, holiday dates vary from year-to-year. There are many Nepali holidays, but some of the most significant include: • Dasain (called Dashara by some Bhutanese): This major holiday, which celebrates the victory of good over evil, is observed for 15 days, with the 8th, 9th and 10th days being the most important. This holiday typically occurs in early October. • Tihar (called Diwali in India): Falling three weeks after Dasain, usually in late October to early November, the festival of lights is celebrated for five days, with the 3rd and 5th days being the most important. The 5th day is brother/sister day, when sisters put a blessing on their brothers’ heads. • Nepali New Year: Celebrated in mid-April. Background • Buddha Jayanti: A celebration of the birth of Bud- Since 2007, over 60,000 Bhutanese refugees have been dha in early May. resettled to the United States from refugee camps in Practice Tip: Eastern Nepal (U.S. Department of State, 2012). Origi- nally, this minority group migrated from Nepal in the Fasting is a common practice among Bhutanese refugees, 19th century. In the 1990s they experienced repression especially during the holidays. in Bhutan and fled to neighboring Nepal. Sometimes referred to as Lhotsampas, almost all of the Bhutanese The cow is considered sacred to Hindus, thus Hindus refugees speak Nepali and some may also speak English. typically will not eat beef while some also abstain from pork. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children’s Services (USCCB/MRS) www.brycs.org Toll Free: 1.888.572.6500 E-mail: [email protected] 1 Office of Head Start National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness Toll Free: 1.888.246.1975 E-mail: [email protected] Some Bhutanese refugees are vegetarians, and a few are Extended family members are often part of the Bhuta- vegan. Rice, lentils, and curry are diet staples. Those who nese household, which may consist of grandparents, eat meat may prefer goat, mutton, chicken or fish. Mod- married sons, and their wives and children; families ern cooking appliances may be new to some families. maintain close ties with aunts, uncles, and cousins (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2007). Elders are held in Practice Tip: high esteem. Typically, meals are eaten twice a day as a family. The kitchen is considered a sacred space, not to Bhutanese refugees may shake their heads from side to side to mean “yes” or “maybe”. To an American, this gesture may be entered by non-family members without permission (Maxym, 2010). be interpreted as shaking one’s head to say “no”. Practice Tip: Family and Community During a Head Start (EHS/HS) home visit, it is respectful to Bhutanese culture incorporates both caste and clan. remove one's shoes before entering a home. Older refugees may be more observant of caste than younger refugees. Caste structure is similar to that found in Nepal, and—while different—may be understood by Among the refugee population, there may be distinct Americans in terms of one’s social class within society. generational differences, with the oldest generation Clan is indicated by one’s last name and signifies familial feeling a connection to Bhutan as their homeland, the connections. Those outside the culture are not expected youngest generation feeling more of a connection to to understand the complex dynamics of caste and clan. Nepal as their birthplace in exile, and the middle genera- tion falling somewhere in between or feeling a strong Practice Tip: connection to neither. While caste is not observed in the U.S., it remains an impor- Practice Tip: tant social construct for refugees from Bhutan. Although programs cannot be expected to make special accommo- Among Bhutanese refugee families, out-of-home child care dations, caste structure may determine where families feel is rarely used. Rather, relatives or a Bhutanese neighbor are most comfortable sitting during social events and other most likely to care for the children. As a result, home visits activities. may be an ideal Early Head Start/Head Start model. Marriages are traditionally expected to occur outside of Child-Rearing and Child Development one’s clan but within one’s caste. Naming practices are Within Bhutanese families, children may be expected to similar to traditional U.S. practice: wives and children take undertake certain tasks on a different time frame than the man's last name. Newborns may receive their name their American peers. In other realms Bhutanese child- during a naming ceremony shortly after birth. It is not rearing norms may also differ from American norms: uncommon for males to show platonic affection for one another, which may include hugging or holding hands. • Parents may feed children by hand until they are 3-4 years old; older children will ask parents’ permission to Traditionally Bhutanese families have been patriarchal, eat and wait for parents to serve them. with husbands acting as the decision-maker. Husbands • Breast feeding is common and may be continued until typically work outside the home while wives care for chil- the child is 3-4 years old. dren and take care of the household. However, in Bhutan, • Children may be assisted with dressing themselves until women often share responsibility for farming and other they are school age. outside work (Maxym, 2010), and here in the U.S., women • Some families may not bathe children as frequently as may work outside the home in order to ensure that the children in the U.S., in part because they may have been family has adequate income. accustomed to life without hot and cold running water. Bridging Refugee Youth & Office of Head Start’s National Center on Cultural Bridging Refugee YoutChildren’sh and Children’s Services Services (USCCB/MRS) www.brycs.org Tolland Free: Linguistic 1.888.572.6500 Responsiveness E-mail: [email protected] 2 Office of HeadToll Start Free: National 1. 888.572.6500 Center on Cultural and Linguistic ResponsivenessToll Toll Free: 1.888.246.1975 1.888.246.1975 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] • Children are independently able to use the bathroom by through local refugee resettlement programs or Bhu- 4-5 years old. tanese community organizations, may help families to • Babies and children may be adorned with eye-liner, engage in Head Start activities. called kohl, and jewelry, such as bracelets. • Having come from an environment in which parents Practice Tip: knew all their neighbors, families may not supervise chil- Bhutanese families may be in the habit of eating two meals dren as closely as U.S. parents are accustomed to. a day—lunch and dinner—which may mean that children • Parents are less likely to engage in games and play with do not eat breakfast before leaving home in the morning. their children than their American counterparts. Some community members describe a clear distinction drawn between adult's and children's activities. Health and Mental Health The concept of preventive care, such as well-child visits, Guidance and Discipline may be unfamiliar to Bhutanese families (Maxym, 2007). Discipline practices vary, but community leaders note that in many families spanking may have been used in • Some families may practice traditional medicine, such as Bhutan or the refugee camp. This may be changing as using herbal remedies or consulting with healers. families resettle to the U.S., due to warnings in refugee • Mental health or adjustment issues may arise in relation cultural orientation that corporal punishment in the U.S. to family separation or changes in gender roles. could lead to children being removed from the home. • Due to gender roles, women may be reluctant to discuss Many families try to model good behavior for their their own medical needs but may willingly express con- children and also scold children for unwanted behavior. cerns about their family’s health (Maxym, 2007). Some parents may have a more communal approach to • Children may have suffered from malnutrition. Anemia is child-rearing from many years spent in refugee camps. prevalent among Bhutanese refugee families. School and Education • Many families have never received dental care. Education is considered to be of great importance in Practice Tip: Bhutanese families. Children are expected to work hard, study, and do well in school. Unlike in the U.S., preschool Some traditional kohl contains high levels of lead. Informa- tion about lead poisoning should be shared in culturally education was not available in the refugee camps, and respectful ways. free education was only offered through 9th grade. Practice Tip: Community Leadership EHS/HS programs may find it beneficial to work with • Preschoolers and families may benefit from home visitor leaders from the Bhutanese community. Some tips: activities that prepare them for formal school expectations; such as, following a daily schedule, asking questions, follow- • Identify leaders, ask community members who they trust. ing directions, turn taking, and problem solving.
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