Magars fear that their culture including Bhume dance is gradually dissappearing 

BAGLUNG, JULY 16

Tarakhola Rural Municipality in Baglung district is mostly populated by the Magar community. The community that migrated from Tarabhot of Dolpa and Argali of Palpa, has been keeping its ethnic culture alive.

The community is rich in cultural traditions that have been preserved for years. However, various forces of globalisation have posed threats to their indigenous festivals. The rural municipality is worried about preserving Magar culture and tradition.

It has been allocating budget to preserve and promote them.

Tarakhola Rural Municipality has recently developed a master plan to construct a cultural museum to preserve all kinds of cultural festivals of the Magar community. The local authority has allocated Rs 2.5 million for that purpose and land has also been acquired at Argala. Chairperson of the RM Prakash Gharti said,

“Goods having archaeological importance and traditional goods will be kept in the first floor in the two-storeyed museum building. Pictures depicting contributions made by Tarakhola in the movement for political change, as well as a documentary will be put on display in the second floor.”

The museum shall represent the history, art, culture of the entire rural municipality, it is said. The rural municipality has set a target of developing the museum as a cultural study and research centre, later. A teacher at a local school and also a leader Birbalal Ghartimagar said that the multi-cultural museum will give a new identity to Tarakhola.

The museum will help the young generation to know more about culture and history as well as strengthen  cultural sentiments and unity, said Magar. Also secretary at the Magar Language and Culture Protection Committee, Magar said the local level should take initiative to protect the culture of indigenous and marginalised communities. Construction work of museums in different parts of the district, including Resh of Baglung Municipality, and Hatiya of Galkot Municipality, have been taking place. A museum has already been constructed at Bhakunde, a tourism village in the district.

The Magar community populates the mid-hilly region of the country including Baglung.

They are rich in tradition and culture. Their lifestyle and language have enriched Nepali culture.

They are divided in three groups in terms of language. Magars from the Eastern Kali Gandaki River are called Bahiya, those from the western part of the river are known as Athara and Dolpali Magara are called Kaike.

Their major festival is Bhume (worshiping nature). But, people from Magar communities worry that the traditional way of celebrating Bhume dance is gradually disappearing.

Historians believe that the community had migrated there some 300 years ago. They are still in the majority there.

They celebrate Bhuspolne, Sisnokhosne and Asare festivals among other national festivals as- Dasahain and Tihar.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 17, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.