"The Lapcha of Nepal"

The Lapcha of Nepal
First book about the Lapcha people of Nepal

-Jeffrey Schwerzel
-Shanti Tuinstra
-Juddha Prasad Vaidya

Publisher: Udaya Books (2000)

ISBN: 99933-30-00-0

In an attempt to prove that Lepchas were the original inhabitants of Ilam, Nepal, three scholars have come together, researched and published the first book about "The Lapcha of Nepal."

It is a combined effort of Professor Juddha Prasad Vaidya, Ilam College, Nepal and Jeffrey Schwerzel and Shanti Tuinstra, anthropology researchers, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Unlike other authors and writers, the trio uses the term "Lapcha" referring to the Lepchas. Though the Lepchas prefer to be called Rongs, according to the authors of this book, "they simply prefer to be called Lapcha and we have respected their wish."

Often times, Lapcha is derogatory term of addressing this people group. It is believed that the Nepali settlers couldn't clearly understand what these hill people were saying so, they called them "lap" meaning unclear speakers and the name thus took its form –Lapcha/ Lapche.

However, the authors have sensitively worked to put politically correct ways to address this people group. Unlike early research scholars, they have wanted the voice of the villagers be heard as it is written, "we try to let the Lapcha speak for themselves. Everything written here, has been told to us by Lapcha inhabitants of Ilam."

They have touched on an important factor as the second chapter is under the topic of "exoticizing the Lapcha." True enough, outside authors/ writers have always found pleasure in overstating a bit of information as Gorer, the British anthropologist wrote about the Lepchas.

"The Lepchas themselves are extremely dirty on the whole and particularly the laymen; lamas shave and wash their heads and also their hands before making ceremonial objects and woman have a good wash at least once a month; grown men on the other hand wash exceedingly seldom. But even though they are so dirty they are in comparison with the Tibetans relatively clean; it is true that they have a much more clement climate and an abundance of water, so that there is no external reason for being as dirty as they are."

This is indeed an outrageous description of the Lepcha community and not well received by the members of the community either. There is a lack of sensitivity and credible description as the outside world hears of this people group. Commendably, the trio explains "this booklet is an attempt to publish information without concomitant stereotypes and exaggerations."

With very little written about the history of Ilam, the original inhabitants of the region are shrouded in mystery as well. Vaidya, Schwerzel and Tuinstra have given a brief history of Ilam before 1774, after 1774 and after 1816. They have accounted the 1826 Kotopa Insurrection when the Lepchas rose against the Bhutias and when Yuklathap, Ekunda Kaji's son flees to Nepal. (Ekunda Kaji was a Nepal loyalist).

In a letter dated 1827, Bhimsen Thapa is said to have granted permission to Yuklathap to remain in Nepal. Interestingly, the authors claim that there were already Lepchas living in Ilam before Yuklathap arrived there. They have also accounted the time when the East India Company manages to convince Sikkim to cede Darjeeling to the East India Company and "… the Lepchas, who had taken refuge in Nepal, returned to live there under British protection."

But the existence of Lepchas according K.P. Tamsang, Lepcha scholar, accounts of a different story.

"In 1825, when dispute arose between King Chugput Namgyal, the 17th King of Sikkim and the Lepcha minister Athing Rathap, Athing Rathap had to flee to Ilam along with his families, relatives and his followers and had settled down for good as such, the descendants of Athing rathap had his followers now residing in Ilam since 1825 are called Ilamoo, meaning the Lepchas of, or belonging to Ilam or the Lepcha inhabitants of Ilam."

So, the history of Ilam and the existence of Lepchas in that region is an interesting topic to be researched for credible historical record. But the authors have researched and noted more than seventy names of places in and around Ilam of Lepcha origin claiming that Lepchas were indeed the original inhabitants of Ilam.

From the rivers to the trees, nature-loving Lepchas looked at the significance of a certain tree or plant in that region and named it accordingly. "Samalbung, for example, is derived from the Lepcha word for Tooni tree, "samal bung." The trucks of the tree are used in housebuilding,so any place where the samal bung is found, is a good place to live. In Samalbung, one can find these trees."

It is also interesting to note that the authors have found the name of Mechi Khola, the river separating India and Nepal to have translated from the Lepcha language.

"Mechi is said to come from Min Chu Ung Kyong, meaning either "big river," or "hot spring." The name hot spring might sound unlikely, but in Antu, where Mechi starts, it is said that a long time ago people would indeed come to enjoy the hotspring, not only for pleasure but also for curing. The river forms border between Nepal and India and has played an important role in the history of Ilam."

Digressing from the list of names of places, the religion of Ilamoo's are inked as shamanism. Disagreeing to ever-popular belief that Lepchas were animists, the trio claims that "animism," is a wrong term because Lepchas do not worship rocks, mountains, rivers, streams etc. Lepchas believe that these are where the spirits live and respect their natural surroundings. The religious specialists or those speaking with the sprits are the yabas, muns, bon things.

The last mun of Ilam was Man Bahadur Lepcha (Malam moo). He is believed to have communicated only in Lepcha and owned two namthars (holy books) handwritten in homemade paper. He died ten years ago.

In the seventh chapter, the authors talk about two Lepcha communities, Chindepani and Antu in Ilam. Chindepani is a traditionally sound- tight knit community of 19 families where Lepcha is spoken. Antu on the other hand hosts 24 Lepcha houses and are a little fragmented as they lack the community feeling. But both communities are trying hard to preserve their language, culture and the traditional heritage as the authors end the book with suggestions for them for near future.

Hoping to present part of the profits and royalties of this book to the Ilam Lepcha Assocation, Vaidya, Schwerzel and Tuinstra must be applauded for their original effort to account the Lepchas of Ilam.