24.12.2012 Views

Socio-Cultural Environment - Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT)

Socio-Cultural Environment - Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT)

Socio-Cultural Environment - Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT)

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

8<br />

CISMHE<br />

The ethnic groups residing in the district are indo-mongoloids belonging<br />

to two dominant groups, namely the Lepchas and the Bhutias. A third<br />

group consisting <strong>of</strong> the people <strong>of</strong> Nepalese origin inhabiting the southern<br />

villages <strong>of</strong> the district includes a host <strong>of</strong> tribes and castes belonging to<br />

Indo-Aryan, Indo-Mongoloid and Proto-Australoid groups.<br />

The Lepchas are believed to be the earliest settlers <strong>of</strong> Sikkim. The<br />

origin <strong>of</strong> the Lepchas is somewhat obscure. According to the early<br />

anthropologists, the Lepchas migrated to Sikkim from the East, i.e. from<br />

the border regions <strong>of</strong> Tibet and Myanmar. The exact period <strong>of</strong> their entry<br />

in Sikkim could not be ascertained as the anthropologists and historians<br />

never established proven facts about their place <strong>of</strong> origin and reason <strong>of</strong><br />

migration. According to some the Lepchas belong to a Naga tribe while<br />

others have found likenesses with some tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.<br />

Still others contend that the Lepchas came from the west, i.e. from the<br />

Mech country in neighbouring Nepal. However, the Lepchas or the<br />

Rongs (the ravine folks), as they prefer to call themselves, are <strong>of</strong> firm<br />

belief that the land <strong>of</strong> Khangchendzonga is their own country and they<br />

know <strong>of</strong> no other country as their habitat. To quote a Lepcha writer, “On<br />

the slopes <strong>of</strong> these magnificent hills (Khangchendzonga) the Lepchas<br />

are born; there they live and there they die” (A.R. Foning, 1987). It is<br />

commonly agreed that the Lepchas are the most ancient inhabitants <strong>of</strong><br />

Sikkim and adjoining hills <strong>of</strong> Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Ilam in Nepal.<br />

The fact that most <strong>of</strong> the rivers, mountain tops, and places in the area<br />

have Lepcha names further substantiate the fact that the Lepchas had<br />

knowledge <strong>of</strong> all these landmarks much before the Bhutias or any other<br />

tribe reached this country.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!