Dungmali, or Dungmali-Bantawa, is a
Kirati languages
The Kiranti languages are a major family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Nepal and India (notably Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kumai) by the Kirati people.
External relationships
George van Driem had formerly proposed that the Kir ...
language spoken in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
. It is largely cognate with
Bantawa language
The Bantawa Language (also referred to as An Yüng, Bantaba, Bantawa Dum, Bantawa Yong, Bantawa Yüng, Bontawa, Kirawa Yüng), is a Kirati languages spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Kirati Bantawa ethnic groups. They use ...
, but differs
grammatically
In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraints, a field that includes domains ...
and
phonologically
Phonology is the branch of linguistics that studies how languages or dialects systematically organize their sounds or, for sign languages, their constituent parts of signs. The term can also refer specifically to the sound or sign system of a ...
.
Locations
Dungmali is spoken in eastern
Bhojpur District,
Kosi Zone
Kosi or Koshi ( ne, कोसी अञ्चल, ne, कोशी अञ्चल ) was one of the fourteen zones of Nepal until the restructure of zones to provinces. The headquarters of Kosi Zone was Biratnagar which was also its largest cit ...
, in
Thulo Dumba
Thulo Dumba is a village development committee in the Bhojpur District and the Kosi Zone of eastern Nepal. According to the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statis ...
,
Sano Dumba
Sano Dumba is a village development committee in Bhojpur District in the Kosi Zone of eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics ...
, and
Bastim
Bastim (English: Basteem) is a village development committee in Bhojpur District in Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bur ...
Similarly, Tiwari Bhanjyan, Chyangre, Yaku etc. which is also called Pouwakhesang Thum.
VDC's (''
Ethnologue''). The Dungmali area extends all the way east to the
Arun River
The River Arun () is a river in the English county of West Sussex. At long, it is the longest river entirely in Sussex and one of the longest starting in Sussex after the River Medway, River Wey and River Mole. From the series of small stream ...
.
In present days Dungmali’s people are living in different countries India, Bhutan, United States of America (USA).
According to kirat Rai Dungmalis Bhasa Sanskriti Samrachhan Mancha, Dungmalis were generated from Hangwang, Pungwat, Pawen, Chokhang and Salukathewa Pachhas ‘
Clans). There is an interesting anecdote about the naming Dungmali. There was no water at all at the beginning there is a myth about it,that is once Lugun “Dholebijiwa” (powerful exorcist) of Katunje shut the bow at Tindhara from Marangtang performing
Mundhum)to drink water his thirst while he was coming from Dhankuta. There is estimated 10,000 population of this community and they have honor to their distinct culture, Dhukursingh.
References
Kiranti languages
Languages of Nepal
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