Introduction to Limbu

NEFIN

The word limbu means an archer, or bearer of bow and arrows. The Limbu people belong to the Kirant confederation. Their ancestral and original stronghold known as Pallo Kirat as well as Limbuwan spans from Arun River in Nepal to the Kingdom of Sikkim in the east. In Nepal, Limbus live and work in the districts of Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Taplejung, Panchthar and Ilam. Their scripture is called Mundhum. Fedangba, Shamba and Yeba-Yema are their sacred specialists. They celebrate the dance festivals of Kelang popularly known Chyabrung (two-sided drum) and Yarak (Paddy dance) as major events. Limbus have their own script called Sirijunga. There are many books written in the Limbu language. Their faith is enshrined in the evergreen Cynodondactylon (dubo) grass and rocks. They cremate their dead. The population of the Limbus, according to the census of 2001, is 359,255.

The Limbu ethnic group is considered a branch of the ancient Kirat community. They are the indigenous people of the land area comprising east of the river Arun extending to Sikkim and to the northern part of West Bengal. The area inhabited by Limbus was called Pallo Kirat in the early times and was called Limbuwan until recently. At the time of Prithvi Narayan Shah's invasion of the Limbuwan, there were ten different states ruled by 10 Limbu kings. It is said that the Limbus of today are the descendants of these 10 Limbus (Vansittart, 1991:107). The main areas inhabited by Limbus today are the districts of Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, Terahthum, Panchthar, Dhankuta and Ilam. They are now also found living in large numbers in Sunsari, Jhapa and Morang districts.

The term, ‘Limbu', in Limbu language means ‘one who carries bow' or 'bow carrier' (Chemjong, AD1948:33). Limbus are also called Yakthung. According to the population census of 2001, the population of Limbus is 359,379. Limbus have their own language, which is called 'Yakthungpan'. They also have their own ageold script. The script is called Kirat Sirjanga. A number of books have been published in the Limbu language.

Limbus have their own distinct culture. Kelang (chyabhrung dance or drum dance), Yalang (dhan nach, or paddy dance) and Yemalang (bijwani dance, or female shaman's dance) are some of the Limbu dances. They also have their own unique songs called hakpare, palam, etc. They have their own religion called Kirat Dharma, often known as Yuma Samyo. They are basically worshippers of nature or animists (Subba, BS2058). Mundhum is their holy scripture. Tagera Niwa Phuma or Yuma is the prominent goddess and there are several other gods and goddesses. Among them Nahangma is the goddess of the primitive war--a culture in which Limbus take pride (Sagant, 1996). Phedangma, Samba, Yeba, Yema and Angsi are the sacred specialists who perform religious functions and lifecycle rituals. Limbus bring in people of other tribes and communities to their dynastic lineage by completing a special formality called chokphung or socialization (Chemjong, 1966:70-74). Limbus have deep allegiance towards a sacred grass cynodon dactylon and stone and witnesses involved in the process of adjudication according to Limbu practices are cross-examined by asking them to take oath by touching dubo (cynodon dactylon) and stone (Subba, 1998:42). Limbus, traditionally, bury their dead and mourning is observed for four days for male and three days for female. Attendance of close relatives is compulsory on the final day of mourning for cleaning up of the death-related pollution.

Limbus, in general, marry within their own community. Boys are at liberty to choose a girl and girls are equally free to decide whether to spend life with the boy in question or not (Jones and Jones, 1976). Cross-cousin marriage is not allowed in Limbu culture. Marriage between a man and the widow of his elder brother can take place if they mutually agree. Marriage between a man and a woman outside family relations and having different thars (clans) is also possible either by arrangement or by mutual consent of the boy and the girl in question. It is conventionally said that the customs and traditions of Limbus were established in the distant past by Sawa Yethang (council of eight kings/leaders).

Limbus are primarily dependent on agriculture. The system of land ownership and autonomous administration practised for several centuries was called Kipat, which was abolished after the enforcement of the Land Reform Act in the Limbuwan area. As a consequence, many of them found themselves deprived of their land. In old days the society of Limbus used to be guided by Tumyahang (gentlemen) and managed by Chumlung (Assembly of Gentlemen). The system, however, has now become a matter of history. The male Limbus are very skillful in farming and in making the required tools for the same, in hunting and in framing goods of wood and bamboo whereas the females are good at weaving, doing work of domestic skills and gardening. Men and women in Limbu society are considered equal and sons have claim in their fathers' property whereas daughters are entitled to inherit mothers' property. Land is in the possession of sons and the daughters own domestic animals and cash in the form of pewa. [Source NEFIN]

Posted on : 2007-07-18 07:58:48

Comments (7)

Commented by Aditya Bikram Subba - June 18, 2010 @ 6:46 AM

I have been trying to find out about the traditional Limbu dress worn by the Limbu men, if there is any such thing. However, I have had no luck so far. I would be very grateful if anyone in possession of such photos or any ideas about how to get one would let me know. Thanks

Commented by Kumar - November 26, 2009 @ 7:38 PM

Origin of Bhai-Tika(Tihar) & Deusi Bhailo: After the arrival of vedic people into the Himalayas region including Nepal, the indigenous people culture was absorbed or it's myth re-written into vedic religion which is call Hinduism today to bring the indigenous people into vedic society. The tihar festival came into vogue to commemorate the good name of the Kirat king, Balihang. The king Balihang was sick. When he became seriously ill, all his subjects were very sad. Seeing the gloomy faces of his subjects the king told them to pray to almighty if they wanted his recovery. All the subjects prayed to the almighty for their king's recovery. Fortunately, the king became well. So they all lit lamps making the dark night bright and took parts in the rejoicing. The king Balihang sent the youth through out his kingdom to spread the good news of his recovery. As there was no modern medium of communication, the youth went house to house singing, dancing and spreading the news. Thus a tradition of Bhaileni and Deusi Bhailo was commemorated every year. source: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Balagokulam (HSS), pg.34 http://www.balagokulam.org/teach/syllabus/Y1_Q4_5-8.pdf The distortion of tribal festival: Tihar (Bhai Tikka) by Gopal Gurung http://gopalgurung.tripod.com/bktihar.html "In the Tihar festival, we celebrate Bhaileni, Deosi and Bahikika. But on the first day, the Bahun priests cunningly innovated a Laxmi puja (worship of wealth goddess) and tried to impair the significance of our festival. "The tihar festival came into vogue to commemorate the good name of the Mongol king, Balihang. The king Balihang was sick. When he became seriously ill, all his subjects were very sad. Seeing the gloomy faces of his subjects the king told them to pray to almighty if they wanted his recovery. All the subjects prayed to the almighty for their king's recovery. Fortunately, the king became well. So they all lit lamps making the dark night bright and took parts in the rejoicing.The king Balihang sent the youth through out his kingdom to spread the good news of his recovery. As there was no modern medium of communication, the youth went house to house singing, dancing and spreading the news. Thus a tradition of Bhaileni and Deosee-ray was commemorated every year. Even today they say, " we did not come on our own, on the command of the king Balihang, we have come here". When the youth returned to their own homes, they celebrated and rejoicing the sisters gave tika to their brothers. After that night (new moon) the Mongol, Naywars celebrate their New Year. But the Hindu Bajuns and Chherti because of having political power in their hand conspired to introduced Laxmi Puja on the same night..They forced the Dasai festival on us and forced our people to make merriment over the death of our ancestral non-Aryal heroes. So we have to wake up, taking our fate and fortune into our own hands. We have to understand that political power plays a vital role in making misfortunes for us and for our coming generations." That's why you never see Tihar & Deusi Bhailo in India which Hinduism is supposed to have started. This festival, Tihar & Deusi Bhailo belongs to the indigenous nationalities of Nepal. Jai Nepal We need to correct all the wrongs that has been written in the context of Nepali history.

Commented by qualin limbu - October 20, 2009 @ 2:29 AM

can i get some snaps of limbu dress worn by boys & girls and some religious rituals practiced?-

Commented by Naya_Nepal - September 30, 2009 @ 3:34 PM

The Hindu Government in Nepal sickening plan to divide Kirat people is described by Dor Bahadur Bista in his work "Fatalism and Development". The Vishnu Purana(an ancient hindu texts) mentioned that the chatur-varna or four class social system was absent in Kirat Desh or land of Kirat in the East and the Yavanas(Greek) and Kambojas(Iranian), etc. in the West. Bista wrote "Even after the unification of Nepal the Kirat people still maintain the practice of casteless society." In an attempt to induce the caste system among the Kirat group, in the coronation ceremony of his Majesty, King Birendra, in 1975, a Limbu was nominated as a Shudra, and a Shrestha as a Vaishya. Subsequently, some priests initiated four boys from Rais into Chettri status in total contradiction with the earlier act of treating Limbu. These are some typical examples of expedient behavior by the ruling class to divide the Kirat group and bringing them into caste system." (Fatalism and Development)

Commented by Naya_Nepal - September 18, 2009 @ 9:32 PM

Sudarshan Raj Tiwari in his book The Brick and the Bull, 2002 (Pg. 23) states, The similarities among the cultural practices of bygone days leave little doubt that the Kirats did indeed come from the Indus-Saraswati Valley. According to N. M. Thulung, Kirata folklore suggests the Kiratas originated from Mong in China. They split into the Chyan, Tyan and Hyan genets. --->The Chyan moved south to the Indus Valley and from there into Nepal after the Aryan invasion. --->The Manusmriti identifies the Kiratas as one of the eleven tribes who inhabited the Indus-Saraswoti region. Tiwari said Kiratas were forced to move away from their homeland and into the Kumaon region and some settle in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. (The Brick and the Bull, 2002) by Sudarshan Raj Tiwari Still today the form of Sivaism in a crude form exist in Mongolia and by Kirat people in Nepal. Check this video in the youtube: "Connexion of Mongolia-Kirat:Revealing the Mystery of Origin of Phallus Stone Worship" The expansion of Indo-Aryan led to assimilation of others culture into vedic society.

Commented by Nepal - September 1, 2009 @ 5:06 PM

Nepal's pre-eminent sociologist, Professor Dor Bahadur Bista, asserted that, of all the proverbial thirty-six caste and ethnic groups of Nepal, the Hindu caste system made the least impact on the Limbu. In part, this reflected not only their geographical distance from the seat of power in the capital city of Kathmandu but also their cultural independence. Bista wrote that the Kirat descendants include all the Indo-Mongolian people speaking various Tibeto-Burmese dialects as their mother tongue, the principal of which are the Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, Sunuwar, Jirel, Hayu, Gurung, Magar, Thakali, Thami and Chepang in the hills, and the Tharu, Danuwar, Bote Majhi, Dhimal, Meche, Koche in the plains. He also cited that the earliest Newar of Kathmandu are also thought to belong to this group.(Fatalism and Development, 1991) According to Bista, Distilled spirits (alcohol) called aaraakha, ngashi, or waasim are central to Kirat culture while consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden in tajadhari group.

Commented by bhaskar subba - August 11, 2009 @ 2:31 PM

excellent...job...really felt a lot...when i go through it.....

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