The indigenous people Sunuwar of Mongoloid stock are the indigenous inhabitants of Near or Wallo Kirat, ie of the Sunkosi region to the east of Sangabhanjyang and the west of Dudhkosi river. Some are of the opinion that their name derives from the fact that they live on the banks of the Sunkosi river or they are the protectors of goldmines, guardians of all, while it is also said that as descendants of natural elements like the sun, land, water, air, they have come to be known as Sunuwar (Sunuwar, BS2056). Some have emphasized that as a group belonging to the solar lineage and as worshippers of the sun they have come to be known as Sunuwar (Sunuwar, BS2055). According to Eden Vansitart (1991:137), the Sunuwars have been called so because they live on one side (wari) of the Sunkosi river. As far as the Sunuwars are concered, they call themselves Koinch. Whatever the fact regarding their origin, there is no disputing that the Sunuwar are Kirats. As they were conferred the title of Mukhiya during the reign of King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah (1797-1816), they are also known as Mukhiya.

Near or Wallo Kirat, or the area between the Sunkosi and Dudhkosi rivers, is the Kipat land of Sunuwars. In Near Kirat, Dolakha, Ramechhap and Okhalkhunga are the districts densely populated by Sunuwars. They are also found in Ilam, Jhapa, Pachthar, Sindhuli, Taplejung, Dhanusha, Khotang, Sunsari and Morang districts (Mukhiya, BS2055). The population of Sunuwars, according to the census of 2001, is 95,254. Their population, as enumerated in the census of 1991, was about 41,000. The language of Sunuwars is said to belong to the Sunuwar language subfamily, which had branched off from the main Bahing Kirat language family (Rapacha Sunuwar, BS2056).

The culture of Sunuwars in general is similar to that of the other indigenous peoples of the Kirat family. As the Sunuwars, however, inhabit areas near Kathmandu, their culture is more influenced by Hindu customs than those of other Kirati indigenous peoples. Thus, the Sunuwars, after using their own priest Nahaso and shaman Poiwa, also employ the services of the Hindu Bahun priest (Birahi, BS2054/055). After the birth of a child, the Sunuwar, within three to seven days of birth, receive auspicious offerings (sagun) of alchohol and home-made beer from their priest and pray that the newborn will not suffer any pain while growing up. The Sunuwars marry outside their own thar, or subgroup. There is the practice of arranged as well as love marriages. The Sunuwar do not marry their maternal uncle's and aunt's daughters; however, the marrying of one's widowed elder sister-in-law after agreement on both sides occurs and is not uncommon among Sunuwars. The dead are buried. While performing ceremonies related to death, the Sunuwar live in a separate Tande house of the Halse (spirit) for three days and make offerings of egg and rice in leaves stitched together to hold things (Duna). The spirit is fed rice and meat and assigned to ancestors on the ninth day. On the tenth day, the daughters and female relatives feed salt, cooking oil and end the period of pollution.

Sunuwars have a tradition of typical merrymaking; they dance playing Jhyamta (cymbals), Vinayo (a kind of small musical instrument made of bamboo to be played in mouth), Murchunga (a kind of small musical instrument made of iron to be played in mouth) and other similar musical instruments and wear colourful dresses. They were holding Kipat ownership till the early days of Rana rule and were managing their social, economic and administrative affairs by themselves. The religious functions are performed by their own priests, Poinb, Gyami Nakso even today. Sunuwars have a tradition of organizing village council to solve their social problems. If someone marries a woman outside of his ethnic group, he has to request to his society to absolve him for the wrong he has committed and has to organize feasts for them. Women are comparatively free and enjoy higher states in society.

Sunuwars give importance to ancestor worship. Phyandar or Chandi worship is also an important worship ceremony. Liquor and meat have a special significance in each religious function. Their deities are believed to be closer to nature. Some of the well-known worship ceremonies of Sunuwars are known as Surom worship (worship of goddess of food), Nimlo worship (worship of the deity of fruits), Gil worship (worship of Bhairab-like god of terror), Sed worship (worship of Dwarpal like deities of four directions), Meselmi worship (worship of patron deity), Kolo worship (worship of Kolo deities), Ragan Gyami Poinb worship (worship of shamanistic deities), and so on. Sunuwars worship fire god also. Being a Kirat, they chant Mukdum (Mundhum). But their Mundhum is slightly different from the Mundhum of Rais and Limbus.

They are better known as hunters and horticulturists as they usually prefer to luve at steep terrain. These days they are involved in government jobs and wage earning also besides agricultural pursuits. They are considered accomplished in the work of different kinds of bamboo or cane and other domestic skills.