Lepcha people
Total population | |
---|---|
80,316 (2011) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
India (Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, West Bengal | 76,871 (2011 census)[1] |
Nepal (Ilam District, Panchthar District and Taplejung District) | 3,445 (2011 census)[2] |
Languages | |
Lepcha, Sikkimese (Dranjongke), Dzongkha, Nepali | |
Religion | |
Buddhism (Majority), Mun, Christianity[3][4] | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Bhutia, Limbu, Lhop |
The Lepcha (/ˈlɛptʃə/;[5] also called Rongkup (Lepcha: ᰕᰫ་ᰊᰪᰰ་ᰆᰧᰶ ᰛᰩᰵ་ᰀᰪᰱ ᰛᰪᰮ་ᰀᰪᰱ, Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup, "beloved children of the Róng and of God") and Rongpa (Sikkimese: རོང་པ)) are among the indigenous peoples of the Indian state of Sikkim and Nepal, and number around 80,000.[1][2] Many Lepcha are also found in western and southwestern Bhutan, Darjeeling, the Koshi Province of eastern Nepal, and in the hills of West Bengal. The Lepcha people are composed of four main distinct communities: the Renjóngmú of Sikkim; the Dámsángmú of Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik; the ʔilámmú of Ilam District, Nepal; and the Promú of Samtse and Chukha in southwestern Bhutan.[6][7][8]
Origins
The word Lepcha is considered to be the anglicised version of the Nepalese word lepche meaning "vile speakers" or "inarticulate speech". This was at first a derogatory nickname, but is no longer seen as negative.[9]
The origin of the Lepcha is unknown. They may have originated in
The Lepcha people were earlier ruled by Pano (King)
Language
The Lepcha have their own
Clans
Lepchas are divided into many clans (
Religion
Most Lepchas are
Clothing
The traditional clothing for Lepcha women is the ankle-length dumvun, also called dumdyám or gādā ("female dress"). It is one large piece of smooth cotton or silk, usually of a solid color. When it is worn, it is folded over one shoulder, pinned at the other shoulder, and held in place by a waistband, or tago, over which excess material drapes. A contrasting long-sleeved blouse may be worn underneath.[19][20]
The traditional Lepcha clothing for men is the thakraw ("male dress"). It is a multicolored, hand-woven cloth pinned at one shoulder and held in place by a waistband, usually worn over white shirt and trousers. Men wear a flat round cap called a thyáktuk, with stiff black velvet sides and a multicolored top topped by a knot. Rarely, the traditional cone-shaped bamboo and rattan hats are worn.[19][20]
Dwellings
Traditionally, the Lepcha live in a local house called a li. A traditional home is made out of logs of wood and bamboo and rests around 4 to 5 feet (1.2m to 1.5m) above the ground on stilts. The wooden house with thatched roof is natural air conditioner and eco-friendly. The traditional Lepcha house has no nails used in the construction and it is seismic movement friendly since the weight of the house is rested over a large tablets of stones and not planted on the soil.[21]
Subsistence
The Lepchas are mostly agriculturists. They grow oranges, rice, cardamoms, and other foods.[21]
Cuisine
Lepcha cuisine is mild and not as spicy as Indian or Nepalese cuisine. Rice is the staple, whole wheat, maize, and buckwheat are also used. Fresh fruit and vegetables are used.[22] Khuzom is a traditional Lepcha bread made from buckwheat, millet, and corn or wheat flour. Popular Lepcha dishes include ponguzom (rice, fish, vegetable grill), su zom (baked meat dish), ihukpa (noodle, meat, and vegetable stew), and sorongbeetuluk (rice and nettle porridge).[23]
An alcoholic beverage called chi or chhaang is fermented from millet. Chi also has religious significance, as it is given as offering to the gods during religious ceremonies.[24]
Arts, crafts, and music
The Lepchas are known for their unique weaving and basketry skills. They have a rich tradition of dances, songs, and folktales. The popular Lepcha folk dances are Zo-Mal-Lok, Chu-Faat, Tendong Lo Rum Faat, and Kinchum-Chu-Bomsa.[25] Musical instruments used are sanga (drum), yangjey (string instrument), fungal, yarka, flute, and tungbuk.[25] One popular instrument used by the Lepchas is a four-string lute that is played with a bow.[21]
Marriage customs
The Lepcha are largely an endogamous community.[21]
The Lepcha trace their descent
The wedding takes place at noon on the auspicious day. The groom and his entire family leave for the girl's house with some money and other gifts that are handed over to the bride's maternal uncle. Upon reaching the destination, the traditional Nyomchok ceremony takes place, and the bride's father arranges a feast for relatives and friends. This seals the marriage between the couple.[26]
Lepcha people in Nepal
The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Lepcha as a subgroup within the broader social group of Mountain/Hill Janajati.[27] At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 3,445 people identified as Lepcha, one in every 7,690 or the total Nepalese population (26,494,504).
Bhujel people formed more than 1% of the population in only one district, Ilam:[28]
See also
- Ethnic groups in Bhutan
- Ethnic groups in Nepal
- Indigenous peoples of Sikkim
- Lepcha language
- Lepcha script
References
- ^ a b ORGI. "A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ a b "National Population and Housing Census 2011" (PDF). UN Statistical Agency.
- ^ Semple 2003, p. 233
- ^ a b Joshi 2004, p. 130.
- ^ "Lepcha". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
- ^ Plaisier 2007, p. 1–2.
- ^ SIL 2009.
- ^ NIC-Sikkim.
- ^ ISBN 978-0816071098.
- ^ "Lepchas of Dzongu, Sikkim".
- ^ "B'day bash for Lepcha king". Telegraph India-1. 18 December 2006.
- ^ Plaisier 2007, p. 34.
- ^ A.R.Foning, Lepcha My Vanishing Tribe, Sterling Publishers, 1987, pp. 123-136
- ^ a b Plaisier 2007, p. 3.
- ^ Joshi 2004, pp. 130, 157.
- ^ Semple 2003, p. 123,233.
- PMID 28356115.
- ^ Semple 2003, p. 233.
- ^ a b Plaisier 2007, p. 4.
- ^ a b Dubey 1980, p. 53, 56.
- ^ ISBN 0-7566-0520-2.
- ^ "Lepcha". Encyclopedia. 1 August 2019.
- ^ "Some nonfermented ethnic foods of Sikkim in India". Science Direct. December 2014.
- ^ "Chhang: The Beer of the Himalayas". Live History India. 28 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Lepcha Folk Dances". Sikkim Tourism.
- ^ a b Gulati 1995, pp. 80–81.
- ^ Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [1]
- ^ 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report
Further reading
- Plaisier, Heleen (2007). A Grammar of Lepcha. Tibetan studies library: Languages of the greater Himalayan region. Vol. 5. Leiden, The Netherlands; Boston: ISBN 978-90-04-15525-1.
- Lewis, M. Paul, ed. (2009). "Lepcha". Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- "Lepchas and their Tradition". Official Portal of NIC Sikkim State Centre. National Informatics Centre, Sikkim. 25 January 2002. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Joshi, H.G. (2004). Sikkim: Past and Present. New Delhi, India: Mittal Publications. ISBN 81-7099-932-4. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Semple, Rhonda Anne (2003). Missionary Women: Gender, Professionalism, and the Victorian Idea of Christian Mission. Rochester, NY: Boydell Press. ISBN 1-84383-013-2. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Gulati, Rachna (1995). "Cultural Aspects of Sikkim" (PDF). Bulletin of Tibetology. Gangtok: Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- Dubey, S. M (1980). S. M. Dubey; P. K. Bordoloi; B. N. Borthakur (eds.). Family, marriage, and social change on the Indian fringe. Cosmo.
- "Lepcha script". Omniglot online. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- Plaisier, Heleen (13 November 2010). "Information on Lepcha Language and Culture". Retrieved 16 April 2011.
- Bareh, Hamlet (2001). "The Sikkim Communities". Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. ISBN 81-7099-794-1.