The Tamang (also known as Murmi) are 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, dolkha, and kavreplanchowk, and small number of tamang who migrated from Nepal can be found in the hilly region of India. The word Tamang may be derived from the Tibetan words "ta" and "mang", meaning horse and soldier respectively. 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.Their language, also called Tamang is related to both Tibetan and Sherpa languages.
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. Due to their proximity to the Newar, a slight Hindu influence can be seen in their practices. Their priests include Lamas, Bombos and Tambas. According to the 2001 census, 88.26% of the ethnic Tamang in Nepal were Buddhists and 7.69% were Hindus.[1] 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.
Many Tamang clans do not permit intermarriage with other ethnic groups, although some clans do permit intermarriages with the Gurung, Magar, Newar, and Sherpas. Their descent is traced patrilineally.
The Tamang Tribe
The Tamang tribe of Nepal was brought to Kathmandu Valley by King Srong-sen Gampo of Tibet in the 7th century AD as a cavalry division. Their own tradition also says that their original habitat was in Southern Tibet in a place called Uichang. Tamang folk tales reveal that during the early days of resettling in the Kathmandu valley, a public sport to prove the physical as well as spiritual might of the Twelve Tamang leaders was held to prove themselves worthy as military officers. Moktan, the chief of them all, took the initiative, brought a heavy iron beam, and twisted it. Seeing this, the Bal leader brought a long pole and drove it against a precipice and pierced the innermost part of the precipice with so much force that water oozed out in a current. Bomzan then weaved a golden basket and collected this magical water without allowing even a single drop to leak from the basket. Ghising by the dint of his magic vaporized a lake and transformed it into a massive cloud. Pakhrin then brought a bronze plate and stared at it so hard that the strength of the glare broke the plate into pieces. Yonzon in turn suddenly produced a raging hailstorm while Syangdan created fire and the Thing leader extinguished the fire by pouring rain over it. Not daunted by such magical prowess Goley revealed a skyful of stars in broad daylight and Giaba spread a thick blanket of haze over it. Then Mikchan transformed a stick into a poisonous viper and Bozu made a vulture swallow it. Although, these folk tales now sound fictitious, it proved that the twelve vying Tamang leaders were skilled occultists and qualified as worthy Tibetan military officers.
Now, the Twelve Tamang officers made Central Nepal their permanent settlement, settled around the Kathmandu valley and renamed villages after their names. Their villages were respectively called Moktan kipat, Bal kipat, Bomzan kipat, Ghising kipat, Pakhrin kipat, Yonzon kipat, Syangdan kipat, Thing kipat, Goley kipat, Giaba kipat, Mikchan kipat and Bozu kipat in the Chatara and Dhading districts. They ruled these villages till the Gurkha invasion in the west. Their kipat lands were annexed to the Gorkha Kingdom during the reign of King Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768 AD.
Adoption of Nationality: All offspring from a Brahmin, Kshetri and Thakuri with a Tamang woman would be included in the Tamang tribe with the family title of Gothar or Godar Tamang of the Atharah jat. In the olden days, prior to the Gorkha conquest the progeny of a Tamang woman with a Khas used to be called Gothar or Godar Tamang. However, since the Gorkha conquest, they have been called Khattris.
The Ngarba Tamang was the term used for the progeny born of a Newar with a Tamang woman. Similarly, Sangri Tamang for progenies of either Gurung, Magar, Limbu, Rai or Sunwar through a Tamang woman. Although this was a good policy for nation building, the tradition of its usage came to an end since the children retained the family titles of their father.
Tamangs as Soldiers: All the Tamangs belong to the Kirat tribe and were recruited along with the other Kirat tribes of Limbu, Rai and Sunwar, Surung and Magars in the 10th and 7th Gurkha Rifles and were identified as being a part of the the brave Gurkhas of Nepalese nationality.
Their Language: Tamang language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman or Kirat group of the Himalayan region, and has a close affinity with the Gurung or Tamu, Thakali or Tamang and Yolmo or Kagatey Tamang languages. Buddhism is their main religion The Sherpas, the Walungeys and the Shingsabas also belong to the Kirat group.
See also
References
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