TAMANG

Sunday, July 25, 2010


The Tamang are ethnic Tibetan people; one of the several ethnic groups from north central hilly region of Nepal. Tamang people are predominately found in the districts of Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Lalitpur,Dhading, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Ramecchap, Dolakha, Chitwan and Kavreplanchowk, and small number of Tamang who migrated from Nepal can be found in the hilly region of India. The word Tamang derived from Tibetan words "ta" and "mang", meaning horse and warrior. Living mainly north and east of the country, they constitute 5.6% of Nepal's population, which places their population at 1,280,000, slightly higher than the Newars.

The name Tamang, normally it is Tamag in Tibetan, means horse warriors, Tamags were border police sent by king Trisong of Tibet around 755. They are also good mountaineers and trekking guides. Many of Tamang have been recruited to serve in Indian and British Gurkha regiments since British Raj.

The Tamang generally follow Tibetan Buddhism mixed with elements of the pre-Buddhist Bön and the Tambaist religion. Their priests include Lamas, Bonbos/Bombos and Tambas. Unlike Nepali Bahun/Chettri people, majority Tamang people do not participate in Nepali's Hindu animal sacrificing tradition. According to the 2001 census, 88.26% of the ethnic Tamang in Nepal were Buddhists and 7.69% were Hindus. The typical song and dance of the Tamangs is "Tamang selo" in which they dance to the beat of a drum called "Damphu." Damphu is the traditional drum of the Tamangs.

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