Aathpahariya Culture in Crisis: Challenges in Identity and Preservation
The Aathpahariya community has long demanded official recognition by the government as an indigenous ethnic group that reflects their unique identity. Dhankuta Municipality is preparing to establish a museum to preserve Aathpahariya language and culture. Dhankuta, 23 May — The Aathpahariya, a marginalized tribe residing in Dhankuta district, situated between the Arun and Tamor rivers in eastern Nepal, is grappling with preserving their identity amid modern societal influences and lack of formal state acknowledgment. This community, which has its own customs, language, and traditional attire, has been persistently advocating for inclusion in the official indigenous ethnic list.
Since 2001, the Kirant Aathpahariya Society, with its central vice-president Surya Aathpahariya, has sought organized recognition as an indigenous group but has faced postponements from the government. “Due to the state’s refusal to formally recognize Aathpahariya as a distinct entity, our community has lagged socially, educationally, and economically,” he stated. “All our evidence confirms that we are Aathpahariya; therefore, we must be officially listed as an indigenous nationality in Nepal.”
According to Surya, the Aathpahariya possess their own language, traditional dress, customs, culture, rituals, and social structure. However, the failure to accept them as a separate community threatens their very existence. The Aathpahariya chiefly inhabit Dhankuta Municipality and are known as the native inhabitants of the region. The 2021 census recorded 5,878 Aathpahariya individuals. While the 2001 census referred to them as “Aathpahariya Rai,” in the 2011 and 2021 censuses, they have been listed solely as “Aathpahariya.” The Aathpahariya community comprises 19 ethnic subgroups including Chhara, Humbarak, Kimdahang, Lensuwa, and Pangsung, each maintaining distinctive cultural traditions, worship systems, and festivals.
The Aathpahariya celebrate unique festivals and worship their deities. Although their main settlement is in Dhankuta, community members working elsewhere return home to observe festivals and conduct ancestral rites. Following Nepal’s constitutional amendment in 1990, committees were formed to promote indigenous development, and in 2001, a national institution was established aiming to preserve linguistic and cultural diversity; however, the demand for the Aathpahariya’s inclusion in the indigenous listing has yet to be fulfilled. Dhankuta Municipality Chief Chintan Tamang has also advocated for official recognition of the Aathpahariya as an indigenous group.
To protect the Aathpahariya language and culture, the municipality is in the process of constructing a museum that will soon commence operations. The principal festival, Wadangmet, is particularly celebrated during the month of Mangsir (November-December). This festival collectively commemorates mourning in human life and joyously celebrates the birth of the eldest child. The Wadangmet festivities begin with the raising of the “Manglang” at the 52-chule house. Three days afterward, family members of the deceased undertake a three-day pilgrimage on foot to the Kokaha stream in Barah Kshetra, Sunsari. There, participants cleanse their hair and beards and perform worship rituals, including viewing the deity Barahi Bhagwan and releasing ritual offerings. During this journey, the group stays in open areas and riverbanks, traditionally singing devotional songs (Mundhan or Mundhum) not performed otherwise. Upon returning from Barah Kshetra, a day is dedicated at home to ancestral worship. Joyous feasts and dances are arranged to honor the birth of the eldest child and the construction of new homes. The Wadangmet celebrations commence approximately one week before Kartik Purnima and continue until the new moon (Aunsi). Special delicacies are prepared, and performances featuring drums, Maruni, and Dallo dances take place, complemented by the ritual of offering money garlands, believed to fulfill wishes. Dhankuta Municipality also grants local holidays on such occasions. Other major festivals include Bisu in Baisakh and Nwagi in Bhadra, celebrated with grandeur, wherein prayers are offered for family and community welfare, peace, prosperity, and unity. The Bisu festival lasts eight days, while Nwagi involves offering new crops to ancestors and clans and takes place over three days from Wednesday to Friday following the full moon of Bhadra.
The language, religious rites, and culture of the Aathpahariya are in a precarious state. The community lacks a recognized script, and their language and traditions face extinction. However, a grammar for the Aathpahariya language in the Devanagari script has been developed by a small number of scholars, facilitating education and study. State provisions offer mother tongue education up to grade five; yet, the absence of dictionaries for endangered languages hampers learning success. Aathpahariya language belongs to the Kiranti languages, specifically the Bhoṭ-Barmi group, and is related to Belhare, Chhatre Limbu, and Yakkha languages. It is classified as a vulnerable language. The community recognizes Marga and Jimi as their traditional territories. Despite variations in caste, surname, and lineage, the language remains common. Community leader Dhanbahadur Aathpahariya has warned of language loss as younger generations increasingly neglect their mother tongue. “The primary cause is the influence of other languages, especially Nepali and English,” he explained. “Parents’ growing preference for English has further distanced children from learning their native language. Difficulties in pronunciation and usage have discouraged the youth, and increased use of Nepali at home weakens linguistic transmission.”
The clothing worn by Aathpahariya men and women is highly distinctive, especially women’s attire and jewelry. However, modernization has led to gradual disappearance of this traditional dress. Responding to such concerns, Dhankuta Municipality has provided sewing training to produce Aathpahariya dress, fostering skilled workforce. Traditional homes are also fading; the Aathpahariya’s customary houses with thatched grass roofs are being replaced by modern buildings within Dhankuta Municipality. While the community traditionally uses grass-thatched roofs for clan worship, zinc sheet roofing has become common, impeding such rituals. Seventy-five-year-old Itmaya Aathpahariya stated that worship is not permitted in houses roofed with zinc sheets.