the loba culture
Populations are scaled to the current year. Such changes have severely impacted agriculture, livestock, and the mobility pattern of Loba people for livelihoods. The content of the song is mostly Figure3 presents how the traditional local institutions have adapted to dynamic context and maintain the relationship between the people and the local environment. Field observation was one of the principal methods of collecting primary information, followed by Key Informant Interviews (KII). The process of offering water, flowers, incense, light, fruits, words, and greeting God, ordinary people, animals, and plants have defined ways and manners that should be followed to ensure peace, harmony, and prosperity in the community. Depending upon the case, the norms defaulter may be asked to be present in front of the village assembly, where, the senior Lama from Chodea Gomba and the Lo King might also be attended. There are 14 families, 30 species of mammals, 11 orders, 36 families, 115 species of birds, 19 species of reptiles and 10 species of frogs in Guang'an City. The Loba King is believed to be the incarnation of Manjushree, the God of knowledge, in the form of the Goddess Saraswati. 191225. 7086). We are thankful to Assistant Professor Dr. Rajanikant Pandey for his all endeavors for the invitation and cordial hospitality support during the seminar. pp. The modern-day substitutes, albeit made from ground rocks from the region, lack the lustre and sheen of the originals. The first author is the primary researcher. The men also wear swords and carry bows and arrows. The kingdom of Lo (Mustang): A historical study (1st ed). To receive the land, they fulfilled extensive obligations such as free labor of men and animals and contribution to the palace, both in cash and kind. of Metou County use Tibetan, while the other Loba people use Loba. Being younger, he could not visualise how exhausting it might be for three senior women to go on tramping for 24 days. Nevertheless, Loba people are struggling to cope with and adapt to such geo-environmental changes through the adoption of various strategies such as: alteration of crop calendar, improved drainage management and erosion control, increased irrigation and regulated use of water, change in livestock types, herd sizes, and feeding practices, as well as the practice of agro-forestry: grass seedling, fodder, and timber trees plantation (Pandey 2019). The barter animal hides, musk, bear paws and other items with Tibetans in exchange for tools and clothing. All those heaps of rocks that we would have climbed seemed like a models ramp compared with this ride. The Loba follow horizontal social stratification by their occupation, educational level, property holding/access, fluency in languages, gender, and lifestyles. As animists, Lhoba people believe that everything has an immortal spirit called Wuyong. The denizens of Lo Manthang are true custodians of a vanishing culture and way of life. Sweepers and scavengers in the Third World Cities: A study on occupational health problems of sweepers and scavengers of Kathmandu, Nepal. Both men and women of the Loba nationality like Mule trains were bringing in provisions needed to cater to tourists and household goods all the way from Pokhara, as they might have brought in tea, salt, silks and precious gems in the past. Most Lhoba people are animist but a significant portion of the population believes in Tibetan Buddhism (although they still mix animist traditions with this relatively new religion). Although the informal influence of kingship still prevails in the Loba cultural practices, the political changes in Tibet and the Khampa rebellion, who settled in this region, had larger consequences for Lobas livelihoods. This paper is the output of Ph.D. thesis of first author. Lhoba religion practices include shamanism, spiritual healing, fortune-telling and wizardry. Kagbeni is also where your permit to trek to Mustang is checked. The Loba people are working to preserve their way of life as globalization creeps in. In the present day, Lobas have introduced monogamy and the family planning system to control the population, which has challenged the traditional lifestyle on the one hand, and on the other, the population of Lamas and Aanis is decreasing sharply at Gombas. A PhD Dissertation Submitted to Cornell University. Historical studies documented that the Lo Kingdom was incorporated into modern Nepal in 1789, maintaining a distinct cultural identity. project. Only a tiny 19-seater aircraft flies from Pokhara to Jomsom daily, and even this shuts down when the weather in Jomsom turns moody and misty, which is often. The ABC trail was cool most of the way, thickly forested, with jaw-dropping scenerygurgling streams, flower-carpeted valleys, rhododendron slopes and bamboo busheswhereas the trek from Jomsom to Lo Manthang must be one of the most barren stretches on the planet, with nary a blade of grass, no tree offering shade, no grass to tickle your feet, just sand everywhere, two-feet deep in places, trying to swallow your boots. The above-mentioned institutions have significantly played a role in the changing context, which is summarized in Fig. his two sons westward and southward through the Lilonggou, and crossed Polyandrous brothers share a wife by turn, as managed by the wife. "Now we only have 52. Already, the Loba are taking measures to safeguard valuable aspects of their cultural heritage in an age of globalization. The continuity and changes, and the turn systems are the major mechanisms adopted by the Loba to cope with changing socio-economic, and environmental conditions. In the past, such labor contributions by people to the Kings farm used to be obligatory and free. Your Guide to Tibetan People and Cultural Life, Uncovering the great Himalayan mystery: the Yeti, The Essence ofTibetan Culture Seen through The Attire and Accessories They Adorn, Leisure life in Lhasa, Tibetan life style, {{count}} Questions and Answers On "Lhoba People in Sountheast of Himalayas", Sorry, E-mail has not been sent successfully. In Upper Mustang, Lo-manthang, different traditional institutions, such as the King, Lama, Ghenba, and Dhongba, prevail and have played different roles in maintaining the socio-political positions of the place, which is crucial in sustaining the environmental as well as the social system. We just kept on walking in the hope that we would stumble into a village. Yibin City is located in the south of Sichuan Province, at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, and the confluence zone of Jinsha River, Minjiang River and Yangtze River. How the Himba came to be The first settlements of the Himba people can be traced back to the early 16th century when they crossed the Angolan border and chose Kaokoland (nowadays called Kunene region) as their new homeland. The Lama and Aani were taking mostly spiritual knowledge and practices from Gomba. The annual turn is followed in traditional leadership (ghenba, midhi, and chhime). Reporting directly to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture & Engagement), the Chief of Staff, Global, Culture and Engagement is a key member of the Portfolio's leadership team and will manage the portfolio to ensure the timely and efficient execution of a range of international programs; provide strategic oversight to and ensure support for the Committees, Advisory Groups and Working . Anthropologists have focused their studies on cultural ecology and ethnoecology. Little, if any, history of Christianity. In Upper Mustang polyandry is practiced by Loba communities. However, nowadays, people see other socio-economic opportunities instead of just being a Lama. At present, Upper Mustang is connected by road network to Jomsom, the headquarter of the Mustang district of Nepal. The Khampa were originally fearsome warriors, sometimes referred to as bandits, who held out the longest against the Chinese advance into Tibet. Ghenchen household is a split from the dhongba, often recognized as parents household. ), Anthropology of Climate Change: From Encounters to Actions (pp. The Loba practice this system wherever they go and whenever they need to share something. see the historical development of the Loba people from the legend, which leaves The construction project contractors of the village municipality for developmental works supply the laborers from those districts where poverty and unemployment are high. Accessed from: https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/Home/Details?tpid=2&dcid=27a1b4d1-9a2a-4205-96be-1c540c24f193. In Pokhara, we gorged on delectable cheesecake and plum pudding and got our pile of clothes laundered in one of the many laundromats that line the streets. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 27 (1): 6474. According to a key informant, compared to other households, makhiu and sinkhor received good-quality land from the King for agricultural purposes. All Lhoba tribes celebrate The New Year after heavy harvesting and many also like to hold wedding ceremonies during the new year celebrations. The Loba culture has historical, cultural, linguistic, and ethnic relations with Western Tibetans (Dhungel 2002; Frer-Haimendorf 1975). Cultural, religious and archaeological heritage of Lo-manthang and their restoration. obviously different from those of the Tibetans. But, it is not known the ancestors of Lhoba people were occupying the region at that time or came from somewhere else later. We had decided to leave Muktinath for the return journey. We welcome. We stopped for a bite at the Yak Donalds restaurant. The ru is understood as bone and related to the fathers line; and shya is flesh related to the mothers line. The general issues such as obtaining oral consent from the participants before taking their interviews, allowing them to leave the interview at any time, and not using inappropriate means to obtain information were followed. Aanis are active in Muktinath temple and are the main actors in controlling or maintenance of the process of worshipping. language family. Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology 9: 141175. Similarly, the rates of temperature rise vary in different ecological zones of Nepal: Trans-Himalaya (0.090 C), Himalaya (0.060C), Middle Mountain (0.080 C), Siwalik (0.040 C), and Tarai (0.040 C). Gongbu area (Milin County, Linzhi County, Gongbu Jiangda County). The Loba informants spoke well in the Nepali language, which also made it convenient to do fieldwork much faster. Festival culture is one of the most obvious Non-government Organizations (NGO) have contributed to changing peoples coping mechanisms toward livelihood stress. The ghenba system has three key positions in Lo-manthang. To support the palace, some households were categorized as the nagjin to work inside the palace: cleaning rooms, carrying loads, processing and cooking foods, and grinding or preparing tsampa were their main tasks. The region shows evidence of agriculture prior to 1100 CE and involved the raising of such crops as red sorghum, millet, yams, bananas, beans, sugar-cane, and groundnuts. Dhongba is similar to western Tibetan regions, which maintain ancestral property system, socio-cultural systems, and prepares household members to participate in political and religious affairs (Goldstein 1971). nationality has successfully declared the national intangible cultural heritage Due to the practice of family planning, there is little chance of having a third male child, as a result, the families do not want to separate their second child as well. Suhasini would have preferred us to stick to our original plan but was outnumbered when Parvathi endorsed my suggestion. The society practices monogamy and polygamy. They cannot be abusive or personal. It costs $500 and is valid for 10 days stay in Upper Mustang and has to be obtained in Kathmandu or Pokhara ahead of travelling to the region. They have historical contributions to promote the Nepali economy and sovereignty of the country. Other visible impacts reported are increased invasive species, changed phenology of plants, increased incidents of crops and livestock diseases, and changed habitats of disease vectors. They need to pay a little higher amount to the community for that. Applied Geography 64 (1): 7486. After a few hours, we reached Kagbeni, one of the bigger villages in Upper Mustang, at a height of 2,810 m. It is home to 1,600 people living in 229 households. Kagbeni is the jumping-off point for the Upper Mustang trek and Muktinath. To overcome this problem, the community imposed a new rule that each Bista household must perform the role of ghenba on their turn. Part of buckwheat cake baked on the slate. It must have been 40Celsius. They are absentee landlords who cannot cultivate their lands but want to retain their land under their ownership. The mean maximum temperature in Nepal increased by 0.060C per year between 1977 and 2000 (Shrestha & Aryal 2011; Shrestha, Gautam, & Bawa 2012). Aanis were not allowed to marry and had to shave their heads and wear red clothes. The Nunnery system is about a hundred years old in Upper Mustang. The Jigme Foundation also supported local people through food items, such as rice, salt, and other materials, during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown, with the support of the local representatives of the foundations, who are from the Kings close relatives. The dhongba is an important institution of Loba that maintains succession and inheritance and manages all ancestral properties. In the past, rich and well-off dhongba families used to send their second son and daughter to the Gomba, who were contributors to Gomba. Lamas perform all sorts of rites and rituals from birth to death. As a result, members of the system are less burdened financially. The sun was already up. Xudulong Festival is the most special Lhoba festival which is celebrated on the second month of Tibetan calendar. 2005. The Lama, as the chief of spiritual/religious works for the individual, household, and community, also plays a role in the sphere of education and ritual activities. She says storing seeds is a cultural task of Bijags women. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Some adaptation strategies such as mobility, external assistance, acceptance of provisions of Nepal government, democratization, and reform in cultural practices are found as the major strategies in changing soci-economic, political and environmental conditions. The traditional role of the Gomba in the Loba community, as described above, is an institution that maintains a peaceful and just society, as per the values of Tibetan Buddhism. However, this practice is being changed slowly as new generations of Loba began to marry outside the cross-cousin relations. We moved on, to Tsaile across the river where we would have our lunch and halt for the night. In agricultural land, black crops and white crops are cultivated annually and are the alternative crops. They build their homes out of stone, making the roofs out of thinly chiseled stone squares. They focused on the role of local institutions in enhancing adaptive capacity to maintain the livelihood system (food, fuel, shelter, health, education, communication system, sovereignty over resources, and their management) in resource-scare ecological regions. So we ended up retracing our steps to Pokhara over the next three days. Their leadership is selected from each household of the Phalwa (Gurung) community on the basis of turn system. deeply influenced by the Tibetans, and their daily diet and food preparation characteristics that distinguish the Loba nationality from other nationalities. They produce single seasonal crops of few varieties (wheat, naked barley, mustard, potatoes . "Southerners" and is the Tibetan appellation for them. The past in the present: History, ecology, and cultural variation in highland Madagascar. They widely spread in the areas of Katanga, Kasai, and Maniema. - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. The prospect of bouncing about again in a bus bound for Jomsom for 12 to 15 hours stared us in the face. Ojha, N.P. Since the opening of the place for outsiders, cave settlement has been the point of attraction to tourists. Dhongbas are also obliged to send their second son and daughter to monasteries to be trained as monks and nuns. Lobas speak their own Loba language, which is similar to the Western Tibetan Language. The Lo King, ghenba, Lama, and dhongba had a close relationship and interdependency in Lo-manthang until now. Although there are only 5 to 6 thousand Lhoba people in the world, they have surprisingly large language diversity. The Loba community sustained their livelihoods through the adoption of agriculture and livestock system, as well as the salt, and grain trade. Although informal, the King still has some power, recognized by Loba communities, to modify individuals or households fine fixed by the ghenba system. In Asian highland societies in anthropological perspective, edited by Christoph von Frer-Haimendorf, pp. The ranchunchube/dhawa is represented by the monastic Lama. Furthermore, taking responsibility of chhime becomes more challenging since they imposed NPR. They live in grasslands and forests where they are mainly hunters . 2009. John Murry. Himalayan traders: life in highland Nepal. As Nina Wegner explained via email, "A new school in Lo Manthang offers the national curriculum in the Loba's native language of Lowa, while an amchi (Tibetan doctor) school instills young people with the science, art and . Gongbu Festival, organs, enterprises and institutions in Linzhi District have covered with heavy ornaments. The Loba are believed to practice the oldest strain of Tibetan Buddhism in existence, but it's losing its pull. They inhabit the Mustang and Dolpa districts in the northern part of the region (Dhawalagiri Zone), close to the Nepal-China border.. People Group Location: Omid. The adaptive value of local institutions has been widely discussed in anthropological studies since the time of Julian Steward (1972), Marvin Harris during the 1960s and 1970s, Kottak (1980), Rappaport (1999), and Crate and Nuttall (2009). political, historical, natural common sense, family and marriage in reality, Gesang, Deputy Minister of Propaganda In fact, their homes are never built toward the South because of the fierceness of these winds. By the afternoon, newspapers in Latin America and Spain teemed with tributes. John Legend Challenges Young Voters to Make 2024 Election History at Global Citizen Now "I've always cared deeply about the world we are building for our children," the musician said at the 2023 . These institutions are built-in social bonds, known as social cement, with reciprocity for mutual benefits (Yaro et al. The single growing season a year in the region where the minimal size of farmland is available causes inadequate local food production that has challenged food and livelihood security in the region (Pandey 2017). people is an integral part of the life of the Loba people, a mirror of the Loba The artists are Newars, or Mongoloids, different ethnically from, though partly intermingled with, the peoples of India, whose art they made their ownwhether its themes were Hindu or Buddhist. 3000 years of agriculture in a valley of the high Himalayas. - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians. Lhopa; Lhopas; Lo; Lo Manthang; Lo Montang; Lo Monthang; Lopa; Lowa; Loyu; Loyu Lo Montang; Manthang; Mustang; Mustang Bhote; Mustang Tibetans; Mustange; Sat Thapaule Bhote; . Although dilapidated and open to the sky in many places, it houses priceless murals in reasonably good condition. For example, the feudal lords build three-story houses; but the common people and those in the lower castes are only allowed to build single-story houses without walled in compounds. Today, most Lhoba live at the foot of the Himalayas, in the high mountains and deep valleys. Thickly forested area is sparsely populated. We visited the local gompa and the attached monasteries where young monks were being schooled in Buddhist scriptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to cause the Loba to become dissatisfied with their traditional religions, and to make them hungry for the Bread of Life. There were apple and apricot orchards and alfalfa fields. later Manigan; Garbo followed the direction of the arrows and settled there, The dominant sect is Ngorpa, a sub-sect of Syakyapa. Annual Review of Anthropology 24 (1): 95117. Life and livelihoods in the Forbidden Kingdom, the Trans-Himalaya. Despite the harsh surroundings, villages in Upper Mustang seemed like veritable oases. Joshua Project makes every effort to ensure that the subject in an image is in fact from the specific people group. Shrestha, Arun B., and Raju Aryal. Loba society and a way of existence of the folk life of the Loba people. Owing to their long hunting Tulachan, Pushpa V. 2003. Education and rituals are integral parts of livelihood systems, particularly as the primary function of Buddhist education is to develop an attitude of having belief and values for the individual, nature, and a system of balance, harmony, and co-existence. Ojha, Durga Prasad. Indigenous irrigation management system is as old as the agriculture system that began in Lo-manthang. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. The total population of Upper Mustang is 3322, which has the lowest population density (1.49 person /km2) in Nepal comparing the national average of 198 person/km2 (CBS 2022). Earlier, the land of the Gomba used to be cultivated by those households who sent their children to the Gomba as Lama or Anis. We want to thank the University Grants Commission Nepal for partial Financial Support for this research under PhD thesis grant. The second name will be the name they received from their parents at birth. Marcus, George E. 1995. During the The Lo King system with the privilege of titular Kingship ended in 2008. usually after the annual labor. Perhaps the river reached up to that height in the distant past? Most of the time, the eldest brother remains at home. The first modern scholar to view the paintings of Thubchen and Jampa was the great Tibetologist, Giuseppe Tucci, who was allowed to visit Mustang . However, a new problem in the ghenba system has emerged since some Loba households are not interested in taking responsibility of ghenba and chhime. J. Barnes and M.R. Migration, social change, health, and the realm of the possible: womens stories between Nepal and New York: womens stories. Very basic agriculture to supplement hunting was practiced. 1980. However, as Loba people prioritize cash income away from agriculture, the practice of half-share crop production system hardly exists. Figure1 presents the major local institutions and interconnectedness that collectively sustain the livelihood of the Loba people. At present the dhongba system is facing several challenges because of the changes in the marriage system and childbirth control, as well as changes in environmental and resource conditions. This means all the members of households and communities need to have peace and prosperity in a balanced way and they require all elements of nature outside and inside of their bodies. The clothes of the Loba people are activities. feeling and sends out, exports for the song. The Kutaks include the King and their relatives, who write their surname Bista and are considered the local ruling class and place themselves at the top of the social hierarchy. The major changes observed during this period and their implications in the life of Loba Community of Upper Mustang are briefly discussed below: The analysis of meteorological data shows the rise of temperature and decrease in rainfall in the Upper Mustang (Khattri 2021; Khattri & Pandey 2021). The Upper Mustang was established as an independent state by King Amepal in 1440 AD. They wear knee-length, sleeveless, buttonlessblack jackets made of sheep's wool with hats made from bear skin or bamboo stripes. Stratification, polyandry, and family structure in Central Tibet. Historical writing (Dhungel 2002) and local oral history information that the Lo region was influenced by Tibetan Buddhism which was introduced by Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who also established the Lo Ghekar monastery in Marang and Upper Mustang, after the domination of the Bon tradition of the region during 74647 AD (Dhungel 2002). It was probably the toughest stretch in our entire trek, even tougher than the trudge in the dark to ABC. Loba culture # [ Loba Pakistan weaving] Lhoba weaving and Luoba bamboo, Luoba knife dance with the Tibet Autonomous Region intangible cultural heritage proje. The residents of Lo are known as the Loba. As the study site is Lo-manthang of the Upper Mustang, the Population and Housing Census 2011 documented 569 individuals as the areas total population (CBS 2012). Oddly shaped blood vessels on this freshly harvested liver are bad omens. The Mustangi King had a good relationship with the Kings of Nepal in Kathmandu. "Gongbu Festival" is Climate and Development 7 (3): 235245. Central Bureau of Statistics. Explorations by Amchi Gyatso Bista, a local traditional medicinal healer, royal ancestral priest and former ghenba said that the present King was asked if local people should support first to collect fodder from his field and harvest crops by residents, but the King denied to receive support from local people as he would hire labors. Lobas are one of them and quite a few in terms of absolute number. Pasture is managed in turn by splitting them into plots. The Luba are savanna and forest dwellers who practice hunting, food gathering, and agriculture (cassava, corn [maize]), keep small livestock, and live in villages of a single street, with rectangular thatched-roof huts along either side. Kathmandu: CNAS. They develop rules with a collective decision for transhumance practice. United Asia Publication. Until 1992, this area was closed to the outside world. Obligation to labor support to the King also ended, since most of the cultivated land belonging to the King has been abandoned, and only about a tenth of the total farmland under the former Kings entitlement is cultivated. Lhoba lives in villages on high terraces. The King, as an institution, has played a crucial role in establishing, protecting, and promoting Tibetan Buddhism, especially the Sakyapa sect in the Lo Kingdom. Dove, 121. They arrange all the business and support to strengthen the economy of the palace. Among the two midhis, one is appointed by the King, and another one is appointed by the village head. of mankind. and his descendants were Bogars. This system was followed also in Varanasi India during winter trade. They build their homes out of stone, making the roofs out of thinly chiseled stone squares. The Loba is also those mysterious, breath-taking aspects of nature: 'you are the hills'. This town, with a resident population of around 15,000, has a single high street that runs its entire length, a few hotels and the odd shop or two, all watched over by the magnificent Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri peaks. This legacy is an important form of ancient primitive religious beliefs They speak the following languages: Luba-Katanga, Luba-Kasai, Luba-Maniema, and Swahili. Pandey, Rishikesh. The participants were informed about the research during the observation of their activities. The common people are obliged to follow the rules fixed by the ghenba. The payment of the chheba becomes higher if someone lets the animal to the crop-field during the night, which can reach as high as NPR 50,000 to 100,000, which is quite a high amount of money. In Lo-manthang, an Amchi School is also established aiming to provide modern education and promote a traditional healing health system. Their hierarchy is not based on untouchability and lacks a higher level of exclusion, even in private spheres. The conceptualization of adaptive measures of Loba indigenous institution. Some Lobas use caves as houses and monasteries. They inhabit the Mustang and Dolpa districts in the northern part of the region (Dhawalagiri Zone), close to the Nepal-China border.
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