Serguty at 13:39, 10 January 2026

2026-01-10T13:39:45Z

New page

{{Short description|Native populations of Sikkim, India}}
The '''[[indigenous people]] of Sikkim''' are the [[Lepcha people|Lepchas]] and [[Limbu people|Limbus]];<ref>{{cite web | url=https://southsikkim.nic.in/about-district/communities/ | title=Communities | publisher=Namchi District - Sikkim | access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="LSI-Sikkim, p2">{{cite web |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Kakali |title=Linguistic Survey of India 1999-2003 |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-documents/lsi/lsi_sikkim/2Sikkim%20pg-i-xvii%20pg-1-23.pdf |website=censusindia.gov.in 2011 |publisher=The Linguistic Survey of India |access-date=24 November 2021}}</ref> the naturalized ethnic populations of [[Bhutia]]s, [[Kirati people|Kiratis]], and [[Indian Gorkha]] of [[Nepalis|Nepalese]] descendants who have an enduring presence in shaping the history of modern Sikkim.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://14.139.206.50:8080/jspui/bitstream/1/4203/1/Population%20of%20sikkim%20a%20geographical%20analysis.pdf|title=Population of Sikkim:A Geographical Analysis}}</ref> The indigeneity criteria for including all peoples of Sikkim and Darjeeling hills is a misnomer as it is clearly known that Lepchas are the first people who trace their origin and culture of their ethnogenesis to the historical and somewhat political geography of Sikkim history as is well documented by colonial and immigrant settler history. However, many tribes preceded the migration of the colonial powers and can trace their migratory background as well as ancestral heritage and a well-formed history of civilization and cultural locus that is not inherently indigenous to Sikkim.

Historically, Sikkim was a Princely State in the eastern Himalayas, a protectorate of India. Lepchas were the main inhabitants as well as the Ruler of the land until 1641.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Contents | url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-documents/lsi/lsi_sikkim/2Sikkim%20pg-i-xvii%20pg-1-23.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026165318/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-documents/lsi/lsi_sikkim/2Sikkim%20pg-i-xvii%20pg-1-23.pdf | archive-date=2011-10-26}}</ref> Lepchas are generally considered to be the first people, indigenous to Sikkim, while the major ethnic communities are mostly communities that function as tribal entities or ethnolinguistic groups with their own historical inception surrounding Sikkim and origins beyond the former Himalayan Kingdom. Apart from the [[Lepcha people|Lepcha]] population, ethnic [[Limbu people|Limbu]] and [[Bhutia]] population settled Early/Medieval Sikkim or present day political or historical Greater Sikkim and withstanding landmarks of forts and villages inhabited by the two ethnic populations in eastern, western regions of present-day Sikkim is speculated. The presence of the two populations prior to pre-monarchical Sikkim is to be further studied.

==History==
{{main|History of Sikkim}}
The [[Lepcha people|Lepcha]] and [[Limbu people|Limbu]] is the earliest ethnic group to have settled in [[Sikkim]]. The word
Sikkim was derived from "Sukhim" in [[Limbu language]] meaning new palace. They believe they are the autochthones while others considered that they were settled by the thirteenth century, coming from the hills before the arrival of the [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]] [[Bhutia]]s.<ref name=SPP>{{cite book|title=Sikkim: Past and Present |first=H.G. |last=Goshi |chapter=Chapter 3: History of Sikkim: A Himalayan Kingdom |page=60 |publisher=Mittal Publications |year=2004 |isbn=81-7099-932-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L7gIVNzkN2YC}}</ref> The Bhutia who immigrated to Sikkim claimed descent from a common ancestor, a [[Kham]]pa prince or chief named Khye-bum-sar, and were divided into fourteen main families.<ref name=SGP>{{cite book|title=Sikkim: Geographical Perspectives |first=Maitreyee |last=Choudhury |publisher=Mittal Publications |year=2006 |pages=25–28 |isbn=81-8324-158-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W9EwNfXkxZwC}}</ref> The [[Limbu people|Limbu]]s or the Tsongs are an ethnic Nepali [[Kirati people|Kirati]] tribe indigenous to the tract west of the [[Teesta River]] who believe they are the original inhabitants of [[Limbuwan]], a part of which is still retained in West Sikkim.<ref name=SGP/> Relations between the Lepcha and [[Tibetan people]]s began in the thirteenth century with the signing of a blood brotherhood by the Lepcha Chief Thekong Tek and the Tibetan Prince [[Khye Bumsa]] at [[Kabi Lungchok]] in north Sikkim. The Bhutias introduced [[Buddhism]] to the region. The houses in which Bhutia people live are called "Khim"<ref name=SGP/>

In 1642, the [[Bhutia]] established a monarchy headed by the [[Chogyal]] ({{bo|t=ཆོས་རྒྱལ་|w=chos rgyal}}; [[dual system of government|divine king]]), and opened relations with Tibet.<ref name=SPP/> By the founding of the Bhutia monarchy, Tibetan sources considered Tibetans (Bhutia), [[Lepcha people|Lepchas]], and [[Limbu people|Limbu]] to be the "original races of the kingdom."<ref name=SGP/> Around 1819, the Lepchas were still the most numerous population, comprising roughly half of all Sikkimese, followed by Bhutias (30%) and [[Limbu people|Limbus]] (20%); sources disagree on whether the Bhutias outnumbered the [[Limbu people|Limbu]] or vice versa, but in any event, the [[Limbu people|Limbu]] frequently intermarried with the Lepcha.<ref name=SGP/> Throughout the nineteenth century, further groups of Tibetans known as ''Rui-chhung'' ("little families") migrated to Sikkim under British rule.<ref name=SGP/>

Nepalese tribes/castes like [[Magars|Mangars]], [[Rai people|Rais]], [[Tamang people|Tamangs]], [[Gurungs]], [[Khas people|Khas]] etc., also deserve special mention in view of the ethno-political scenario of Sikkim.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://14.139.206.50:8080/jspui/bitstream/1/158/1/Encyclopaedia%20of%20Sikkim%20vol%201.pdf|title=Encycolopedia of Sikkim Volume1 Shyamal Dutt}} ANMOL PUBLICATION PVT LTD NEW DELHI-110002 (INDIA)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://14.139.206.50:8080/jspui/bitstream/1/3114/1/Samten%20D%20Bhutia.pdf|title=POLITICAL PARTIES AND ETHNICITY IN SIKKIM SINCE 1975}}Dissertation submitted to Sikkim University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY</ref>
In the 18th century the Gorkhali rulers and troops of Nepal conquered the western part of Sikkim and subsequently various other Nepali tribes settled there. By way of the [[Treaty of Titalia]] in 1817 between the [[East India Company|British East India Company]] and [[Sikkim]], the lands that were occupied by [[Nepal]] in earlier period were returned to Sikkim. This also brought the already settled Nepalese under Sikkim.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Society and Economy of Sikkim Under Namgyal Rulers (1640-1890) | year = 2014 | last = Gautam| first = Keshav| page = 58 }}</ref> The [[Newar people|Newars]], who are the business class of Nepali communities were brought to Sikkim by the ministers of [[Chogyal]] as they had the technology of minting coins and making [[pagoda]]-type house which were rather popular in Sikkim. They were also given permission to dig mines.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Society and Economy of Sikkim Under Namgyal Rulers (1640-1890) | year = 2014 | last = Gautam| first = Keshav| page = 6 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Navigating Social Exclusion and Inclusion in Contemporary India and Beyond: Structures, Agents, Practices (Anthem South Asian Studies) | year = 2014 | last = Skoda | first = Uwe | publisher = Anthem Press | isbn = 978-1783083404| page = 138 }}</ref> This community brought a number of worker and service castes like Brahmins or [[Bahun]]s, Sanyasis, barbers and artisan castes like [[Kami (caste)|Kamis]] (smiths), Damais (tailors) and Sarkis (cobblers).<ref>{{Cite book | title = Society and Economy of Sikkim Under Namgyal Rulers (1640-1890) | year = 2014 | last = Gautam| first = Keshav| page = 59 }}</ref> The Nepalese also introduced the system of [[Terrace (agriculture)|terraced cultivation]] to the hilly terrains of Sikkim which had a great impact on the cultivation of [[rice]], [[maize]] and other cash crops like [[cardamom]] and [[ginger]] bringing good revenue to the state.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Society and Economy of Sikkim Under Namgyal Rulers (1640-1890) | year = 2014 | last = Gautam| first = Keshav| page = 7 }}</ref>

The first census of Sikkim in 1891 showed that two-thirds of the population, 25,955 out of total 30,458 were now Nepalese.<ref>{{Cite book | title =Gazetter of Sikkim | year = 1894 | last = Risley | first = H.H. | publisher = Bengal Secretariat Press | page = 27 }}</ref> Immigration was also encouraged by colonial landlords in order to raise rents in otherwise densely forested Sikkim.<ref name=CJIS>{{cite book|work=Criminal Justice India Series |title=Sikkim |first1=N. R. Madhava |last1=Menon |editor-first1=D. |editor-last1=Banerjea |publisher=Allied Publishers |year=2005 |volume=18 |pages=5–13 |isbn=9788177648355 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=datstSvZEZIC}}</ref><ref name=Lama>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LvuOKCIICMEC |title=Sikkim: Society, Polity, Economy, Environment |first=Mahendra P. |last=Lama |pages=72–75 |publisher=Indus Publishing |year=1994 |isbn=81-7387-013-6}}</ref> Thus the 18th century saw the settlement of a large number of Nepalese communities by way of conquest and migration.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Society and Economy of Sikkim Under Namgyal Rulers (1640-1890) | year = 2014 | last = Gautam| first = Keshav| page = 58 }}</ref> Discrimination between the heterogeneous Nepalese and other groups became a pressing social issue,<ref name=Lama/> however the government of the [[Chogyal]] in its later years strove to treat all subjects equally as citizens, and allowed democratic changes to move forward.<ref name=CJIS/> These democratic and demographic changes culminated in a [[plebiscite]] in 1974, resulting in union with [[India]] as a [[States of India|State]].<ref name=CJIS/> Since joining India, indigenous groups have expressed anxiety over losing land, resources and power to those they view as non-Sikkimese "far above [them] in terms of political consciousness, resource position, education and manipulative qualities."<ref name=Lama/>{{rp|79}}

==Indigenous cultures==
[[File:Róng manuscript.JPG|thumb|300px|[[Lepcha script|Lepcha (Róng)]] manuscript.]]
The indigenous Sikkimese show wide cultural variation.

The Lepcha speak [[Lepcha language|Lepcha]] and use [[Lepcha script]] and the script is descended from the [[Tibetan script]].<ref name=Daniels>{{cite book|last1=Daniels |first1=Peter T. |first2=William |last2=Bright |title=The World's Writing Systems |location=[[New York City|New York]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1996}}</ref> Traditionally, Lepcha men wear ''gadas'' and tie a ''patang,'' a kind of weapon, on their waist and don a bamboo cap; women wear distinctive dresses and ornaments.<ref name=snowline>{{cite web|url=http://www.snowlinenews.com/The%20People%20of%20Sikkim-.htm |title=The Ethnic People of Sikkim: Their Lifestyles and Their Cultures |editor=Bijaya Bantawa |work=Snowline News online |date=2010-12-07 |access-date=2011-02-17}}</ref> Among Lepchas, there is a tradition of [[nuclear family]] structure and of monogamous marriage; though divorce is relatively rare, widowed persons customarily remarry.<ref name=SGP/>

Traditionally, the Lepcha practice a religion centered on shamans called [[Mun (religion)|mun]], who officiate ceremonies and festivals, and [[Bongthing|bóngthíng]], who are healers and are often female.<ref name=Plaisier>{{cite web|url=http://www.lepcha.info/religion.htm |title=The Lepcha religion |work=Information on Lepcha Language and Culture |author=Heleen Plaisier |date=2010-11-13 |access-date=2011-01-17}}</ref> The Lepcha converted to Buddhism in the eighteenth century, though their beliefs are largely [[syncretism|syncretic]].<ref name=Plaisier/>

[[Bhutia]]s speak [[Sikkimese language|Sikkimese]], which is also referred to as [[Dranjongke]], written in the [[Tibetan script]], proper. Men and women wear ''[[bakhu]]s'', while for women only this is accompanied by a ''hongu'' (blouse) around which they tie a woolen cloth around their waist called ''pangden'' if they are married.<ref name=snowline/><ref name=IM>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianmirror.com/tribes/bhutiatribes.html |title=Bhutia Tribes |work=Indian Mirror online |date=2010-12-14 |access-date=2011-02-17}}</ref> On special occasions they wear a scarf called a ''khada,'' which has become common feature in the Sikkimese society and culture even among the Nepalese of Sikkim.<ref name=snowline/> Historically, the Bhutia practiced [[polyandry]] before the nineteenth century; during the nineteenth century, wife-sharing among male siblings was also practiced, however, neither tradition survives today.<ref name=SGP/>{{rp|30}} Marriage rituals are traditionally elaborate and festive, officiated by a village chief as opposed to Buddhist lamas; late marriage and divorce are not uncommon practices among the Bhutia.<ref name=SGP/>{{rp|30}}

Most Lepchas, and Bhutias today practice local forms of [[Buddhism]], incorporating aspects of [[Bön]] religion and animism, in contrast to the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] Nepalese majority.<ref name=SGP/> Followers of Buddhism in Sikkim are largely either [[Kagyudpa]] or [[Nyingma]], though a small section of Bhutias claims to adhere to Bön in particular. Since the arrival of the Nepalese and Western missionaries, few Lepchas have converted to [[Christianity]].<ref name=SGP/>

==Contemporary issues==
{{Expand section|date=February 2011}}
The Lepcha reservation in Dzongu valley of north Sikkim<ref name=telegraph>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101228/jsp/siliguri/story_13358050.jsp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203202502/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101228/jsp/siliguri/story_13358050.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 February 2013 |title=Royal stamp on Lepcha reserve |work=The Telegraph online |date=2010-12-28 |location=[[Gangtok]]}}</ref><ref name=Awasty>{{Cite book|last=Awasty |first=Indira |title=Between Sikkim and Bhutan - The Lepchas and Bhutias of Pedong |publisher=B.R. Publishing Corporation |year=1978 |location=[[Delhi]] |oclc=6485607}}</ref> is threatened by [[dam]] construction.<ref name=dam>{{cite web |url=http://www.sikkimtimes.com/Columns/NHPC-is-Indias-Ugliest-Dam-Builder.html |title=India's Ugliest Dam Builder |work=Sikkim Times online |publisher=MizoramExpress |author=Heffa Schücking |year=2010 |access-date=2011-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117175516/http://www.sikkimtimes.com/Columns/NHPC-is-Indias-Ugliest-Dam-Builder.html |archive-date=17 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), founded in 1999 is a tribal organisation that promotes the socio-politico-economic rights of the Bhutia and Lepcha people as detailed in Article 371F of the [[Indian Constitution]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siblac.org/aboutus.html|title=About us|author=Sikkim Bhutia Lecha Apex Committee|access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Ajay K|last1=Mehra|title=Emerging Trends in Indian Politics: The Fifteenth General Election|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EG-vbArQhCIC&pg=RA1-PT78|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-19854-0}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[History of Sikkim]]
**[[Rabdentse]]
**[[Kabi Lungchok]]
*[[Sikkimese people]]
*[[List of Scheduled Tribes in India]]
*[[Jhakri]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Sikkim |last= Bareh |first=Hamlet|chapter=The Sikkim Communities|year=2001 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=81-7099-794-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jrr7HPr8NAQC}}

==External links==
* [http://www.siblac.org/ Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee]
* [http://www.actsikkim.com/ Affected Citizens of Teesta]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150801193449/http://lepcha.info/ Information on Lepcha language and culture]
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

[[Category:Culture of Sikkim| ]]
[[Category:Tibetan culture|Sikkim]]
[[Category:Himalayan peoples|Sikkim]]
[[Category:Indigenous peoples of South Asia|Sikkim]]
[[Category:Scheduled Tribes of India|Sikkim]]

Indigenous peoples of Sikkim - Revision history

Serguty at 13:39, 10 January 2026