Matt Fleming chats to Murray Gunn about the Australian’s debut novel, which is based on his experiences in the Kingdom of Bhutan

Nestled neatly between China and India, the Kingdom of Bhutan lives a quiet existence. However, it has a wondrous beauty, according to one recent resident, Murray Gunn. The Australian loves the nation so much he has been inspired to write Dragon Bones, a memoir of his experiences over the past two years. The book has just been published in Hong Kong – and ties in with an upsurge of Hongkongers travelling to Bhutan for a break, says the author.

What’s Dragon Bones about?
Dragon Bones is about the cultural experiences I had while living in Bhutan for two years. As I got more involved in daily life I found there is a more complex world beneath the Shangri-La image. Bhutanese people had problems with racism, sexual harassment, religious manipulation, environmental degradation and crime. Many of the problems seemed to occur because of recent exposure to the Western world – and I saw signs that China may be poised to annex Bhutan as so many other countries in the region had been. Yet the people faced these issues with strength, serenity and wisdom. In Dragon Bones, I show Bhutan as it is beneath the surface – a far richer culture than tourists have the opportunity to see.

Where did the inspiration for the book come from?
I’ve always been fascinated by the different ways people live throughout the world. As I’ve travelled, I’ve documented my experiences for friends and family to encourage the same fascination. With Dragon Bones, I hope to show Bhutan’s people as they really are, with their hopes, fears, strengths and flaws.

Is it a true-to-form memoir rather than a novel?
Yes, but I’d rather it was considered a memoir of the Bhutanese people. Dragon Bones lets them tell their stories as diverse and, sometimes, as contradictory as they are.

Why did you go to Bhutan in the first place?
In 2004, my girlfriend and I talked about moving to a developing country so she could pursue her life mission of helping countries feed themselves. I wanted to take a year off my IT career to write as well, so when an opportunity came up in Bhutan we jumped at it. Prior to that, I don’t think I’d even heard of the country, which made it more exciting to move there.
More Hongkongers seem to be holidaying in Bhutan at the moment. What’s the big attraction?
We all need a change of environment every now and then. The mountainous, land-locked, unpopulated land of Bhutan – with buildings only a few stories high – is about as different as you can get to Hong Kong. The relaxed lifestyle is a great contrast to the bustle.

You’re donating half the book’s royalties to charity. Why?
As I’ve travelled, I’ve seen the influence Western culture is having on other cultures, particularly in developing countries. I don’t think this is a good thing. Bhutan, and other countries like it, need to find their own culturally unique solutions to problems – without learning Western ones. So, I found a number of local organisations, such as Tarayana, VAST and RENEW, that are doing this in Bhutan and I want to help them. Besides, the stories in Dragon Bones belong to the Bhutanese people as much as to me, so they deserve a share.

What projects are next on the horizon for Murray Gunn?
There are many interesting cultures in the world. We’ve a long way to go to become tolerant of differences. I will continue to challenge myself and, through my writing, I hope I can challenge others to open their minds to new world views. I plan to write about my experiences as an exchange student in Japan, which I consider the best year of my life, despite its challenges.

Dragon Bones is published by Blacksmith Books, priced $128. Check out Murray's blog at murraygunn.id.au/blog.