Chali

The Chali took shape in isolated mountain communities in the east of present-day Bhutan, where long distances and steep terrain helped preserve a language and customs all their own. Little has been written about their journey, and the memory of the people passes mostly through what families tell from generation to generation.

Over the centuries, these villages were gradually brought into the Tibetan Buddhist cultural world that shaped all of Bhutan. The Chali embraced this religious tradition and its calendar of festivals, without giving up the language and local habits that set them apart from their neighbors.

Life in the mountain villages of eastern Bhutan usually revolves around subsistence farming and raising livestock, on terraces cultivated along the slopes. Meals rely on grains, vegetables and dairy, and it is common to serve tea generously to anyone who arrives, as a sign of welcome.

Families depend on one another for work in the fields, and the elders are listened to and respected in the community’s decisions. Hospitality is a central value, and village festivals, tied to the religious calendar, bring relatives and neighbors together to talk, eat and renew the bonds that sustain life in a place that is hard to reach.

The faith of the Chali is Tibetan Buddhism, which holds a central place in the life of the community. Monasteries, prayer ceremonies, prayer flags and prayer wheels, reverence for spiritual teachers and pilgrimage to sacred places shape the year and the great moments of life, such as births, weddings and farewells.

As in much of Bhutan, older beliefs tied to the land often remain alongside Buddhism, such as respect for the mountains and the spirits of places. For the Chali, being Buddhist is part of belonging to the people, and so faith is lived less as an individual choice and more as an inheritance of the whole community.

Chalikha is a language spoken at home and in the village, and the people still have very little Christian material in their own tongue. A Scripture translation project has begun, but it has not yet reached everyone. Many also know Dzongkha, the national language, but the message that reaches the heart is usually the one heard in the mother tongue. Audio recordings and Bible stories told in Chalikha would be a natural way for the Word to reach these villages.

For the Chali, Buddhist faith and the identity of the people go together, so following another religion can be seen as turning away from family, village and shared traditions. The religious and social environment of the country also makes the public sharing of a different faith delicate. Added to this are the isolation of the mountains, the lack of materials in the local language and the absence of a nearby Christian community, which means that many have never heard a clear explanation about Jesus.

Above all, the Chali need patient Christian witnesses, willing to learn the language, respect the customs and live alongside families over time. They need Scripture and Bible teaching in Chalikha, in formats suited to an oral culture, and small communities of faith that are born among them and sustained by them.

There are also practical needs of mountain life: access to healthcare, to education and to better conditions for farming and for the livelihood of families.