Yamphu Kirat Society: The Yamphu People

Introduction

Yamphu Kirat Society" is only one cultural organization of Yamphu people which was established in 2060 B.S. with the objectives of preserving, protecting and conserving Yamphu culture, language, and religion as these have become nearly extinct because of the special protection or reservation provided in all areas to one caste (Brahmin), one religion (Hindu), one language (Khas -Nepali), one culture (Hindu). Basically, this organization advocates against any forms of discrimination based on ethnicity and advocates for identity based rights of the Yamphu community and others ethnic groups.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

The Yamphu People

The Yamphu people inhabit in their traditional area situated on the boarder between Pallo Kirat 'Far Kirat', i.e. the region of mountains east of the Arun and Majh Kira 'Middle Kirat', the mountainous area immediately to the west of the Arun. The traditional settlement of Yamphu lies on the north-east side of Sangkhuwa Sabha district along the both sides of The Arun, one of the largest rivers of the East Nepal.Communities of Yamphu inhabit (core areas) in Hedangna, Ala Uling, Tungkhaling, Karmarang, Pepuwa, Mangsingma, Khogatak, Num, Amrang, Uwa, Seduwa, Phakadam, Walung, Iva-debitar, Barhabise, Pawa, and Matshy-Pokhari.

However, at present Yamphu are residing in Sangkhuwa-Sabha, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Morang, Jahapa, and Ilam and in foreign lands like India, Bhutan and Hong Kong. Total population of this community has been assumed to range from fifty thousand to one lakh. This community has its own language, culture, tradition, and history and belief system. Their language has been identified as Yamphu language but the people is not yet recognized
The Yamphu called themselves Yakkhaba and their language Yakkhaba Khap.Yamphu community, an indigenous group of Nepal, is one among many marginalized groups. Originally, Yamphu people reside in upper Arun valley of Sangkhuwa-Sava district. The land is itself remote. The original inhabitants of the valley and the ancestors of the Yamphu were the Kiranti, famous hunters said to have put up a strong fight against the troops of Prithivi Narayan Shah who set out to unify the kingdom in the late 1700s. Unable to defeat the Kiranti, Shah struck a deal. As long as the Yamphu Kirat leaders paid tribute to the king, they would be allowed to be kings in their own lands. They could settle their own disputes and claim the land north of the Sankhuwa River Ann. (1999). These rights embodied in the land tenure system of kipat and sealed in a royal decree.The Yamphu are one of more than twenty two- twenty eight linguistically and culturally distinct groups subsumed under the ethnonym "Rai" and numbered among the "autochthonous" inhabitants of the eastern Nepal hill area, who are generally known as Kirat.

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The Yamphu People

The Yamphu people inhabit in their traditional area situated on the boarder between Pallo Kirat 'Far Kirat', i.e. the region of mountains east of the Arun and Majh Kira 'Middle Kirat', the mountainous area immediately to the west of the Arun. The traditional settlement of Yamphu lies on the north-east side of Sangkhuwa Sabha district along the both sides of The Arun, one of the largest rivers of the East Nepal.Communities of Yamphu inhabit (core areas) in Hedangna, Ala Uling, Tungkhaling, Karmarang, Pepuwa, Mangsingma, Khogatak, Num, Amrang, Uwa, Seduwa, Phakadam, Walung, Iva-debitar, Barhabise, Pawa, and Matshy-Pokhari.

However, at present Yamphu are residing in Sangkhuwa-Sabha, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Morang, Jahapa, and Ilam and in foreign lands like India, Bhutan and Hong Kong. Total population of this community has been assumed to range from fifty thousand to one lakh. This community has its own language, culture, tradition, and history and belief system. Their language has been identified as Yamphu language but the people is not yet recognized
The Yamphu called themselves Yakkhaba and their language Yakkhaba Khap.Yamphu community, an indigenous group of Nepal, is one among many marginalized groups. Originally, Yamphu people reside in upper Arun valley of Sangkhuwa-Sava district. The land is itself remote. The original inhabitants of the valley and the ancestors of the Yamphu were the Kiranti, famous hunters said to have put up a strong fight against the troops of Prithivi Narayan Shah who set out to unify the kingdom in the late 1700s. Unable to defeat the Kiranti, Shah struck a deal. As long as the Yamphu Kirat leaders paid tribute to the king, they would be allowed to be kings in their own lands. They could settle their own disputes and claim the land north of the Sankhuwa River Ann. (1999). These rights embodied in the land tenure system of kipat and sealed in a royal decree.
The Yamphu are one of more than twenty two- twenty eight linguistically and culturally distinct groups subsumed under the ethnonym "Rai" and numbered among the "autochthonous" inhabitants of the eastern Nepal hill area, who are generally known as Kirat.