Tamang People

Tamang People

The Tamangs (Devnagari: तामाङ; tāmāng) also called "Tamags" are indigenous inhabitants of the Himalayan regions of Nepal. They form one of the major Tibeto-Burman speaking communities and trace their ancestry from Tibet. They have their own distinct culture, language and religion. Through the centuries, due to foreign invasions, they moved to other parts of South Asia. Today, they inhabit practically the entire mountainous regions of Nepal and also adjoining regions of India, Myanmar and Bhutan.

In Nepal, Tamangs are predominately found in the districts of Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Dhading, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Chitwan and Kavreplanchowk. Living mainly in the north and east of the country, they constitute 5.6% of Nepal's population, which places their population at 1,280,000, slightly higher than the Newars.

In India, Tamangs can be found in Darjeeling, Dooars, Dehradun, Dharamsala, Sikkim, Kalimpong and its neighboring regions.

Tamang are rich in socio-cultural perspectives. However, many years of marginalization and discrimination have hindered the progress of the Tamangs. But despite facing several hardships they have survived to maintain their distinct identity and recent years have seen some developments.

Many Tamang clans do not permit intermarriage with other ethnic groups, although some clans do permit intermarriages with the Gurung, Bhutia, Magar, Kiratis, and Sherpas. Their descent is traced patrilineally.