The Tamang (;

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...

: तामाङ; ''tāmāṅ'') are an Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Nepal. In Nepal Tamang/Moormi people constitute 5.6% of the Nepalese population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 census. Tamang people are also found in significant numbers in the Indian state of

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...

and districts of

Darjeeling Darjeeling (, , ) is a town and municipality in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, ...

and

Kalimpong Kalimpong (Hindi: कलिम्पोंग) is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of . The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The re ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...

state of India and various districts in the southern foothills of the

Kingdom of Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...

. Such

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

include the

Tsirang District Tsirang District (Dzongkha: རྩི་རང་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: ''Rtsi-rang rdzong-khag''; previously (Chirang), is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) of Bhutan. The administrative center of the district is Damphu. Tsirang ...

, the

Dagana District Dagana District is a district located in Bhutan. Most of the district is populated by Dzongkha speakers. However, in the southwest part near the Sarpang District, Nepali language, Nepali is also spoken as a native language. Administrative division ...

, the

Samtse District Samtse District ( Dzongkha: བསམ་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: ''Bsam-rtse rdzong-khag''; older spelling "Samchi") is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. It comprises two subdistricts (''dungkhags''): T ...

, the Chukha District, the

Sarpang District Sarpang District (Dzongkha: གསར་སྤང་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: ''Gsar-spang rdzong-khag''; also known as "Geylegphug") is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. Sarpang covers a total area of 1,946 sq km and ...

and the

Samdrup Jongkhar District Samdrup Jongkhar District ( Dzongkha: བསམ་གྲུབ་ལྗོངས་མཁར་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: ''Bsam-grub Ljongs-mkhar rdzong-khag'') is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. The dominant langua ...

. Emergent North-East : A Way Forward By H. C. Sadangi Tamang language is the fifth most-spoken language in Nepal.

Etymology

''Tamang'' may be derived from the word ''Tamang'', where ''Ta'' means "horse" and ''Mak'' means "warrior" in

Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...

. However, there are no written documentations of Horse Riders. Some scientific research claims Tamangs having Prehistoric and Genetic roots. Tamang Girl Portrait

History

The Tamangs, who have lived in from hills outside the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...

to the southern slope of

Langtang Langtang valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment. Administrative The Langtang valley lies in the Rasuwa district of the Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situat ...

Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

, Jugal himal and

Rolwaling Rolwāling Valley ( ne, रोल्वालिङ् भ्याली. ), knows as a (Gaurishankar) rural municipality, is a section of the Himalayas in east-central Nepal along the Tibet border. Rolwaling Himal includes Melungtse 7181m and M ...

probably since pre-historic time, have been mentioned in various Nepalese and colonial historical records under a variety of names, such as Bhote, Lama, Murmi, Sain some of which terms erroneously conflate the Tamangs with Uighurs. Meanwhile, the Tibetans called them ''Rongpa''. 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. In 1762,

Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...

attacked the Tamangs in

Temal Temal is a former municipality in the Shkodër County, northwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Vau i Dejës. The population at the 2011 census was 1,562.Sunkoshi riverbank. for attacking on tamang forces. Afterwards, later at end of war Gorkhas washed their weapons in springs as Dapcha Kuwapani, and this is why to the modern day tamangs do not drink there. Similar stories appear in oral histories throughout the region. After the attacking of the Tamang region, their homeland traditional 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 labour 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 centre of royal administration at Kathmandu. Tamangs were also involved in the Sino-Nepalese War (

Nepali Nepali or Nepalese may refer to : Concerning Nepal * Anything of, from, or related to Nepal * Nepali people, citizens of Nepal * Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...

: नेपाल-चीन युद्ध), also known as the Sino-Gorkha war and in Chinese the campaign of Gorkha (

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

: 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. It is believed that Tibetans who travelled to Nepal for trade purposes had settled in and around Kathmandu valley.

Political participation

Some

ethnographers Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...

have drawn a link between Tamang people and ancient Mongol populations who emigrated to the Himalayas.

Tamsaling Nepal Rastriya Dal Tamsaling Nepal Rastriya Dal is a political party in Nepal affiliated with preserving the Tamang people's ancestral lands. The party was officially founded on February 4, 2008 but had been registered with the Election Commission of Nepal in October ...

, and the more broadly representative

Mongol National Organisation The Mongol National Organisation is a political party in Nepal. In contrast to different '' Mulbaasi'' movements, MNO emphasizes racial identity rather than ethnicity. MNO rejects the term 'janajati'. The party was denied registration in 1990. Al ...

(MNO), support

self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a ''jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It stat ...

for Tamangs and campaign on an discrimination platform. The MNO opposes conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. It currently holds no official parliamentary vote. The

Federal Limbuwan State Council Federal Limbuwan State Council (FLSC) is an active federal supported political party of eastern Nepal led by Kumar Lingden, advocating an ethnic autonomous region for the Limbu people. It is a merger of 5 former political parties: among them Sang ...

(FLSC) also works towards similar goals for self-determination for the Kirati peoples, who co-mingle with Tamangs, citing a reneged treaty with Kathmandu for autonomy. The associated Sanghiya Limbuwan Party has participated in calling a

banda Banda may refer to: People *Banda (surname) *Banda Prakash (born 1954), Indian politician *Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao (1907–1968), Indian actor *Banda Karthika Reddy (born 1977), Indian politician *Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716), Sikh warr ...

during the

2015 Nepal blockade : The 2015 Nepal blockade, which began on 23 September 2015 and lasted about six months, was an economic and humanitarian crisis which severely affected Nepal and its economy. Nepal has accused India of imposing an undeclared blockade trigger ...

in an attempt to draw attention to their demands. In the 1980s, a militant Gorkhaland movement within

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

led by the prominent

Subhas Ghising Subash Ghisingh was an Indian politician who was the leader of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), which he founded in 1980. He was the chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in West Bengal, India from 1988 to 2008. He spearheaded ...

was viewed as a security threat due to its activities in and around the strategically significant Siliguri Corridor. Madan Tamang, a Tamang-Indian politician and proponent for Gorkhaland statehood, was assassinated in 2010, with the

government placing blame on another Gorkhaland political party. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration was created as a compromise to Ghorkaland statehood in

. In Nepal, ethnic tensions between indigenous groups and khas peoples remains an issue. In 2017

Binay Tamang Binay Tamang (also spelled Binoy, born 28 December 1965) is an Indian Politician and a former leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha political party. He joined All India Trinamool Congress in 2021 and Left party in 2022. Early life Tamang live ...

was appointed as the Chairperson of GTA.

Culture

Tamang tradition and culture includes a distinct language, culture, dress and social structure. They have over 100 sub-clans. About 90% of the Tamang are Buddhist. Their language, Tamang, comes from the 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 A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

cloths are put up in various places in villages and towns. Their typical song and dance style is known as

Tamang Selo Tamang Selo ( Nepali: तामाङ सेलो) is a genre of Nepali folk song sung by the Tamang people of Nepal and is widely popular among the Nepali-speaking community in Nepal, in India, and around the world. It is usually accompanied by t ...

, and includes songs representing humor, satire, joy and sorrow. It has a brisk movement and rhythmic beat specific to the Tamangs. A distinctive musical instrument is the damphu, a small, round drum covered with goatskin. Traditional Tamang songs are known as Hwai. Sung by Tamang genealogists called Tamba, Hwai songs are ritualistic and hold tremendous importance in Tamang rituals. Tamang Sonam Lochhar 2018 DC (39632023534)

Tamang Sonam Lochhar 2018 DC (39632023534)

Festivals

Sonam Lhosar Sonam Lhosar is a new year festival of the Tamang people, Tamang and Hyolmo people, Hyolmo people of Nepal and the Sikkim and Darjeeling regions of India. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice which is usually the Magh (Nepal ...

is the main festival of the Tamangs and is celebrated in the month of Magh (February–March). It is celebrated to welcome the Tamang new year. Also significant is

Buddha Jayanti Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...

, a religious festival based on birthday of

Gautam Buddha Gautama, Gautam or Gotama may refer to: Ancient sages and philosophers * Akṣapāda Gautama, a Hindu sage and founder of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy: see Nyāya Sūtras * Indrabhuti Gautama, chief disciple of Mahavira * Gautama Buddha, t ...

Trekking and tourism

Tamang villages are often visited on Nepal's numerous trekking routes, one being labelled ''Tamang Heritage Trail''.

Notable Tamang people

* Madan Tamang - Indian

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and the president of

Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League ( ABGL) (also called All India Gorkha League (AIGL/IGL)) is a political party working amongst the Nepali-speaking Gorkha population in Darjeeling District and Kalimpong District of West Bengal, India. The party was ...

(ABGL) * Subhash Ghisingh - founding leader of

Gorkha National Liberation Front Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) is a political party in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India. It was formed in 1980 by Subhash Ghisingh with the objective of demanding a Gorkhaland state within India. Early history Part of the ...

(GNLF) * Prem Singh Tamang- 6th and current

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

of the Indian state of

* Parijat (Bishnu Kumari Waiba) - Indian-born Nepali writer * Nim Dorjee Tamang - Indian footballer * Nagen Tamang - Indian footballer from Kurseong * Nim Dorjee Tamang - Indian footballer * Nagen Tamang - Indian footballer *

Hira Devi Waiba Hira Devi Waiba (9 September 1940 – 19 January 2011) was an Indian folk singer in the Nepali-language and is hailed as the pioneer of Nepali folk songs. Her song "Chura ta Hoina Astura Tamang Selo ( Nepali: तामाङ सेलो) ...

- Nepali

singer *

Aruna Lama Aruna Lama (9 September 19454 February 1998) was an Indian-born Nepali language singer from Darjeeling. She is popularly known as 'Nightingale of the Hills'. She sang hundreds of Nepali songs, including some for Nepali film, and left an indelib ...

- singer, also known as 'Nightingale of the Hills'. *

Navneet Aditya Waiba Navneet Aditya Waiba is an Indian Nepali-language folk singer and the daughter of the late Hira Devi Waiba, the pioneer of Nepali folk music. Navneet and younger brother Satya Aditya Waiba (producer/manager) are the only artists in the Nepali ...

- singer *

Gopal Yonjan Gopal Yonzan, also spelled Yonjan, (26 August 1943 – 20 May 1997) was a Nepali lyricist, singer, and composer. He was known for his patriotic Nepali songs. His voice range allowed him to sing songs of every genre of Nepalese music. He belongs ...

- musician, music producer, and composer * Raju Lama- singer, lead vocalist of Mongolian Heart band. *

Karma Yonzon Karma Yonzon is an Indian composer of Nepali music based in Darjeeling. He is the brother of musician Gopal Yonzon. He has composed music for numerous singers like Narayan Gopal, Aruna Lama Aruna Lama (9 September 19454 February 1998) was ...

- singer, musician, music producer, and composer * Buddha Lama- first Nepal Idol winner, singer, musician, Composer *

Nima Rumba Nima Rumba is a singer, lyricist, musician, and actor from Nepal. Some of his popular songs are ''Block Hill'', ''Huri Bataas'', ''Samjhera Ti din Haru'', ''Aau Aauna'', and ''Preeti Basyo''. Personal life Nima was born in Subarnapur, Parsa ...

- singer, musician, composer, and actor * Prashant Tamang- third Indian Idol winner, singer, actor * VTEN (Samir Ghising) - rapper * Robin Tamang - rock musician and actor *

Kul Man Ghising Kulman Ghising ( ne, कुलमान घिसिङ, ) is the current managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). He is known for solving the load-shedding (power cut) problem, whereby, for decades, the country had power outages ...

- engineer, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority *

Bhim Bahadur Tamang Bhim Bahadur Tamang (Nepali:भीमबहादुर तामाङ) (1933 – December 1, 2012)Parijat (Bishnu Kumari Waiba), Nepali writer and poet File:Prashant Tamang 03.jpg, alt=Prashant Tamang, Indian singer and winner of Indian Idol., Prashant Tamang, Indian singer and winner of

Indian Idol ''Indian Idol'' is the Indian Reality television, music competition television franchise based on the ''Pop Idol'' format. Versions : Currently airing – 1 : Upcoming for airing – 0 : Recently concluded – 3 : No longer airing – ...

. File:Prem Singh Tamang.jpg, alt=Prem Singh Tamang, 6th CM of Sikkim,, Prem Singh Tamang, 6th CM of Sikkim, File:Navneet Aditya Waiba.jpg, alt=Navneet Aditya Waiba Tamang/Nepali folk singer.,

Tamang/Nepali folk singer. File:Tamang Sonam Lochhar 2018 DC (39446275955) (1) cropped.jpg, alt=A couple performing Tamang selo dance, A couple performing Tamang Selo dance

References

External links

* {{Authority control Buddhist communities of India Buddhist communities of Nepal Sino-Tibetan-speaking people Ethnic groups in Nepal Ethnic groups in Northeast India Ethnic groups in South Asia