Description
This book presents an ethnographic and visual study of Tamang culture in north-central Nepal, based on long-term field research conducted between 1986 and 2004. It draws from extensive anthropological research and a rich photographic archive depicting Tamang village life, rituals, and festivals. The first part focuses on the Tamang village of Chayarsaba in Dolakha District, where fieldwork from 1986 to 1988 examined social structure, marriage alliances, and major rituals such as weddings and funerary feasts. The second part explores the large communal festivals held at sacred mountains and lakes – Sailung, Kalingchok, and Gosainkund – between 1992 and 2004. These images illustrate the Tamang’s relationship with their living space and nature at that time. The texts present shamanic, Hindu, and Buddhist interpretations and explain the ritual authority of certain Buddhist schools.
Through the images and accompanying ethnographic commentary, the book traces the historical context of Tamang life, including clan organiza-tion, oral histories, and the impact of trade routes linking Nepal and Tibet, later changed by the construction of new roads. It also examines the effects of political and economic changes which have reshaped Tamang cultural landscapes and traditional practices.
By preserving photographic records of rituals, fes-tivals, and daily life at a time of rapid change, this work contributes to the preservation of Tamang cultural heritage and offers a critical reflection on the intersections of religion, ecology, and modernity in the Himalayas. It highlights the significance of sacred sites, fertility rituals, and local ecological knowledge, which may, together with new inno-vations, serve as starting points for regaining a sustainable economy and new perspectives for the young generation in Nepal’s mountain regions.
