Mythologies of the Pangwal Tribe
The Pangwala is a tribal community predominant in the Pangi valley of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh. As of 2001, the Pangwalas were classified as a Scheduled Tribe under the Indian government's reservation program of positive discrimination. Pangwali (Takri: 𑚞𑚫𑚌𑚦𑚭𑚪𑚯) is a Western Pahari language of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is spoken in the Pangi Tehsil of Chamba district, and is threatened to go extinct. Pangwali is natively written in the Takri script, but Devanagari is used as well. It is very similar to the Padderi language of Padder, J&K. Pangwali has about 90% inherent intelligibility with Padderi, 24% with Mandeali, 52% with Kangri, 44% with Chambeali, and 55% with Bhadarwahi. Its lexical similarity , 77% with Kullu Pahari, and 55% with Bhadarwahi.
Pangwal, means the people of Pangi, a remote valley in Chamba district, which can be reached by crossing the Sach pass (about 4800mtrs). They are known for their charming faces, fine physique and for their love of song and dance. They are mostly engaged in farming. Due to the scarcity of cereals, they eat grain with chaff. They are divided into higher and lower castes and are monogamous. Pangi Valley is the interior most tribal area in Himachal Pradesh of Northwest Himalaya. An ethnobotanical investigation is attempted to highlight the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants being used by the tribes of Pangi Valley. Various localities visited in the valley 2-3 times in a year and ethnobotanical information was collected through interviews with elderly people, women, shepherds, and local vaids during May 2009 to September 2013. This paper documented 67 plant species from 59 genera and 36 families along with their botanical name, local name, family name, habit, medicinal parts used, and traditional usage, including the use of 35 plants with new ethnomedicinal and other use from the study area for the first time. Wild plants represent an important part of their medicinal, dietary, handicraft, fuel wood, veterinary, and fodder components. These tribal inhabitants and migrants depend on the wild plant resources for food, medicines, fuel, fibre, timber, and household articles for their livelihood security. The present study documents and contributes significant ethnobotanical information from the remote high altitude and difficult region of the world, which remains cut off from rest of the world for 6-7 months due to heavy snowfall.
Pangwals are thought to be Pangi Valley dwellers. Every home in this town owns a ‘Choori,’ which is a hybrid between a yak and a cow. Their largest event, ‘Tyane,’ is held in August. ‘Hishoo’ is their new year’s day, which is celebrated with intense excitement and many extended night traditional dances. They now have one of the contentious practices of marriage by capture, which is mostly practiced in this tribal community’s Pith or Chori systems.
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