The Beautiful Art of Living
Sundar and the Beautiful Art of Living
For Tamu Savik (Sundar), Nepalese Indigenous Gurung living in Pokhara, spirituality is the favourite subject.
We are still following shamanism.
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| Tamu Savik, Ambassador of Nepal for Indigenous Unity. |
By the way, I’m half Gurung and half Pun. Pun is another community. My mom belongs to the Pun community, but I usually depend on Gurung culture so I am attached with the Tamu/Gurung community.
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| The clothes worn by the Gurung, Magar and Pun communities are called Bhangra (Gurung) and Gada (Pun). The arts made in the clothes differ according to the community. In the photo, Tamu Savik is wearing Pun community art gifted to him by his mother. |
Tamu Savik mentions 10 different challenges for indigenous peoples in Nepal:
- Education system
- Oral history
- Community organization
- Politics
- Poverty of thinking
- One rules
- Lack of opportunity
- Lack of political access
- Migration
- Change of religion
Education System
Savik explains that there is a difference between government schools and private schools in Nepal. Indigenous languages are not taught in school.
Government schools in Nepal teach in Nepali, while private schools teach in English, but no language of any community is taught there even in optional subjects. Bhim Gurung, a Tamu linguist in Devdaha, privately teaches Gurung and Magar languages in his own school, Devdaha Boarding School. Although the state has recognized the community language as the working language, it has not been implemented.
Oral History
The Gurung peoples practice many traditions that are not written down. Due to this fact, there is a risk that the traditions disappear.
All our beliefs, history and practices are not written down. Now this process of writing is just beginning, but much tribal knowledge is in danger of disappearing. And many traditional methods have vanished.
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| This is a game played mostly in hilly villages which we call tiger trick. It is mainly played in places like Pati, Chautara, where people gather. It is now endangered. It has 4 tigers and many sheep. The tiger has to make its move and hunt the sheep, Tamu Savik explains. |
To keep the cultural traditions of the Gurung peoples alive, Tamu Savik has made documentaries. He has his own YouTube channel where he publishes his own documentaries for the global community to observe. The videos are related to social events, indigenous cultures, song, dance activities, radio programs (live/recorded) and some memorable days. His documentary project started in 2017, but was interrupted when his mother fell ill.
Because my mother has been sick since 2017, now I am completely at the service of my mother. There is no such special facility here from the government. By the end of 2020, I was planning to take part in various film festivals. Then Corona came and ruined my business. And I had to stop the project due to financial reasons. I still want to become a documentary maker and explore indigenous culture and tradition, but my plan is damaged.
Learning to play Sanaya (See video)
Community Organization and Politics
Savik means that there is too much emphasis on politics in the community, which is not good for the people in the community.
Community organizations in Nepal are inspired by political organizations. But community organizations have been able to do little for the tribals, but much more remains to be done.
He can see that politics are dividing the society, especially the tribes.
Tribals are being divided due to politics. Rulers are fighting among tribals in the name of rights.
Poverty of Thinking
Savik means that there is a lack of resilience thinking in the society.
At present, all the tribals except Raute are doing well financially, but their thinking is very low. It is amazing to see that they depend on the ruler instead of seeking their rights.
One Rules – Only Hindu Religion is Taught
On August 9, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous peoples, tribal-focused programs were organized in major cities of Nepal.
I do not participate in such programs, because community organizations in Nepal are motivated by political interests, which I do not like. There, the people chosen for political purposes are fooling the common people.
Tamu Savik explains that the religion of the Gurung people is Bon (shamanism), but in schools only the Hindu religion is taught.
We wrote about our religion during the census, but when it was published it came as Hindu or Buddhist. Our own religion is Bon (shamanism). Similarly, here in the book all the beliefs according to Hindu religion are taught. If a tribal killed a cow and got jailed, there is one law for all citizens.
Lack of Opportunity, Lack of Political Access, and Migration
Savik tells Globcal International that most of the people who go abroad in search of opportunities from Nepal are tribals.
Because the ruler made an agreement with the British and recruited Gurkhas where only tribals were recruited. Now, countries including Hong Kong and Britain have allowed them to settle. Apart from this, there are many people who go abroad to study.
Currently, Savik is trying to understand the identity, purpose and importance of tribals in his own single effort.
Although the tribal population is more than 35.81 percent here, the rate of migration is currently high. They are going to England, Hong Kong, America, Canada, Portugal and Spain for permanent residence. The number of ex-British soldiers going to Britain is high as there are a lot of tribals.
Change of Religion
Some tribals have changed religion, a process that Savik means is a threat to the identity of the tribals.
For example, the Tamang settlements of Arun Valley have now become Christians. Half of the Gurungs of Gandaki have embraced Buddhism. Most of the Magars follow Hinduism.
The Implementation of Indigenous Rights in Nepal
Tamu Savik means that the implementation of indigenous rights in Nepal is not good.
Here, tribal rights have been included in the constitution, but the implementation is not that good. It only focuses on the rich and the politically powerful. Tribals are going to jail for eating beef here. We have to celebrate their festivals, while our festivals are canceled. No provision has been made for tribal education here. Kathmandu University has just started a Master 1 year course. I have doubts about the kind of study they do there, but I wish them well. So I haven't been able to do anything special. But I will do it slowly.
Savik explains that there is a slow development for tribals in Nepal.
Government and non-governmental organizations are most active, but the stage of development is the same.
He means that the Hindus have played an important role in the migration of tribals, while service facilities have been significantly provided to Dalits.
Dalit means the lowest caste of Hindus. Therefore, I have not been able to do anything special even if I wanted to, because I am deprived of political access and financial resources.
Savik explains that he has not received much help from the community.
Everything here depends on link and power, so I decided to stop for a while now. But my community helped me a little bit by meeting with experts. There is a facility for tribals, but for old age and widow allowance, everyone else has the same facility except for Dalits. Tribal children do not get any facilities, but Dalit children get cash, clothes, and books and pencils. Dalit is lower caste in Hinduism. They related with rulers but in their culture, they are untouched.
Despite all the challenges, Tamu Savik is hopeful and he hopes to be able to continue his work with documentaries.
I'm thinking of starting an indigenous based NGO. Especially types of archive from audio visuals.
Shamanism and Spirituality
According to Tamu Savik, spirituality is the beautiful art of living and shamanism is a daily routine.
Every moment of life is incomplete without it. This is necessary if life is to be meaningful,
In the Gurung community, shamanism is an important part of daily life from birth to death.
We especially worship wind, water, soil, fire and stone. We use it when a child is born, when a person dies, when someone is sick, when they are happy. It is used when we are farming or harvesting crops. It is also used to invite wind and water in drought. The power of the music used in it is amazing, it has power.
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| A moment to worship nature. The practice of worshiping nature in mythological religion is still practiced in Nepal. This is an annual puja. |
Savik explains that water is life, indispensable for the existence of animals. Savik’s favorite animals are sheep.
Sheep are mainly the diet of Gurungs. Similarly, in our society, it is a custom to send a sheep with us as a friend when we die.
Savik’s favorite plant is bayberry. Among other things, it is an important part of funeral ceremonies in the community of Nepal.
Three Good Pieces of Advice
Tamu Savik gives three good pieces of advice for a more peaceful and harmonious society:
- We should respect each other's culture.
- There should be religious tolerance in the society.
- We should believe in each other.
Finally, Tamu Savik receives the question ”What do you think is the most important prerequisite for Indigenous Unity?”. The answer is:
Accept diversity and light the lamp of unity.
Indigenous Unity in Nepal
Shivaratri is a notable festival in Hinduism, marking a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maha_Shivaratri)
Maha Shivaratri is a national holiday in Nepal and celebrated widely in temples all over the country.
On the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, the International Indigenous Unity Flag, created by Michael Sher, arrived in Nepal.
"The government did this artfully for our flag on purpose," says Michael Sher. (See video short)
Thank you Tamu Savik!
Indigenous Unity Flag by Artist Michael Sher
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| Indigenous Unity going for a walk on the Gandaki Golden Bridge. |
The Gandaki Golden Bridge is the longest suspended footbridge in Asia with a height of 122m from the river and a span of 567m. It is third longest bridge of its kind and till July 2021 was considered to be the longest footbridge in the world. It connects Parbat District & Baglung District in Nepal.
Indigenous Unity going for a walk on the Gandaki Golden Bridge.
Indigenous Peoples Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. On October 8, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden became the first U.S. President to formally recognize the holiday, by signing a presidential proclamation declaring October 11, 2021, to be a national holiday. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. It began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the U.S. federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Some people reject celebrating him, saying that he represents “the violent history of the colonization in the Western Hemisphere”. Indigenous People’s Day was instituted in Berkeley, California, in 1992, to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Two years later, Santa Cruz, California, instituted the holiday. Starting in 2014, many other cities and states adopted the holiday. (Source: U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Brazil)
Dakota and Jay Jacome from Kumeyaay Nation, sing a prayer to celebrate.
The city of Chula Vista removed and embodied a statue of Columbus that was in Discovery Park since 1991. A coalition of Native Americans and Latinos demand that Columbus stays forever in his box, that the park be called whatever the Kumeyaay Nation decides, and that Columbus Day should be named Indigenous Peoples Day.
Thank you, bird singers, Dakota, and Jake Jacome for offering up your prayers at the press conference on June 12, 2020!
Kanap Kuahan Coalition // Tell The Truth
Maria Veneke Ylikomi
Writer, language consultant and global advocate for peace, human rights and the environment.
