MYTHOLOGIES OF THE LEPCHĀ/RONG TRIBE

The Lepcha (/ˈlɛptʃə/; also called Rongkup (Lepcha: ᰕᰫ་ᰊᰪᰰ་ᰆᰧᰶ ᰛᰩᰵ་ᰀᰪᰱ ᰛᰪᰮ་ᰀᰪᰱ, Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup, “beloved children of the Róng and of God”) and Rongpa (Sikkimese: རོང་པ་)) are among the indigenous peoples of the Indian state of Sikkim and Nepal, and number around 80,000. Many Lepcha are also found in western and southwestern Bhutan, Tibet, Darjeeling, the Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal, and in the hills of West Bengal. The Lepcha people are composed of four main distinct communities: the Renjóngmú of Sikkim; the Dámsángmú of Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik; the ʔilámmú of Ilam District, Nepal; and the Promú of Samtse and Chukha in southwestern Bhutan. The word Lepcha is considered to be the anglicised version of the Nepalese word lepche meaning “vile speakers” or “inarticulate speech”. This was at first a derogatory nickname but is no longer seen as negative. The Lepcha people were earlier ruled by Pano (King) Gaeboo Achyok. Gaeboo Achyok was instrumental in uniting the Lepcha people and to honour him, the Lepcha people celebrate 20 December of every year as Gaeboo Achyok celebrations day. Gaeboo Achyok extended the Lepcha kingdom from Bhutan in the east to Ilam (Nepal) in the west and from Sikkim to the northern tips of present day Bangladesh.

Lepchā, also called Rong, people of eastern Nepal, western Bhutan, Sikkim state, and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal in India. They number about 46,000 (11,000 in India; 25,000 in Sikkim; and 10,000 in Bhutan). They are thought to be the earliest inhabitants of Sikkim, but have adopted many elements of the culture of the Bhutia people, who entered Sikkim from Tibet in the 14th century and afterward. The Bhutia are mainly pastoralists in the high mountains; the Lepchā usually live in the remotest valleys. While some intermarriage has occurred between the two groups, they tend to stay apart and to speak their own languages, which are dialects of Tibetan. Neither group has much to do with the Hindu Nepalese settlers, who have entered Sikkim since the 18th century and in the late 20th century comprised about two-thirds of the population. The Lepchā are primarily monogamous, although a married man may invite a younger unmarried brother to live with him and share his fields and his wife. Occasionally, also, a man may have more than one wife. The Lepchā trace their descent through the paternal line and have large patrilineal clans. They were converted to Tibetan Buddhism by the Bhutia, but still retain their earlier pantheon of spirits and their shamans, who cure illnesses, intercede with the gods, and preside over the rites accompanying birth, marriage, and death. Traditionally hunters and gatherers, the Lepchā now also engage in farming and cattle breeding.

Lepchas are the original inhabitants of Sikkim, formerly an independent kingdom situated in the Himalayas between Nepal and Bhutan. Lepcha is the name given to this group by their Nepali neighbors and is interpreted by some as a derogatory word meaning “nonsense talkers.” The Lepchas call themselves Rong. The Lepchas are of Mongoloid stock, and some anthropologists trace their origins to Mongolia or Tibet. However, the people themselves have no traditions of past migrations and place the home of their ancestors (Mayel) near Mt. Kanchenjunga. The early history of the Lepchas is obscure, their isolation no doubt limiting contacts with the outside world. The Bhutias began moving into the region from Tibet in the 14th century ad. Sometime before the beginning of the 17th century, Sikkim became subject to Tibet. Internal upheavals in Tibet early in the 17th century led to three “Red Hat” lamas (monks) fleeing to Sikkim, where they converted the population to Buddhism and created a Sikkimese Tibetan king. For the next three centuries, the Lepchas of Sikkim were dominated by the Bhutias, the Nepalese, and later the British. In 1950, although it remained independent under its ruling chogyal (king), Sikkim became a protectorate of India. Following a plebiscite in which Hindu immigrants from India made the difference in the voting, Sikkim became the twenty-second state of the Indian union in 1975.

The Lepcha language is spoken in Sikkim and Darjeeling district in West Bengal of India. The 1991 Indian census counted 39,342 speakers of Lepcha. Lepcha is considered to be one of the indigenous languages of the area in which it is spoken. Unlike most other languages of the Himalayas, the Lepcha people have their own indigenous script (the world’s largest collection of old Lepcha manuscripts is kept in Leiden, with over 180 Lepcha books). Lepcha is the language of instruction in some schools in Sikkim. In comparison to other Tibeto-Burman languages, it has been given considerable attention in the literature. Nevertheless, many important aspects of the Lepcha language and culture still remain undescribed.

Lepcha is the oldest and the first tribe reported from Sikkim, India; majority of its population inhabiting in Dzongu valley, an officially demarcated reserve for Lepcha community, bordering Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, in north district. Lepchas of Dzongu are known for their retention of rich cultural heritage. In view of the on-going cultural and economic changes brought in by the process of globalization, the immediate need was felt to document in details the under-explored ethnomedicinal practices of Lepchas of Dzongu valley. This paper reports 118 species, belonging to 71 families and 108 genera, under ethnomedicinal utility by the Lepchas for curing approximately 66 ailments, which could be grouped under 14 broad categories. Zingiberaceae appeared as the most used family (8 species and 5 genera). As per use pattern, maximum of 30.50% species are to cure stomach related disorders/ailments, followed by 19.49% for curing cut, wounds, inflammation, sprains and joint pains. Administration of medicine orally is recorded in 75% cases. Root and rhizome harvesting targeted 30 species. The changing scenario over time both at socio-cultural front and passing traditional knowledge interests from older to younger generation and rich ethnomicinal wealth of the oldest tribe of Sikkim are discussed in the light of conservation strategies and techniques to adopt.

Foning reminisces about his people and culture. Originally the Lepcha organized themselves by clans and practiced swidden cultivation in the mountains of eastern Nepal, Sikkim, western Bhutan and the northern point of the Indian province of West Bengal. Since the 17th century this country was occupied at different times by Tibetans, Bhutanese, the British, and Indians, who each left their mark on Lepcha culture and society. Foning tries to present the cultural past and heart of the Lepchas. He focuses on language, religious ritual and ceremonies, myths, tales, literature, and the character of his people. Lepcha life in the late 20th century varies according to where one lives (Bhutan, India, Nepal, or Sikkim), which religion one follows (Buddhism, Hindu, Christianity), one’s level of education, and occupation.

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