Introduction to the Ethnic Tribe - Gurung (Tamu)

GURUNG (TAMU)

Today I feel exceptionally pleased and glad to write something about my own locale called Gurung (Tamu). As I was born in a Gurung family and was raised in rehearsing the way of life and convention of the Gurung community. So it would be a great honor and privilege for me to portray my companions to know something about the Culture, Tradition, and History of Gurung (Tamu) Community. So let us not sit around however experience the words underneath which portray the Gurung Community in an excellent manner.

Gurung (Tamu)

 About the Gurung (Tamu) Community:  The Gurung (Tamu) are nomadic people who migrated to the Himalayas many centuries ago. Gurung (Tamu) is one of the main Gorkha Tribes located on the slopes of the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and in the Hilly region of northern India (Darjeeling, Sikkim). They are full of people in Manang, Mustang, Kaski, Lamjung, Gorkha, Parbat, and Syangja districts. The first village of Gurung in the southern Himalayas is believed to be Khhol, their highest base in the forests north of Larjung. It is also believed that Gurung (Tamu) from the Ethic movement moved to Tibet 2000 years ago. The name Gurung is derived from the Tibetan word 'Grong' meaning farmers. The name 'Gurung' is actually known as 'Gu-Rewan', which is a combination of two sounds - 'Gu' and 'Rewan'. The word 'Gu' means nine according to the Tibetan language and 'Rewan' means Mountains and Hill. Thus the name 'Gu-Rewang' signifies people living in the vicinity of the mountains and the mountains. Gurung is also called Tamu in their own language which means actually Horse Man in the Tibetan language. But the Tamu word also symbolizes Sky Thunder (Ta means Sky and Mu mean Thunder).

The text of their traditional religion is known as the Pye-ta Lhu-ta contains the oral accounts of their traditional history. According to their history, the Gurung was a nomadic nation traveling westward through Tibet before the entry of Mustang. Their Tibetan Sojourn pre-dates the introduction of Buddhism there in the 7th century as the Gurung religious traditions are basically animistic. They celebrated their feasts and festival and performed ceremonies and rituals related to worship, birth, death, and marriage depending on the religion of Bon and Buddhism. Gurung Dharma Priesthood practitioners include Ghyabri (Ghyabring) and Pachyu (Paju). Shamanistic elements among the Gurung’s remain strong and most Gurung’s often embrace Buddhist and Bön rituals in communal activities. Gurung later came to adopt Tibetan Buddhism. Some Gurung of eastern Nepal and the northeast hilly region of India have also been influenced by the Hindu religion. Gurung religion is thus a mix of Buddhism, Hinduism, and local animistic practices it clearly shows the origins of this group and its changing place between the Hindu and Buddhist worlds.

Language: Gurung have their own mother tongue called ‘Tamu kyi’, which belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language of the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family.  Although Gurung doesn't have any written records, they passed on their culture through oral tradition. Most of the Gurung are bilingual, speaking Nepali as well as Gurung.

Types of Gurung Caste: There are two types of Gurung. Char Jaate and Sora Jaate. Meaning four castes and sixteen castes. Char Jaates is regarded as the higher caste Gurung.

Traditional Dress of Gurung People:  The traditional dress of Gurung men consists of a blouse-type shirt (Bhoto) fastened with ties across the front of the body and a kilt-like garment (JAMA) that goes around the waist and reaches to mid-thigh. A long piece of cloth is tied around the waist like a belt (into which a khukuri may be slipped). The typical Nepali cap (topī) completes the dress. A sheep's-fleece cover is utilized in winter or in wet climates to keep the wearer warm and dry. Gurung ladies wear a cotton or velvet pullover (Cholo) that ties at the front, over a since quite a while ago creased skirt (phariyā) that is generally dull red in shading. A scarf is folded over the midsection, and the ahead fabric finishes the outfit. The Ghalek is a fabric hung opposite one shoulder to the contrary midriff, shaping a sack for conveying things. Adornments incorporate enormous, overwhelming, silver studs that stretch the ear cartilage, nose rings, and square talismans held tight a series of glass dabs called pothe neckband.

Gurung Festival: Lhochar is the main and biggest festival of Gurung, observed according to the ancient calendar of western Tibet. It is the New Year for the Gurung people and it is celebrated on every 15 Poush of Nepali calendars which fall around 30 December of the English calendar. It is related to the common wonders and the morning dawn of the fifteenth Poush is the New Year. It denotes the start of the Tamu Sambat or Gurung Calendar year. Lhochar also heralds the change in ‘Lho’. Gurung divides time into cycles of twelve years (lohokor), to each year of which a special name is given, which is known as barga (Lho). As per the oriental mysterious framework, there are 12 Lhos – garuda, snake, horse sheep, monkey, winged animal, hound, deer, mouse, bovine, tiger, and cat. So in this manner, every year is set apart by a specific animal and they are masterminded in a solitary circle, following intently the Tibetan schedule with 12 animals. Notwithstanding, these animals may differ in the Tibetan Lhosar and Chinese New Year. The Lho returns after the twelve-year cycle. By knowing a man's barga, his age can promptly be determined. Poush 15 heralds the end of the winter and the start of the spring and traditionally it is celebrated by having ‘ban bhoj’ (‘shyo kain’ in Tamu), merry-making with, songs and dances, and playing traditional games. These days, especially in major cities, all the Gurung come together at a commonplace and celebrate the event by having various cultural procession, cultural programs, and feasts.