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Monday, 03 January 2005 21:42 |
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The indigenous people settled from time immemorial in the villages of
Suri Haleswari, Tinekhu and Khahare in the vicinity of Suri Khola in
Dolakha District are called Surel. According to a study conducted at
the local level, there are 23 households in ward no. 7, four households
in Grangfi, Tinekhu and Suri Dobhan, two households in Khahare and one
household in Galpu of Suri VDC of Dolakha District. Thus, there is a
population of 149 from altogether 30 households (Maskey, BS2058).
According to their mythology, the five sons of ancient Kirata scattered
over various places and developed their own languages and cultures. Out
of them, the descendants of the youngest brother became Hayu, those of
the fourth youngest brother became Limbus, those of the third youngest
brother became Rais, those of the second youngest brother became
Sunuwar and those of the oldest one became Surels (Maskey: BS2058).
The language of Surels, who are in an absolute minority, belongs to the
Tibeto-Burman family and it resembles the language of Sunuwars. They
are closer to Sunuwars from the cultural point of view also. Marriage
rites and processes also are similar to those of Sunuwars. If a child
dies, it is taken to a hill and buried there whereas the grown-ups are
cremated on the bank of rivers. Their cultural life appears to have
been influenced by neighbouring Hindus. Although influenced religiously
by Hinduism and Buddhism, they are worshippers of nature and
shamanists. Their jhankri is called Nasko. Bastu (Bumbu) is the creator
god. The creator god is offered the produce of the first harvest and
there are gods and goddesses who are worshipped regularly (Gautam and
Thapa Magar, 1994:341-345).
The Surels are educationally very backward. Only one Surel student
has been educated up to Grade 10 in spite of the fact that a secondary
school exists in the same village. Only an insignificant number of
children go to school. Almost all adults are illiterate. Almost all are
dependent on agriculture for their subsistence but their earnings are
hardly sufficient for three months. They have a practice of group
farming. The young ones go to India in search of work and the older
ones make baskets, winnowing trays, porter baskets, bamboo mats and
chitras (mats of split canes) of bamboo for sale in local markets. Only
a few of them have cattle. They have not been able to get any post so
far in local bodies.
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