Gurung
The Gurung are a Nepalese people of Tibetan descent. The Gurung live mainly in the province of Gandaki , especially in the districts of Lamjung , Kaski , Tanahu , Gorkha , Parbat and Manang around the Annapurna massif and the region around Pokhara . A few Gurung live all over the country as far as Eastern Nepal.
In 2001 a census showed the number of Gurung 543,571, which corresponds to about 2.4% of the population of Nepal. 338,925 of them speak Temü-Tan , a Tibeto-Burmese language . In the 1970s, the Gurung are said to have numbered around 160,000 people.
The name Gurung is derived from the Tibetan word “Grong” farmer . The Gurung call themselves Temü (Tamu).
Traditionally the Gurung lived from cattle breeding, trade and the weaving of carpets and blankets. Many Gurung served in Indian and British Gurkha regiments since the 19th century . For them, the pensions they paid by the army represent an important source of income.
Today the Gurung pursue all modern industries, especially in urban areas. Agriculture and textile processing are still an important part.
The traditional construction of the houses is a rectangular floor plan, two-storey, made of neatly stacked dry stone walls and slate-covered roofs. In lower areas also with an oval floor plan and straw cover. Some houses have a veranda on the south side.
Originally, the Gurung were followers of the Bon religion. Later, many turned to Tibetan Buddhism , to which most of the Gurung, especially the highland inhabitants, still belong to this day ( Lama-Gurung ). In the southern settlement areas, Hinduism prevailed among a smaller number ( Cho-Gurung ) . Both groups still have echoes of the Bon religion. The Lama-Gurung have Tibetan as their second language, while the Cho-Gurung use Nepali alongside their mother tongue.
literature
- Stan R. Mumford: Himalayan dialogue. Tibetan lamas and Gurung shamans in Nepal . Madison 1989