cultural identity
This article is a field analysis of data from anthropological research the author has been carrying out in the town of Pokhara, in west central Nepal. He has examined what he has found to be in close relation of these systems with Brahmin-Chhetri economic choice in a situation of change and development. The author concentrates on presenting and analysing Brahman-Chhetri kinship and its main...
<p>Although their population is relatively small, the Thakalis' entrepreneurship and rapid rise to wealth and power has prompted attention in many articles, most of which have been concerned with the history of the Thakalis and their traditional life in their Thak Khola homeland. With the exception of Messerschmidt's article, nothing has been published about the Thakalis who...
Buddhism as practised by the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley has several unique features not found in other countries where Buddhism is practised. This has been noticed by scholars but surprisingly little research has been done on the rituals and rites of the Newar Buddhists and there is little detailed knowledge. The author witnessed the bare chuyegu rite at Machindra Baha in...
The Kham Magars are a people of ancient Mongolian descent inhabiting the upper tributaries of the Sani Bheri, Bari Gad and Mari Khola on the south western flank of the Dhaulagiri massif. They constitute a specific ethno-linguistic community within the four northern sub-tribes of the Magar people - the Bhuda (Bura), Gharti, Pun and Rokha. That is, in the west sector of the northern Magar...
<p>There is evidence that Ganapati, Kakatiya of Warangal had the Gauda king as his vassal. This was mentioned in connection with the religious offerings and donations made by Yuvarajni Viramadevi, widow of the crown prince Yuvaraja Jayadityadeva in the shrine of Pashupatinath.</p>
<p>The author contends that written records dating back to the period were in a mixture of...
Making drawings on human skin and inserting these inside the skin by punching it with a small bunch of needles and so making them permanent is called the art of tatooing, or tika chhedaune or goda garaune in some parts of Nepal. 'Tatoo' or 'tatu' was derived from a Tahitian word 'ta' which means 'to strike'. Men have decorated their bodies with this art from early time....
Despite the fact that Helambu is only three days walk from Kathmandu and is one of the most popular trekking areas, virtually nothing is known about the socio-cultural organisation of its inhabitants. Sherpas live here and it is precisely because of its differences (and similarities) with other Sherpa and Bhotea areas that Helambu is an important area anthropologically. The extent of these...
The Ban Raja (Forest Kings) or Kusunda have always maintained a notoriety in Nepal far out of proportion to their numbers. Even a century ago they most likely did not exceed a few hundred in population. But they nevertheless have given rise to stories heard throughout Nepal, and they name is known to many a villager who never set eyes on a Ban Raja. "Kings of the Forest" is a grandiose title...
For the Newars of Nepal, the gwaye da tayegu is a ritual announcement of a later, larger ceremony. This article discusses the rituals carried out in the gwaye da tayegu ceremony which took place on Magh 1, 2035 (January 15, 1979). The rituals served to announce the Samyaka ceremony, which was observed on Magh 1, 2036 (January 15, 1980). The present discussion of the...
The phenomenological approach to a person's own awareness is capable of revealing the contents of his experiential world without the limitations inherent in the use of projective method. As a rating scale, Cantril's self-monitoring scale is a useful device for revealing the subjective world of one's experience. With its remarkable simplicity, it can provide data of considerable value in cross-...
Pages
