Darai Indigenous Society Nepal

Who is Darai ?

Darai of Nepal
Indigenous Ethnic People

-Rajkumar Darai

(Darai Language page coordinator
Nayanepal, Gorkhapatra Daily Newspaper
& Radio Bijayafm 101.6, Nawalparasi, Nepal)

Introduction

Darai is one of the nationalities of Nepal. Darai is an ethnic group. Darai caste is one of marginalised Group of Indigenous Nationalities in Nepal. They are the Indigenous people of Nepal since long . Total number of Darai ethnic is 14,859 in Nepal, according to Census 2001.They speak ‘Darai’ language as their mother tongue. 10,210 Darai people speak their Darai language in Nepal. The greatest number of them have been living in the inner Nepal for several thousand years. Most of this people live in Chitwan, Tanhun, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, Palpa and Dhading districts in the area of western and central of Nepal.

In a few studies is reported about the origin of Darai. They are known by Daroe, Darhi, Daraie, Daras, Darad and Darai. Darais are Mongolian stock with short stature, depress nasal ruts and they have stumpy nose. They display great health and strength. Darais are economically poor and the literacy rate is also low in their communities and their livelihoods totally depend in traditional agriculture . Although Darais are agriculturalists lacking specific skills to carry out other special jobs. Man and woman both work in the field and keep cow, sheep, goat and hen at home. Most of the women prepare beer(wine) called ‘Mod/muna’. They take that wine as breakfast in the morning and the evening. They respect their guests having the wine in Darai society. They worship separate from all others and they use the wine for worship. They are different from other ethnic group’s tradition. They have their own language, custom, religion, traditional rituals and festivals from birth to death and own traditional homeland or geographical area. They have their own distinct identity, social structure and unwritten history. Nonetheless on the basis of darai's distinct identity, traditional rites, customs and festivals, there is no any doubt that they are complete natural lovers and ethnic peoples living in the land since time immemorial. They have their own gods and they have traditional belief shaman who treats their diseases. They worship natural things as god and goddess. So they say that their religion is naturalism (prakritipujak).

Many years ago Darais were owner of the large land but nowadays more than half of darais people are landless. They are unemployment lack of good education. They have no any other income except agriculture. Some of them are involved in other profession as business and husbandry. They have no good skill to earn money and to serve their lifestyle. Children go to school and some parents are not careful completely that their children need good education. On the other side they are economically backward. So they are no money to send their children for further study such as campus or college. It needs awareness to promote them who don't fallow important of education in this modern age. And their socio economic status is not strong which is the most problem of darai community. Low literacy rate of education a large number of Darai people are unemployed. Due to lack of the job darai women spend days without doing anything at home. Sometimes they used to go forest for woods and pick vegetables up in so it effects this society day by day .

In Order to solve social problems as a whole men, woman and youth have emerged among Darai communities on order to preserve the socio tradition of Darai people.

Darais are not getting any chances from government as well as they need because they are not approached to get facilities for developing Darai community. So their issues are all but invisible to many people, and their rights are abused. Thus darai are being backward and difficult to survive their lives hood. From Darai society their own language, custom, festivals, distinct identity, traditional rites and festivals are going to be lost slowly. It is necessary to support them in claiming their rights, identity and protect their lands, language, and cultures.

Darai “An Indigenous Ethnic Community" of Nepal

-Rajendra Darai

-Senior Scientist Nepal Agricultural Research Council National Grain Legumes Research Program,Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal

Background

Darai are early settlers and considered to be indigenous tribes of Nepal. They are the main tribal inhabitants of Chitwan & Tanahu district living close to the dense forest area and in the river valleys of the inner terai. There isn’t any precise proof concerning the origin of Darai people. Diverse historians presented their wide-ranging views regarding the origin of Darai. In accordance with the folklore, earlier Darai people had small kingdom located at Darbhanga now it is the district part of Bihar state, India. Myths reported that after Muslim invader, they arrived to Nepal and these people were so much afraid from the war that Daraya in Nepali word which was changed into the name Darai. Like, Darai people have seemed to be more or less pronounced the Mongolian feature. Of course, they are honest, docile, and hard working people. Pyakurel, 1982 also depicted in his literature that Darais are innocent, shy and relatively timid people. Bista, 1972 mentioned in his book "Peoples of Nepal” Darai people live in hot, wet and malaria area, are reputed to have grown immune to malaria. Correspondingly, Sahtiya Darai, Age 81years old, Madi Chitwan said an amazing history "how Darai people became as Darai".

According to her, Darai, Kumal & Bote were the ancestral relations. Obviously, they have more or less similar profession, food habits, body structure, residence, languages etc. As per assigning works for each of them, to collect the leaves of shorea robusta (Saltree) found in protected forest which is still used as the utensils or dish by the Darai people for the accomplishments of death formalities or wedding celebration. But they were so laggard that when they returned back by collecting the leaves at the location, all the cooked food materials has been completed and all of them were tired, saddened and hungry. Ultimately compulsorily each of them moved from the place to search the food materials. Bote saw the fishes in the river and attempt to kill the fish for his stomach while Kumal started to cut the bamboos for making the versatile items. Darai while moving towards a few hour distance participated on Magars party and when they curious to know about Darai, He was sadness, humiliation and afraid, Magars people therefore remarked that he was fearing to say his introduction means Darayo, this words was nicely changed into Darai (A survey report of Darai language and culture in Nepal, 2004). Overall they are primitive minded and pursue the superstitious believes highly.

Mostly they have brown to black skin color with a beautiful robust body. They have traditional skills to make fishing gears, Doko, Namlo, Chattri, hand using fan, special mats and hats. Most of these items have high market demand.Darais are surprisingly backwards in level of education and skills. Their languages distinctly incorporated with the Tibeto-Burman. Most of them are pure peasant farmers but they are more likely to hunt and fish as well. Due to the lack of awareness, immigrants have exploited them. With high opinion of cultural aspects, languages, religious process and customs are only the key heritages that make differences than others. Culture actually defines the identity, dignity, pride and cosmology of a particular people. Therefore, its disintegration and disruption threaten the very existence of society. The cultural diversity and uniqueness of each ethnic nationality is the most valuable endowment of people throughout the Asian subcontinent. However, in the days due to the unswerving influences of predominant social group of Nepal, either they are being care taking an alternative option of Brahman cultures and or deteriorated their ancestral glances. So the existences of Darai species are really endangered conditions in Nepal. If timely not considered the facts, no doubt, one of ethnic group among the ethnic-diversity will be declined overtime from Nepal.

Status of Darai People

Chitwan, Tanahu, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, Palpa, Dhading and Makwanpur districts accounted the main populated places of Darai in Nepal. The village number of Chitwan, Gorkha, Nawalparasi, Palpa and Tanahu have 55, 12, 6, 3 & 44 respectively. This information was reported in the survey of population statistics (2028 B.S.) that only 3084 Darai could talk the tongue languages in overall Nepal. The data (2048 B.S.) showed that Darai population was increased up to 10758 than previous records who could talk their own tongue languages. The household survey of recent data reported that the population of Darai in Chitwan was 8221 in totality where women share 49.64%. Anyway the Darai population growth was increased near about 19000 in Nepal. Categorically Darai population shared in the Regional developmental zone wise Narayani(9200), Gandaki(6900), Lumbini(1300), Janakpur(700), Koshi(700), Bagmati(300), Seti(70), Mahakali(30), Sagarmatha(30), Mechi(30) (Bible translation Status, 2010).Total number of Darai ethnic is 14,859 in Nepal, according to Census 2001.They speak ‘Darai’ language as their mother tongue. 10,210 Darai people speak their Darai language in Nepal.