Tamang people
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2020) |
तामाङ | |
---|---|
Total population | |
c. 1.8 million[1][2][3] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Bhutan | [data missing] |
Nepal | 1,639,866 (2021)[1] |
India | 183,812 |
West Bengal | 146,203 (2011)[2] |
Sikkim | 37,609 (2011)[3] |
Languages | |
Tamang, Tibetan | |
Religion | |
Buddhism (87%) Hinduism (9%) Christianity (3.00%), [4] | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Tibetan people, Daman people, Qiang, Gurung, Sherpa, Bhotiya, Thakali |
Tamang people | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tibetan name | |||||
Tibetan | རྟ་དམག | ||||
|
Tamang (རྟ་དམག་; Devanagari: तामाङ; tāmāṅ), are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group of Nepal, Southern Bhutan and North-east India. The Nepalese Tamang people constituted 5.6% of the population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 in the 2011 census;[5] the 2021 census reported 1,639,866 Tamang.[1] The Nepali Tamangs are concentrated in the central hilly and Himalayan regions of Nepal.[6] Indian Tamangs are found in significant numbers in the state of Sikkim and the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal state. Bhutanese Tamangs are native to various districts in the southern foothills of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Such districts include the Tsirang District, the Dagana District, the Samtse District, the Chukha District, the Sarpang District and the Samdrup Jongkhar District.[7] Tamang language is the fifth most-spoken language in Nepal.[8]
History
[edit]Historical accounts show that the Tamang ethnic group originated in Tibet. The word ta in the Classical Tibetan means 'horse', and mang means 'traders';[a] hence, their original way of life evolved around horses and trade.[10] The Tamangs, who have lived on hills outside the Kathmandu Valley to the southern slopes of Langtang, Ganesh, Jugal Himal and Rolwaling probably since prehistoric times, have been mentioned in various Nepalese and colonial historical records under a variety of names, such as Bhote, Lama, Murmi and Sain, some of which terms erroneously conflate the Tamangs with Uighurs.[10] The Tibetans called them Rongpa.[11]
Various Gorkha rulers led campaigns against the indigenous Tamangs. The Gorkha Vamsavali provides details of battles with the Bhotyas of a variety of principalities between 1806 and 1862. In 1739, a ruler named Ghale-Botya attacked Narabhupal Shah as he was marching towards Nuwakot, and Narabhupal Shah also fought several battles against Golma Ghale (Gyalpo). In 1762, Prithvi Narayan Shah attacked the Tamangs in Temal, the Tamang cultural heartland. Tamang oral history says that the local chief, Rinjen Dorje, was killed by the Gorkhas. Gorkhali forces had hidden their weapons in the sand on the Sunkoshi riverbank in order to attack the Tamang forces. Afterwards, the Gorkhas washed their weapons in springs at Dapcha Kuwapani, and this is why the modern-day Tamangs do not drink there. Similar stories appear in oral histories throughout the region.[12]
After the attack on the Tamang region, their traditional homeland area, known as kipat to the Gorkhas, was granted to Gorkha generals or government officials who had pleased the king in some way, displacing the Tamangs from kipat lands. Previously, Tamang landholdings had been divided up by clan. Tamangs also had various forced labor obligations, both in times of peace and war, that differed significantly from other regions of Nepal. One reason is the proximity of the Tamang homeland to the center of royal administration at Kathmandu.[12]
Tamangs were also involved in the Sino-Nepalese War (1788 to 1792). (Nepali: नेपाल-चीन युद्ध), also known as the Sino-Gorkha war and in Chinese the Campaign of Gorkha (Chinese: 廓爾喀之役).The war was initially fought between Nepalese Gorkhas and Tibetan armies over a trade dispute related to a long-standing problem of low-quality coins manufactured by Nepal for Tibet. A few hundred eventually settled in Tibet; they are known as Daman people in China. Previously stateless, since 2003 the Chinese government has classified them as ethnic Tibetans.[13][14][15]
Culture
[edit]Tamang tradition and culture include a distinct language, culture, dress, and social structure. They have over 100 sub-clans. About 87 % of the Tamang people are Buddhist[16] and around 3% are Christians and 8% are Hindu .[16] Their language, Tamang, comes from Tamangic branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family, and is closely related to Gurung. They follow the Chinese lunar calendar of the 12-year cycle. Colorful printed Buddhist mantra cloths are put up in various places in villages and towns.[5]
Their typical song and dance style is known as Tamang Selo, and includes songs representing humor, satire, joy and sorrow. It has a brisk movement and rhythmic beat specific to the Tamangs.[7] A distinctive musical instrument is the damphu, a small, round drum covered with goatskin. Traditional Tamang songs are kn as Hwai. Sung by Tamang genealogists callTamba, Hwai songs are ritualistic and hold tremendous importance in Tamang rituals.[17]
Festivals
[edit]Sonam Lhosar is the main festival of the Tamangs and is celebrated in the month of Magh (February–March).[18] It is celebrated to welcome the Tamang new year.
Also significant is sakaSaga Dawa, a religious festival based on birthday of Gautam Buddha.[9]
Distribution of Tamang in Nepal
[edit]The 2011 Nepal census classifies the Tamang people within the broader social group of Mountain/Hill Janajati.[16] At the time of the Nepal census of 2011, 1,539,830 people (5.8% of the population of Nepal) were Tamang. The frequency of Tamang people by province was as follows:
- Bagmati Province (20.5%)
- Koshi Province (4.7%)
- Madhesh Province (2.2%)
- Gandaki Province (2.1%)
- Karnali Province (0.8%)
- Sudurpashchim Province (0.4%)
- Lumbini Province (0.2%)
The frequency of Tamang people was higher than the 2011 national average of 5.8% in the following districts:[19]
- Rasuwa (69.6%)
- Makwanpur (48.3%)
- Nuwakot (43.0%)
- Kavrepalanchok (34.5%)
- Sindhupalchowk (34.4%)
- Sindhuli (27.0%)
- Dhading (22.2%)
- Ramechhap (19.2%)
- Dolakha (16.8%)
- Lalitpur (13.1%)
- Humla (13.0%)
- Manang (12.6%)
- Kathmandu (10.9%)
- Solukhumbu (9.9%)
- Okhaldhunga (9.8%)
- Bhojpur (9.5%)
- Bhaktapur (9.0%)
- Sankhuwasabha (8.8%)
- Chitwan (7.9%)
- Mugu (7.9%)
- Lamjung (7.3%)
- Panchthar (7.1%)
- Ilam (7.0%)
- Udayapur (6.9%)
- Tehrathum (6.6%)
- Dhankuta (6.5%)
Surnames of Tamang families (clans)
[edit]- Bajyu
- Bal
- Baldong
- Bamten
- Blenden
- Blon
- Bomzon
- Brangdong
- Brasingar
- Chakengochumi
- Chelengate
- Chhekapala
- Chhyoimi
- Chimkan
- Chhoden
- Chyapangkhor
- Damarang
- Daratang
- Dimdong
- Dan
- Dong
- Dongpa
- Dosing
- Dumjan
- Pheuwa
- Galden
- Gangtang
- Gemsing
- Gyawaten
- Ghale
- Ghising
- Ghunsade
- Ghunsaden
- Glan
- Gole
- Gombyo
- Gomden
- Gomja
- Gonden
- Gongwa
- Gongbo
- Gongso
- Gothar
- Grangdan
- Grangden
- Gromba
- Grom
- Gropchan
- Gyaba
- Gyabten
- Gyamdan
- Gyamden
- Gyangtang
- Gyomacho
- Hen
- Himdung
- Hopten
- Jimba
- Jogna
- Jongan
- Jumi
- Kagate
- Kalden
- Kamewa
- Kamden
- Khanikhor
- Khyulpa
- Khyungwa
- Kolden
- Komdan
- Lala
- Lamagonju
- Lamakhor
- Lo
- Laminkhor
- Lopchan
- Lungba
- Lungpa
- Mahendong
- Mamba
- Manangthen
- Manden
- Marpa
- Mensing
- Mikchan
- Mitak
- Moden
- Mokchan
- Moktan
- Mulung
- Myalpa
- Najung
- Negi
- Ngake
- Ngarwa
- Ngarden
- Ngilpa
- Ngongcho
- Ngyojo
- Ngyachen
- Nyasur
- Nyarwa
- Ngyongdong
- Palden
- Pajuten
- Pakhrin
- Palchoke
- Pangboten
- Pangten
- Phewa
- Prabhuwa
- Rampod
- Rimten
- Rumba
- Sai
- Samden
- Sangri
- Sarwakhor
- Sengjewa
- Senten
- Swangwo
- Syangree
- Syorten
- Singan
- Singgar
- Singtan
- Suktan
- Subba
- Syamjan
- Syangjuwa
- Syangtan
- Sayangdan
- Syanten
- Syongtan
- Syorten
- Thangten
- Theeng/thinley
- Thokar
- Titung
- Toibara
- Toisang
- Tongyar
- Tunba
- Tupa
- Waiba
- Walim
- Yosadin
- Yonjan
Notable people
[edit]Arts and entertainment
[edit]- Aruna Lama – singer, called the "Nightingale of the Hills"[20]
- Buddha Lama – first Nepal Idol winner, singer, musician, composer
- Raju Lama – singer, lead vocalist of Mongolian Heart band
- Nima Rumba – singer, musician, composer, and actor
- Phiroj Shyangden – singer and composer of 1974 Band
- Prashant Tamang – third Indian Idol winner, singer, actor
- Robin Tamang – rock musician and actor
- VTEN (Samir Ghising) – rapper
- Parijat (Bishnu Kumari Waiba) – Indian-born Nepali writer
- Hira Devi Waiba – Indian singer in Nepali-lanuage Tamang Selo
- Navneet Aditya Waiba – singer
- Gopal Yonjan – musician, music producer, and composer[21]
- Karma Yonzon – singer, musician, music producer, and composer
Politics
[edit]- Bhim Bahadur Tamang – politician
- Madan Tamang – Indian politician and the president of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL)
- Subhash Ghisingh – founding leader of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF)
- Prem Singh Tamang – 6th and current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Sikkim
Engineering, science and social science
[edit]- Kul Man Ghising – engineer, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority
- Mahendra P. Lama – Indian political analyst and development economist
- Jyoti Prakash Tamang – Indian microbiologist, known for his work on fermented foods of Himalayan region
Sportspeople
[edit]Indian
[edit]- Nim Dorjee Tamang – footballer
- Nagen Tamang – footballer from Kurseong
- Nim Dorjee Tamang – footballer
- Nagen Tamang – footballer
- Anju Tamang – footballer
Nepalese
[edit]- Sunil Bal – professional footballer
- Ayush Ghalan – professional footballer
- Shrijana Ghising – Para Taekwondo practitioner
- Aashish Lama – professional footballer
- Anu Lama – professional footballer
- Bidhan Lama – won bronze medals at the 1986 Asian Games, 1987 World Taekwondo Championships and at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Bikram Lama – professional footballer
- Kabiraj Negi Lama – team coach for Nepal National Para Taekwondo and 2020 Summer Paralympics coach
- Suman Lama – professional footballer
- Ananta Tamang – professional footballer
- Devendra Tamang – professional footballer
- Raju Tamang – professional footballer
- Ratnajit Tamang – professional badminton player
- Santosh Tamang – professional footballer
- Surya Tamang – professional cricketer
- Tej Tamang – professional footballer
Notes
[edit]- ^ Another theory says Tamang may have been derived from the Tibetan word tamang, where ma means 'horse' and mak means 'warrior' in Tibetan.[9][better source needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c National Statistics Office (June 2023). National Report on Caste-Ethnicity, Language and Religion (Report). Government of Nepal, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. p. 31. National Population and Housing Census 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 March 2024. Direct PDF download link
- ^ a b "Population of West Bengal 2011".
- ^ a b "Population of Sikkim 2011".
- ^ Population monograph of Nepal (PDF). Vol. II (Social Demography). Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics. 2014. ISBN 978-9937-2-8972-6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Socio-cultural and economic condition of tamangs" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ^ "Census Nepal 2021". censusnepal.cbs.gov.np. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
- ^ a b Sadangi, H. C. (November 2008). Emergent North-East: A Way Forward. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8205-437-0. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2015. Emergent North-East : A Way Forward By H. C. Sadangi
- ^ "Report on Socio-Economic Status of Tamang–Kavre". Nefin.org.np. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Who actually are the Tamang People? An Insight into Indigenous Tribe of Nepal". Chronicles of ADVENTURE TRAVEL. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ a b Tamang, Ganesh (2003). "An Ethnobiological Study of the Tamang People". Our Nature. 1 (1): 37–41. doi:10.3126/on.v1i1.303. ISSN 2091-2781.
- ^ Paudel, Dinesh (20 September 2021). "Himalayan BRI: an infrastructural conjuncture and shifting development in Nepal". Area Development and Policy. 7 (1): 1–21. doi:10.1080/23792949.2021.1961592. ISSN 2379-2949. S2CID 239242919.
- ^ a b Gellner, David (10 September 2009). Ethnic Activism and Civil Society in South Asia. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-0422-3.
- ^ Woebom, Tenzin (23 December 2014). ""Eastern Gypsies": Damans in Tibet". Vtibet. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ "New life of Daman people". China Tibet Online. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ "西藏达曼人:从居无定所到发"边贸财"吃"旅游饭"" (in Chinese (China)). People's Daily Online. 25 July 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Nepal census" (PDF). nepal.unfpa.org.
- ^ Himalayan, Cultures. "Oral Traditions of the Tamang People". Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Sonam Lhosar celebrated | Street Nepal". streetnepal.com. 21 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report
- ^ "Melody queen Aruna Lama". Boss Nepal. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ Kalakar, Hamro. "Gopal Yonzon Biography". Hamro Kalakar. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
External links
[edit]- "Introduction to Ethnic Groups – The Tamangs: The Unknown Mount Everest Climbers". EverestNews.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.