Nicola Zolin

Tamang family in Dhunche, Rasuwa district
Tamang family in Dhunche, Rasuwa district
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THE LAST TAMANGS


Visual Research

May 2013


Tamang people are amongst the most marginalized indigenous communities of Nepal. Despite having suffered continuos exploitations and discriminations from Hindus rulers, they have been able to maintain many of their incredible rich traditions until today. However, Tamang culture is challenged as never before, due to the impact of modernity and the loss of isolation that determined thousands of years of their history.
The youth are leaving the villages in seek of better education and working opportunities, losing contacts with the traditions and contributing to the disintegration of their own culture. Global warming is hardening people life in the mountain areas, where crop yield have fallen and rain fall have become increasingly unpredictable. Yet many of Tamangs who moved to capital city Kathmandu are re-defining what means to be Tamang and politically advocating for indigenous rights. While modernization is bulldozing traditions it has open new opportunities to change the course of history and redefining Tamang identity within a newly flexible societal framework.


Changing weather patterns are endangering agricultural productions in the mountainous areas inhabited by the Tamangs. Crop yields have fallen and rainfall in the last decades has become increasingly unpredictable, periods of too much rains follows period
Changing weather patterns are endangering agricultural productions in the mountainous areas inhabited by the Tamangs. Crop yields have fallen and rainfall in the last decades has become increasingly unpredictable, periods of too much rains follows period
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Vision of a village in the "Tamang reduction poverty treck", an initiative to stimulate tourism and reduce poverty on these remote areas.
Vision of a village in the "Tamang reduction poverty treck", an initiative to stimulate tourism and reduce poverty on these remote areas.
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Young girl on the local bus connecting Dhunche and Chillime. Her father left Nepal to work in the oil industry in the Arab Emirates
Young girl on the local bus connecting Dhunche and Chillime. Her father left Nepal to work in the oil industry in the Arab Emirates
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Young boy burning wastes in Dhunche, Rasuwa disrict
Young boy burning wastes in Dhunche, Rasuwa disrict
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The people who live in the most remote mountainous areas, must walk for hours to buy basic goods such as rise and lentils (daal).
The people who live in the most remote mountainous areas, must walk for hours to buy basic goods such as rise and lentils (daal).
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It's the 49th day since the death of a member of the village, and people are preparing for the ritual of Ghewa.
It's the 49th day since the death of a member of the village, and people are preparing for the ritual of Ghewa.
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People offer money, food and other objects to the death person, as a way to facilitate her soul's reincarnation
People offer money, food and other objects to the death person, as a way to facilitate her soul's reincarnation
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Tamang women lightning incenses during the Ghewa ritual
Tamang women lightning incenses during the Ghewa ritual
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A woman is carrying a baby on his sari during Ghewa ceremony
A woman is carrying a baby on his sari during Ghewa ceremony
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Women’s mourning during Ghewa ceremony. The ashes of the death woman are carried on the altar wrapped with Lamaistic Buddhist flag
Women’s mourning during Ghewa ceremony. The ashes of the death woman are carried on the altar wrapped with Lamaistic Buddhist flag
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The altar with the asces of the deceased one, and people circoling around it performing the ritual
The altar with the asces of the deceased one, and people circoling around it performing the ritual
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One of the 'monsters' during the Ghewa ceremony
One of the 'monsters' during the Ghewa ceremony
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People on the bus traveling from Chillime to the capital Kathmandu, where they go for temporary jobs, to gain the money to sustain their households
People on the bus traveling from Chillime to the capital Kathmandu, where they go for temporary jobs, to gain the money to sustain their households
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The bus traveling from Chillime to Kathmandu
The bus traveling from Chillime to Kathmandu
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Children running behind the bus near Chillime
Children running behind the bus near Chillime
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Chillime
Chillime
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A family breeding cows in the Langtang mountains. They live in a tent and move nomadic around the area.
A family breeding cows in the Langtang mountains. They live in a tent and move nomadic around the area.
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Hills and mountains in the Langtang national park areas are facing an increasing deforestation, due to the increasing pressure on the land and the growing demand of wood required to satisfy the tourists/trekkers needs
Hills and mountains in the Langtang national park areas are facing an increasing deforestation, due to the increasing pressure on the land and the growing demand of wood required to satisfy the tourists/trekkers needs
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Woman in in front of his altar in her house in Tatopani. She is the mother of 5 children, 3 of which left Nepal to study and work in Europe and in India, seeing no opportunities in the mountains.
Woman in in front of his altar in her house in Tatopani. She is the mother of 5 children, 3 of which left Nepal to study and work in Europe and in India, seeing no opportunities in the mountains.
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A mother is going to embrace her son who fell asleep standing and lying his head on the bed.
A mother is going to embrace her son who fell asleep standing and lying his head on the bed.
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A drunk man in the village of Dhunche. Alcohol is consumed widely by the people living in the most mountaneous areas.
A drunk man in the village of Dhunche. Alcohol is consumed widely by the people living in the most mountaneous areas.
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A family portrait. Grandfather and grandson. Village of Chillime.
A family portrait. Grandfather and grandson. Village of Chillime.
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Nurpu Chhewang singing Tibetan Buddhist mantras in his house in Chillime. Nurpu is a Lama, who in Tamang culture are religious priests and teachers and amongst the most respected people in the village.
Nurpu Chhewang singing Tibetan Buddhist mantras in his house in Chillime. Nurpu is a Lama, who in Tamang culture are religious priests and teachers and amongst the most respected people in the village.
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Purpa is a Tamang Bombo living in the village of Sing Gompa, 3317m of altitude. Bombos in Tamang culture are shamanic doctors and travel around the villages to heal people and to shoo the ‘GOS’, considered as the evil spirit inherent in all sicknesses
Purpa is a Tamang Bombo living in the village of Sing Gompa, 3317m of altitude. Bombos in Tamang culture are shamanic doctors and travel around the villages to heal people and to shoo the ‘GOS’, considered as the evil spirit inherent in all sicknesses
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Grop of women waiting for food during a traditional marriage lunch
Grop of women waiting for food during a traditional marriage lunch
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Women waiting for food during a marriage lunch
Women waiting for food during a marriage lunch
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People performing traditional Tamang dance on the marriage eve. They have been dancing from morning to night.
People performing traditional Tamang dance on the marriage eve. They have been dancing from morning to night.
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The owner of a tea house near Sing Gomba, in the Langtang national park, that is visited by a remarkable number of tourists every year. Tourism and farming are the main activity for the Tamangs living along trekking routes.
The owner of a tea house near Sing Gomba, in the Langtang national park, that is visited by a remarkable number of tourists every year. Tourism and farming are the main activity for the Tamangs living along trekking routes.
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Children in their lodge in Lauribina Yak, 4100m high, on the trekking route to the frozen Goisakunda lakes.
Children in their lodge in Lauribina Yak, 4100m high, on the trekking route to the frozen Goisakunda lakes.
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The Bhavacackra, popularly referred to as the wheel of life, painted on the outside wall of the Buddhist monastery of the Tamang village of Thulo Syabru, Nepal
The Bhavacackra, popularly referred to as the wheel of life, painted on the outside wall of the Buddhist monastery of the Tamang village of Thulo Syabru, Nepal
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Himalayas mountains, on the way to Goisakunda lakes, in a Tamang-inhabited area.
Himalayas mountains, on the way to Goisakunda lakes, in a Tamang-inhabited area.
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Children in front of a guest house in Thulo Shabru
Children in front of a guest house in Thulo Shabru
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Secretary of the Tamsaling party, advocating greater right
Secretary of the Tamsaling party, advocating greater right
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Tamang women waiting for customers in a music club in Kathmandu’s touristic travel areas. Due to the poverty in the rural areas, Tamang women are particularly vulnerable to exploitation as night dancers and prostitutes.
Tamang women waiting for customers in a music club in Kathmandu’s touristic travel areas. Due to the poverty in the rural areas, Tamang women are particularly vulnerable to exploitation as night dancers and prostitutes.
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Kathmandu-born Tamang young Baba during a singing-balls session in Kathmandu
Kathmandu-born Tamang young Baba during a singing-balls session in Kathmandu
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A Tamang boy in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, where he moved in seek of further education
A Tamang boy in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, where he moved in seek of further education
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