Nepal is a multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual country. It is a home of 142 castes and ethnicities, and 124 mother tongues, according to the National Population and Housing Census 2021 in Nepal. The languages belong to five language families. They are Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Austro-Asiatic, Dravidian, and Kusunda. Kusunda is a language isolate with no genetic relationship to other languages. The Government of Nepal has recognized the Raji as a distinct endangered indigenous group.
Raji tribe, known as Phan in the Raji language, is one of the endangered indigenous ethnic groups of Nepal. Some scholars have mentioned them as Ban Manis, Ban Rawat, Ban Raja, Raji, and Raute. Their nomadic lifestyle, distinct and unique language, and habitation reveal that the Raji have been in Nepal since ancient times. The Raji were initially one tribe, but now they have three different groups. They are Baarh Bandale Raji, Purbiya (Panthe) Raji, and Naukule (Noukulya) Raji on the basis of their inhabitant area and linguistic differences. The legend, as written by different scholars, is that they migrated from the Rara Lake of Mugu. When the Rara Lake exploded, Raji moved from there to Dailekh and Surkhet. From Surkhet, they moved to Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur. Twelve different clans are found in the Raji community. They are Khadyal, Gholyan, Railayal, Sikante, Tokyal, Chimchyal, Gothyal, Naihari, Digyal, Batekwal, Sanjyal, and Chhantyal.
In physical appearance, they have been related to Mongolian affinity. George Grierson, in his book ‘Linguistic Survey of India (1909)’ had named this language as ‘Junggli’. Raji is an ethnonym used both for a group and for the language they speak. The Raji language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family. Indigenous ethnic groups of Nepal are categorized into five groups. They are: i) advanced group, ii) disadvantaged group, iii) marginalized group, iv) highly marginalized group, and v) endangered group. Among them, Raji belongs to the endangered ethnic group. Their ancestors were the original inhabitants of the land and survived by hunting animals, gathering fruits, collecting edible plants, honey, and forest herbs, fishing, and ferrying people across the rivers.
Linguistic status of Raji
There are about 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, and at least half are projected to disappear in this century. Nepal is ethno-linguistically rich. Since the official language of the nation is Nepali, the documents for official purposes are written in Nepali. In the Raji community, in general, Nepali serves as the language of wider communication. The total number of Raji mother tongue speakers according to the CBS is 4247. Raji is used at home, in the family, and in religious activities. Most of the Raji speakers use only their mother tongue with their family members while discussing family matters. Many of them are now bilingual, and communication with neighbouring people occurs in the language of the dominant community. There is the dominance of Nepali in social work. In addition to this, they speak Dangouriya Tharu, Rana Tharu, Hindi, Dotyali etc. Most of them learn Nepali in the community schools, colleges, and local markets. School-going children, businessmen, leaders of the community, and teachers are bilingual in both the Raji and Nepali languages.
Mother tongue speakers
District
Male
Female
Total
Koshi
16
26
42
Ilam
5
8
13
Morang
6
9
15
Kathmandu
13
12
25
Banke
7
14
21
Bardiya
356
362
718
Surkeh
500
492
992
Kailali
1104
1222
2326
Kanchanpur
48
58
106
Total
2054
2193
4227
Raji have positive attitudes towards the maintenance of their language. They are eager to maintain the transmission and the vitality of their language. Almost all the Raji male speakers like their children to learn or study in mother tongue. Most of the speakers are optimistic that their grandchildren will speak their language. It shows that they love their mother tongue and want to save it. Only some educated speakers of Raji can read and write in their language.
The modern language transmission resources like radio, films, and CDs/DVDs are not available in the language. Similarly, alphabet, general grammar, and dictionary, textbooks, literary materials, magazines, and written literature are not available in the language. This language does not have a script,, and there are no written records, documents, or books.
Written texts of the Raji tribe
In contrast, other indigenous ethnic groups of Nepal, the Raji, have received comparatively little attention from the Nepalese as well as foreign scholars. Raji is one of the least studied languages. The resources that are available in the Raji language are folk stories and folk tales. The Raji people have folk stories and folk tales, but they lack modern resources of language transmission like radio, cinema, film, and SD/DVDs. Most of the Rajis are not aware of what written materials are available in or about their language and culture.
Only Raji grammar and dictionary have been published to date. Preparation of textbooks in the Raji language is essential. The Raji community is rich in oral literature, folk tales, and songs. Regarding their dreams of making their language better, they should carry out the activities and programmes.
Settlement of Raji
Rajis settled especially in places where ‘Saal’ trees, in ‘Saalma’ in the Raji language, A written history of the Raji does not appear to exist; therefore, we can only speculate about their origin. The identification of indigenous groups in Nepal is based on the particular territory in which they lived as the first inhabitants. They roamed Dailekh to Surkhet, Banke, and Dang in the east and Bardiya, Kailai, and Kanchanpur in the west. The original land of the Raji tribe is believed to be in Raragaun in Mugu, and the first settlers of Surkhet district.
The Rajis, who lived a nomadic life, are now prohibited from settling wherever they want. They are an endangered tribe who live mostly live in the different villages near the jungle and riversides of Surkhet, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur districts in Nepal, and a small number in India. Now their houses are increasingly distant from the forest and rivers. Until a few decades ago, they spent a nomadic life before settling in different places. But Raji communities are also found in other parts of Nepal, particularly in Koshi, Morang, Dadeldhura, and Dang (CBS, 2021).
In Surkhet district Rajis live in Chhinchu, Uttarganga, Latikoili, Ramghat, Dahachour, Kalyan, Ghatgaun, Pokharikanda, Biddhyapur, Babiyachour, Tatapani, Kunathari, Lagam, Hariharpur, Jamu, and Gurbhakot. Similarly, they live in Sugarkhal, Patharaiya, Khailad, Dhanapa, Lalbojhi, Choumala, Dhangadi, Manera, Masuriya, Sadhepani, Hasuliya, and Teekapur of Kailali district. They also live in Hanspur of Dang district.
They live in Mahadevpuri, Lavaabstha, Phattepur of Banke district, Sanoshree, Gulariya, Deudakala, Magargadhi, Baniyabhaar, Dhadhwaar, Motipur, Beluwa, Dhodhari, Tarataal, Bhainsapur, Lamkiphanta, Khairahani, Dhakela of Bardiya district, and Krishnapur and Daiji of Kanchanpur district.
Raji’s boating and fishing practices reflect their interdependent relationship with water and rivers. Due to the nationalization of their traditional forests, it became difficult for them to freely roam and make a living. Today they live in the house. Their house used to be single-storey and thatched with thatch and straw. Except for a few Raji, the government of Nepal has built aconcrete one storey house to them where they live.
Occupation of Raji
The property of Raji was land. The land holdings of Raji households are not much in Nepal. The majority of them are landless. They lived subsisting on boating, fishing, hunting, honey hunting, collecting medicinal herbs, and jungle produce. In the past, they depended upon fishing, boating, and gathering edible roots. Fishing is their favourite work. They are also fond of hunting porcupine and climbing tall trees and cliffs for honey. When flowers wither, and bees migrate, they travel to the river to fish. Both males and females with their children go to the rivers for fishing. They have used nets constructed from locally obtained fibres such as jute and nettle. Unfortunately, they are now giving up their traditional occupations because they are losing access to natural resources. They are deprived of fishing, boating, hunting, collecting bee honey, and edible plants. It made it difficult to support their families. Income from traditional occupations such as fishing and boating remained insufficient to meet the basic requirements.
Now Rajis work as wage labourers, do agriculture, raise livestock, and a few youths have joined the police and army. Today, they consume rice and wheat as staples. They have been giving up their traditional occupation, and this means they are losing their traditions. They sell their labour to the owner of the village during the agricultural season for ploughing, digging, transplanting, harvesting, and threshing. The activities such as change in land use, deforestation, urbanization, and cultural transformations are important causes to change practice and traditional knowledge. The urgent task necessary to carry out in the context of disappearing these practices is to document the traditional knowledge for preservation. There is a risk of Raji’s traditional knowledge disappearing with the older generation and due to the ignorance of the younger generation on traditional practices by adopting a new and different lifestyle.
Raji’s skills, tools, and expertise are age-old, and it is found that the indigenous knowledge has been developed and practiced for adaptation to the environment. They have in-depth knowledge of rivers and streams. Traditional knowledge and practices are decreasing with age among the Raji people. Traditional living styles and patterns have been modified for the adoption of newer ones. Now they have not only started farming, but they have also stopped migrating like their ancestors. Their ancestral occupations are disappearing due to the establishment of national parks and community forests. There are no substantial forest areas left for them where they could live on their own resources. Food production is less because they don’t have sufficient land to cultivate. Due to the influence of urbanization and modernization, they have undergone rapid medication leaving their traditional occupations and adopting urban-oriented non-agricultural activities.
Financial situation of Raji
Rajis are in a pitiable condition. Before the introduction of the social security allowance, the lifestyle of Raji was poor. They used to sell fish in nearby markets and buy necessary spices, kerosene, vegetables, oil, salt, rice, and other things for daily use. Though the government has started development programmes, due to the narrow vision of developers and illiteracy in the community, their economic status has not improved. The economic livelihoods of indigenous people depend on natural resources. The characteristic of the Raji tribe, they earn by hunting bees and selling honey and fish. They now rely on agriculture, which shapes their social structures, cultural customs, and financial activities.
Causes of the displacement of Raji
Historically, Rajis were nomadic forest dwellers. Since the last thirty years or so, they have adopted a sedentary life, and then their economic dependence on the neighbouring community has increased. Their displacement from the forest was a result of their dispossession from their traditional settlement. Sadly, Raji has lost access to natural resources due to state policies, and they have problems making a living from fishing after contracting out rivers and lakes. They still consider forests, rivers, and land as their sources of property. But they no longer have access to that land.
Raji migrated from their homeland due to the loss of ancestral land, changes to their traditional livelihoods, and external pressure like conservation efforts and natural disasters. After the construction of bridges and road expansion, their occupation became in danger. When hunting is outlawed, and fishing is restricted, they started to give up their traditional occupation. Due to illiteracy, they were exploited by the moneylenders and other outsiders. Even though they now live near the forest, they have no ownership of it, and they live near the river or stream, they do not have ownership over it either.
References
Aanbuhang, Dal Bahahdur and Min Bahadur Raji. 2081 B.S. Raji Jaatiko Chinari. Aadivasi Janajaati Uththan Rastriya Pratisthan. Sanepa, Lalitpur.
Aaley, Uday Raj. 2017. Kusunda Tribe and Dictionary. Self. Dang.
Adhikari, Khagendra Prasad. 2022. Changing Livelihood Strategies of Indigenous People: A Case Study of Raji Community at Ghatgaun in Surkhet District, Nepal. Journal of National Development, Vol. 35, No. 1.
Bist, Dor Bahadur. 1980. People of Nepal. Ratna Pustak Bhandar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Uday Raj Aaley is an independent researcher, ethnographer, lexicographer, writer from Nepal who has worked on the Kusunda, Tharu, Magar and Raji indigenous groups and their languages. He has been closely involved with the Kusunda since 2008 and published books and textbooks and articles on the people and their language.
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