Category of Indigenous People of Nepal

Category of Indigenous People and Endangered Languages of Nepal

There are various definitions of indigenous people. Mainly those people who have distinct identities, language, culture, and history are the indigenous people. According to the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN)(2002), the indigenous nationalities (Adivasi Janajati) as distinct communities having their own mother tongues, traditional cultures, written and unwritten histories, traditional homeland, and geographical areas, plus egalitarian social structures. The act mentioned that, following are the major characteristics of indigenous people :  

·         A distinct collective identity,

·         Own language, religion, tradition, culture, and civilization,

·         Own traditional egalitarian social structure,

·         Traditional homeland or geographical area,

·         Written or oral history,

·         Having ´We´ feeling,

·         Has had no decisive role in the politics and government of modern Nepal,

·         Who are the indigenous or native peoples of Nepal, and

·         Who declares itself as ´Janajati

With the above-mentioned characteristics, Nepal has 59 indigenous people. But these are categorized in different ways like ecological, provincial, ethnic, linguistics, etc. Based on the development, mainly, there are five types of ethnic communities in Nepal. 

      Table no.1: Category of ethnic people of Nepal

1.        Advanced Group (2)	Newar, Thakali
2.        Disadvantaged Group (14)	Tangbe, TeengaunleThakali, BarahgaunleThakali, MarphaliThakali, Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Yakkha, Chhantyal, Jirel, Byansi, Yolmo
3.       Marginalized Group (19)	Sunuwar, Tharu, Tamang, Bhujel, Kumal, Rajbanshi, Gangaai, Dhimal, Bhote, Darai, Tajpuriya, Pahari, Topkegola, Dolpo, Mugal, Larke, Lohpa, Dura, Walung
4.        High Marginalized Group (12)	Majhi, Siyar, Lhomi (Shinsaba), Thundam, Dhanuk, Chepang, Santhal, Jhagad, Thami, Bote, Danuwar, Baramu
5.       Endangered Group (10)	Kusunda, Bankariya, Raute, Surel, Hayu, Raji, Kisan, Lepcha, Meche, Kuswadiya

Source: NFDIN 2002

Among these, endangered people are in very critical situations. Their traditional culture, norms, values, rituals, and mother tongue is in endangered conditions. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2009), identifies that among these variables language is a very important factor because it carries/transmits the culture from one generation to another. 

Endangered Languages of Nepal 

According to UNESCO (2009), an endangered language is at risk of falling out of use as its speakers die out or shift speaking to another language. To determine the language as endangered, UNESCO outlines the following 9 factors.

1. Intergenerational language transmission

2. The absolute number of speakers

3. The proportion of speakers existing within the total (global) population

4. Language use within existing contexts and domains

5. Response to language use in new domains and media

6. Availability of materials for language education and literacy

7. Government and institutional language policies

8. Community attitudes toward their language

9. Amount and quality of documentation

These components also determine the endangeredness of ethnic communities. About 90 percent of Nepalese languages are in endangered situations. Most of the languages of the indigenous people of Nepal are on the verge of extinction The UNESCO mentioned the eight stages of language endangerment. The stages and levels of endangered languages of Nepal are explained by various linguistics, some of them are mentioned in the following table:

Table no.2: Stages and number of Nepalese languages

S.N.	Stages of language endangerment	No. of lgs.	Explained by
1	1. Safe (10 lakh to 1 lakh ) 2. Endangered (1 lakh to 10 thousand) 3. Most endangered (10 thousand to 1 thousand) 4. Dead languages (less than 1 thousand) 5. Dead languages (no listed no.)	15 15 25 19 33	Noonan (2008)
2	1. Extinct Kirati language 2. Dormank language 3. Nearly extinct languages 4. Moribund languages 5. Shifting languages 6. Threatened language 7. Vigorous language 8. Incipient/written language 9. Institutional/educational languages 10. Trade language 11. Regional and National languages 12. International languages	40 1 6 3 4 10 1 7 7 2 1 1	Pokherel (2012)
3	1. Safe languages 2. Almost safe 3. Potentially endangered 4. Endangered languages 5. Seriously endangered language 6. Moribund languages 7. Extinct languages	17 15 8 22 12 7 11	Regmi (2012)
4	1. Vulnerable languages 2. Definitely endangered languages 3. Severely endangered languages 4. Critically endangered languages	13 30 12 6	Moseley (2012)

Source: Noonan (2008), Pokherel (2011), Regmi (2012), and Moseley (2010).

Among these four categories, Regmi’s categorization is most comprehensive and more detailed than others. In the sense of endangerment, Regmi (2012) says that many spoken languages, especially of indigenous nationalities, have not yet been recorded in the 2001, census. Linguists from home and abroad as well as the speech communities are very concerned about the situation of languages of Nepal. Many languages in Nepal are used in a few domains only by a few adult speakers. Such languages have been categorized as seriously endangered. According to the CBS Report 2011, the total languages of Nepal and their population are listed in the following table.

Table no.3: Distribution of languages on the basis of number.

S.N.	Linguistic population	Name of Languages	No.
1	More than 100,000	Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Newar, Magar, Avadhi, Bantawa, Gurung, Limbu, Bajjika, Urdu, Rajbanshi, Sherpa, Rai, Achhami, Doteli and Baitedeli.	19
2	100,000-20,000	Hindi, Chamling, Santhali, Chepang, Danuwar, Urau, Sunuwar, Bangla, Rajasthani, Majhi, Thami, Kulung, Thulung, Bhujel, Magahi, Bahangi and Kham.	17
3	20,000-10,000	Dhimal, Angika, Yakkha, Sampang, Darai, Khaling, Kumal, Wambule, Bajureli, Hyolmo, Nachhiring, Bahing and Tajpuriya.	13
4	10,000-5,000	Thakali, Dumi, Puma, Lepcha, Bote, Yamphu, Ghale, Dungmali, Athapariya and Darchuleli.	10
5	5,ooo-2,000	Dailekhi, Lhopa, Gangai, Koche, Dura, Chhintang, Mewahang, English, Raji, Lohorung, Chhiling, Pahari, Meche, Jirel, Tibetan, Chhantyal and Sign lgs.	17
6	2,000-1,000	Koyee, Hayu, Sanskrit, Musalman, Kisan, Tilung, Jero, Khash, Waling, and Dolpali.	10
7	1,000-500	Sonaha, Jumli, Belhare, Lhomi, Hariyanwi, Sindhi, Oriya and Panjabi.	8
8	Less than 500	Byansi, Khariya, Chinese, Kaike, Baram, Khamchi, Lingkhim, Kusunda, Sam, Kurmali, Kagate, Dzonkha, Kuki, Mizo, Nagamese, Assami, Sadhani, Malpande, Dhuleli, Arabi, Spanish, Russian, Phangduwali, Surel, Bankariya, French, Dadeldhuri, Manange and Gadwali.	29
9	Total		123

Source: CBS-2011

If we agree with the concept of Krauss, more than 100 languages of Nepal are in an endangered position.  Nepal is one of the linguistically diverse countries in South Asia accommodating more than 92 languages (CBS 2001) and 123 (CBS 2011) and belonging to four language families: Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic, and Dravidian in addition to Kusunda, a language isolate. According to Ghimire (Nepal.heritage.language.pdf.file ), a large number of languages in Nepal are threatened to disappear due to the small number of speakers, limited domains of language use, and weaker intergenerational transmission. About 87% of the country’s population speaks five major languages, namely Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, and Tamang. Nepali was the only language that has been used in education, and administration among these languages.

Most endangered languages of Nepal

According to CBS (2001), out of 92 identified languages 59 languages each has less than ten thousand speakers and the total population speaking these non-dominant languages is about 0.5%. Various local and foreign linguistics classified the different types of language on the basis of their number, intergenerational transmission, documentation practices, and other components. Some scholars and their classification of endangered languages are listed in the following table:

Table no.4: Numbers of endangered languages of Nepal.

S.N.	Explained by	Endangered and Extinct Languages	Number of languages
1	Noonan (2008) and Regmi (2012)	Khaling,  Kumal, Thakali, Chhantyal, Dumi, Jirel, Bambule, Puma, Yhlamo, Nachhiring, Dura, Meche, Pahari, Lepcha, Bote, Wahing, Koyu, Raji, Hayu, Bayshi, Yamphu, Ghale, Khadiya, Chhiling, Lohorung. Mebahang, Kaike, Raute, Kishan, Chhuraute, Baramu, Tilung, Jerung, Dungmali, Linkhim, Kusunda, Koche, Saam, Kagate, Chhintang, Yholmi, Himali, Bhote, Munda . Kusbadia, Bankaria, Surel, Siyar, Thudam, Dhanuk, Gangain, Tajpuria, walung, Topkegola, Dolpo, Free, Larke, Mugali, Lhopa, Chhaurotan, Tangway, Baragaunle, Marphali, Thakali, Kham-Magar, Lumbayakha, Aathpaharia, Mugali, Chhukhya, Polmoya, Waling, Lambichang, Phangduwali, Chhulung, Belhare, Managwa,  and Narphu.	77
3	Moseley (2010)	Athapariya, Bahing, Chamling, Chantyal, Chiling, Dolpo, Dungmali, Gurung, Gyasumdo, Halung, Tibetan, Jirel, Kagate, Kaike, Khaccad Bhote, Khaling, Langtang Tibetan, Limirong Tibetan, Loke Tibetan, Magar, Narpha, Newar, Nurpi, Nyishangba, Thangmi, Thulung, Tilung, Tsum, Yamphu,Chintang, Darai, Dhimal, Kumale, Lohorung, Majhi, Mawahang, Nachiring, Puma, Raji, Raute, Sam, Baram, Dumi, Hayu, Kusunda, Surel, Yakkha.	47
4	Yadav and Turin (2009)	Kumal, Thakali, Chantyal, Dumi, Jirel, Athpariya, Mugali, Belhare, Umbule, Puma, Yholmo, Nacchering, Dura, Meche, Pahari, Lepcha, Bote, Bahing, Koi, Raji, Hayu, Byangsi, Yamphu, Ghale, Khariya, Chhiling, Lohorung, Sunuwar, Majhi, Bhujel, Mewahang, Kaike, Raute, Kisan, Chuarauti, Baram, Tilung, Jerung, Dungmali, Baragaunle, Nar-phu, Manangwa , Lingkhim, Kusunda, Koce, Sam, Kagate, Chhintang, Lhomi, Byangsi, Chonkha, Longaba, Mugali, Sambya, Pongyong, Bungla, Chukwa, Hedangba, Waling, and Khandung.	60

Source: Noonan (2008), Regmi (2012), Moseley (2010), Yadav and Turin (2009).

The table indicates that more than 85% languages of Nepal are in an endangered situation. Similarly according to CBS (2011), out of 123, there are about 45 languages that have less than a thousand speakers which are listed on the following table:

Table no.5: Most endangered languages of Nepal.

S. N.	Name of languages	Linguistic population 2001	Linguistic population 2011
1	Kusunda	87	28
2	Jero/Jerung	271	1763
3	Tilung	310	1424
4	Churaute	408	1075
5	Kisan	489	1178
6	Sam	23	201
7	Koche	54	280
8	Oriya	159	584
9	Sanskrit	823	1669
10	Limkhim	97	129
11	Khamchi (Raute)	518	461
12	Kaike	794	50
13	Khariya	1575	238
14	Kagate	10	99
15	Lhomi	04	808
16	Sadhani	02	122
17	Assamese	03	476
18	Nagamese	06	10
19	Mizo	08	32
20	Kuki	09	29
21	Dzonkha	09	80
22	Kurmali	13	227
23	Hariyanwi	33	889
24	Sindhi	72	518
25	Baram	342	155

Source: CBS 2001 and 2011.

 

References

Central Bureau of Statistics (2001). Population census. National Planning Commission (NPC), Thapathali, Kathmandu.

 Central Bureau of Statistics (2011). Population census. National Planning Commission (NPC), Thapathali, Kathmandu.

Moseley, C. (eds) (2010). Atlas of the Worlds Languages in Danger, 3rd edition Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Online version: http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas.

NFDIN (2002). NFDIN act, retrieved from https://www.indigenoustelevision.com/indigenous-voice/episode/30

Noonan, M (2008).  Kantipur national daily.  Kathmandu Kantipur Publication house.

Pokherel (2011). Patterns of language endangerment in Nepal, retrieved from https://genderi.org/patterns-of-language-endangerment-in-nepal.html

Regmi, D. R. (2012). Linguistic surveys in Nepal: A glimpses. www.tribhuvan-university.edu.np/tu/20 bulliten%20special% 2011-12/46-57.pdf.

UNESCO (2009). Investing in cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue (UNESCO world report). Paris, France: UNESCO.

Yadava, Y.P. & Turin, M. (2009).  Indigenous languages of Nepal: a critical analysis of the linguistic situation and contemporary issues. In Yadava and Bajracharya eds. Indigenous Languages of Nepal: Situation, Policy Planning, and Coordination, Kathmandu: NFDIN.