The Magars, also spelled Mangar and Mongar, are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group native to Nepal and Northeast India, representing 6.9% of Nepal’s total population according to the 2021 Nepal census. They are one of the main Gurkha tribes. Magar girls of Nepal. The first home of the Magars was to the west of the Gandaki River and, roughly speaking, consisted of that portion of Nepal which lies between and around about Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, and Palpa.
Newars are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and the Indian territories of Sikkim state and Gorkhaland including its surrounding areas and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. The Newar are a distinct linguistic and cultural group, primarily Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman ethnicities, who share a common language, Nepal Bhasa, and predominantly practice Newar Hinduism and Newari Buddhism.
Gurung are an ethnic group living in the hills and mountains of Gandaki Province of Nepal. Gurungs speak Tamu kyi which is a Sino-Tibetan language derived from the Tibeto-Burman language family. The written form of Gurung is heavily dependent on the Tibetan script and history and details related to their culture and tradition is passed on from one generation to the other usually by word-of-mouth.
The Sherpas are one of the Tibetan ethnic groups native to the most mountainous regions of Nepal and Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. The majority of Sherpas live in the eastern regions of Nepal, namely in Solukhumba, Khatra, Kama, Rolwaling, Barun and Pharak valleys, though some live farther West in the Bigu and in the Helambu region north of Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Rai, as a set of groups, are one of the oldest tribes of Nepal. They inhabited the area between the Dudh Koshi and Tamur River in Nepal. They claim that their country called Kiratdesh in modern times, has spread over Nepal, Sikkim and West Bengal. Rai are also known as “Khambu” and in some places, they are known as “Jimee” or “Jimdar”. “Jim” means “land”, which meant they owned the lands and other tribes had to pay their taxes to the jimdar.
The original name of the Limbu is Yakthung or Yakthum. Limbu males are called Yakthungba or Yakthumba and Limbu females are called “Yakthumma” or “Yakthungma”. Ancient texts state that “Yakthung” or “Yakthum” is a derivative of Yaksha and some interpret its meaning as the “Yaksha winner”. In the Limbu language it means “heroes of the hills” (Yak – hills, thung or thum – heroes or mighty warriors). Subba is a title given by the Shah Kings only to Limbu village chiefs. Subba was not an indigenous Yakthung terminology, but now the two terms are almost interchangeable
Tamang may have been derived from the Tibetan word Tamang, where ‘Ta’ means ‘horse’ and ‘Mak’ means ‘warrior’ in Tibetan. Some scientific research claims the Tamangs have Pand Genetic roots with Tibetan warriors. The Nepalese Tamang people constituted 5.6% of the population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 census.[5] The Nepali Tamangs are concentrated in the central hilly and Himalayan regions of Nepal.
They are an indigenous group of Nepal and belong to Sino-Tibetan group. They are culturally close to Limbu and Koch of Terai and of the northern hills. Dhimals consider themselves of Kirati descent. They consider the Limbu and the Mech, and Koch people of the tarai as their brethren. According to Hodgson the Mech, Bodo, Koch and Dhimal tribes are of the same race; however, comparison of language does not support so close a connection, he added. He stated that “… but it is difficult to suppose the Bodo and Dhimal languages other than primitive”.
The Sunuwar or Koinch are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group. (Nepali:सुनुवार जाति|Sunuwār Jāti) a Kirati tribe native to Nepal. They speak the Sunuwar language. According to the 2001 census of Nepal, 17% of the tribe follow the Kirant religion and adopt the Mundhum (Kiranti) culture. The Kõinch’s (Sunuwar) number 82,705 in total. The term ‘Kõinchs’ is also the name of the mother tongue. Other terms like Mukhiya or Mukhia are exonyms of the tribe. Sunuwar have their distinct language, religion, culture and social customs.
The Chepang (Nepali: चेपाङ जाति), also known as Chewang are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group from the rugged ridges of the Mahabharat mountain range of central Nepal. With increasing populations, lack of arable land and few irrigation options, malnutrition has been a historic problem for the Chepang despite forest supplements. The Chepang have often been characterized as the poorest of Nepal’s poor. Chepang men and women are basically egalitarian and no social ranking exists as it does in caste Nepalese society.
