विश्वभरिका आदिवासी जनजाती बर्गहरु सबैले आफ्नो हक, अधिकार तथा पहिचानका सवालमा बर्षौ देखि आवाज बुलन्द गर्दै आएको पाइन्छ । नेपालमा पनि जातिय पहिचानका बारेमा सदन देखि चिया पसल सम्म बहस चलेको प्रशस्तै पाइन्छ । पछिल्लो समयमा मुलधारका जाति तथा शासक वर्गहरुले पनि आफुहरुलाई आदिवासी जनजातिको रुपमा स्थापित गराउन केहि कदम नचालेको भने होइन । यस अवस्थामा कुन कुन जातिलाई आदिवासी तथा कुन कुन जातीलाई मुलधारका जाति भन्ने क्रममा सदनमा बहस नचलेको पक्कै होइन । नेपालको सन्दर्भमा संख्यात्मक रुपमा कुल आदिवासी जनजाती मध्ये ४४ प्रतिशत तमाङ जाति रहेको आदिवासी जनजाति उत्थान समितिमा उल्लेख भएको पाइन्छ । वि.सं. १९९७ देखी हालसम्मका जनगणनालाई नै हेर्ने हो भने पनि विभिन्न आदिवासी जनजातिहरु भन्दा संख्यात्मक हिसावमा पनि दोस्रो स्थानमा भएको प्रष्ट देखिन्छ । आदिवासी जनजाति उत्थान राष्ट्रिय प्रतिष्ठान ऐन २०५९ र आदिवासी जनजाति सम्वन्धि आइएलओ महासन्धी नं. १६९ ले आदिवासी जनजातिका निम्न ९ वटा पहिचानहरु ठम्याइका छन । आई. एल. ओ. १६९ अनुसार परिभाषित गरेका आदिवासी जनजाति ती हुन् -
यसरी ९ पहिचानका आधारमा आदिवासीको परिभाषा गरीएको छ , यसर्थ पनि के भन्न सकिन्छ भने आप्mनो मातृभाषा र परम्परा रीतिरिवाज, छुट्टै सांस्कृतिक पहिचान, छुट्टै सामाजिक संरचना र लिखित वा अलिखित इतिहास र निश्चित भौगोलिक क्षेत्रको निर्धारण भए बमोजिमको जाति वा समुदायलाई नेपालको आदिवासी जनजाति भन्न सकिन्छ । तमाङ जातिलाई आदिवासी जनजातिको रुपमा सूचीकृत गराउन हाम्रा अग्रजहरुले धेरै समय, अर्थ र बौािद्धक श्रमको लगानी साथै सडक तताएका थिए, ती लागानीलाई खेर जानु नदिनु हाम्रो दायित्व हो ।
यसैगरी विभिन्न सुचिकृत तमाङ पहिचान मध्ये सांस्कृतिक पहिचान नं. ४ अन्र्तगत पर्छ तमाङलोक बाजा ूडम्फुू । डम्फु मात्रै त्यो बाजा हो, जसले हामी तमाङ जातिको सांस्कृतिक पहिचान बोकेको छ । हाम्रो जातिय पहिचानलाई संरक्षण साथै संम्त्र्रद्धन गरी भोलीको पुस्ता समेतलाई जानकारी दिनका लागी पनि डम्फु संरक्षण आजको आवश्यकता हो । यदि डम्फुको प्रयोजन नगर्ने हो भने, हामी तमाङको सांस्कृतिक पहिचान माथि प्रश्न नउठाउलान भन्न सकिन्न । त्यसैले आजको पुस्ताले यो बारे जान्न आवश्यक छ, ूडम्फुू के हो ?, कसले बनायो ?, कसरी बनाइन्छ ?, कसले बजाउँछ ?, कहिले कहिले प्रयोग हुन्छ ?, र ूडम्फुू को समावेशी अर्थ के हुन्छ ?
डम्फु तमाङहरुको एक मात्र प्राचिन लोक बाजा हो । यो कसले कहिले बनायो भन्ने कुरा लिखित रुपमा इतिहास नभए पनि वि. सं. २०१३ सालमा सन्तवीर लामा ज्यू बाट रचित गीतका अनुसार के तर्क गर्न सकिन्छ भने, हिमाली भु भाग नजिक पर्ने पहाड (नोवा ज्योमो गाङ) मा बस्ने सिकारी म्हेमे पेङ्दोर्जेले बनाएको आख्यान रहेको छ । हिमालय पर्वतमा सिकार खेल्दा मारिएको घोरलको छाला, कोइरालाको काठँ र बाँसको सुइरोबाट बनाएको भनि गितबाट प्रष्ट पार्न खोजिएको देखिन्छ । यसबाट के पनि प्रष्ट हुन्छ भने, म्हेमे पेङ्दोर्जेले तमाङ जातिका डम्फुू को निमार्ता मात्र नभई, पहिलो संगितकर्मी पनि भन्न सकिन्छ । डम्फुको निमार्ण प्रक्रिया पनि सरल भएकाले यो निकै प्राचिन बाजा हो भन्न सकिन्छ ।
तमाङ जाति भित्र पनि ताम्बा, गान्बा, लामा, चोहो र बोन्बो गरी पाँच थरिका फरक मानिसहरु पाँउदछ, जसको आ(आप्mनै काम, कर्तव्य र अधिकारको जिम्मेवारी रहेको हुन्छ । ताम्बाले परम्परागत संस्कृतिका जगेर्ना गर्ने, समाजका अगुवा व्यक्तिका रुपमा पनि चिनिन्छ । गान्बाले रीतिरिवाज, भाषाको संरक्षण गर्ने हुन्छ, परिवारको जेष्ठ सदस्य तथा उमेरले बुढापाकालाई जनाउदछ । लामा समाजका पढेलेखेका, ज्ञान प्रदान गर्ने, धर्म गुरुको काम गर्दछ । चोहो पनि समाजका विद्धावन वर्ग, समाजमा हुने विभिन्न किसिमका अराजकतालाई साम्य पार्ने, झै झगडा मेलमिलाप गराउने तथा न्यायको काम गर्दछ । बोन्बो समाजमा हुने विभिन्न रोग ब्याधीको औषधी उपचार गर्ने ब्यक्ति हो । यसरी आप्mनो पद सँगै समाजको लागी आप्mनै किसिमको जिम्मेवारी रहेको पाइन्छ ।
तमाङ समाजमा जति पनि हुनु गरेका जीवन संस्कार ( १) न्वारान, २) भातख्वाइ, ३) छेवार, ४) गुन्युचोली दिने, ५) विवाह, ६) मृत्युसंस्कार ) हरु छन्, तिनी सबैमा डम्फु बजाउदैनन् । ब्यक्तिको जन्म सगै न्वारनमा, भात ख्वाईमा, छेवार तथा गुन्युचोली लागाइमा र विवाहमा गरि जम्मा पाँच थरीको संस्कारमा डम्फुको प्रयोजन धेरै भएको पाइन्छ । विषेशत छेवारमा मामाको स्वागतको लागी र विवाहमा बेहुला बेहुलीको बंशवली थाहा पाउनका लागी डम्फु प्रयोग हुन्छ । र अन्य चाडपर्वमा भने रमाइलोका लागी डम्फु बजाइन्छ । यस अवसरमा ताम्बाले गीत गाउने र डम्फुरेले डम्फु बजाउदै नाच्ने गर्दछ । अहिले आएर यसको प्रयोग विभिन्न लोक तथा सम्पुर्ण तमाङ भाषाका गितमा रहेको छ । म्हेन्दोमाया, विभिन्न कालखण्डका फापरे गीत, तमाङ सेलोमा पनि डम्फुको यथेष्ट प्रयोग भएको पाइन्छ ।
डम्फुको समावेशी अर्थ हेर्ने हो भने, यो घोरलको छाला, कोइरालाको काँठ र बाँसको सुइरोले बनेको डम्फुमा, हिमाली भागको घोरलका छाला, पाहाडि भागको कोइरालाको काँठ र तराई भागको बाँसको प्रयोग भएको पाइन्छ । यसरी के देखिन्छ यसमा नेपालको तिनै वटा भु(भागको प्रतितिधित्व गरेको र तमाङहरु परापुर्बकाल देखिनै नेपालको भु(भागमा भोगचलन गर्दै आएको कुरालाई देखाउदछ साथै यस डम्फुले नेपालको तिनै वटा प्रदेशको महत्व बोकेको देखिन्छ ।
Definition of
Indigenous Tribe & Damphu for Tamang Identity
World’s
Indigenous people are raising their voice for fundamental right, freedom,
liberty and identity. In context of Nepal, people are using to discuss the
issue about racial identity from parliament to coffee shop. Tamang is the
oldest & largest tribe among the other indigenous group of Nepal. According
to the latest data of National Foundation for Development ofIndigenous Nationalities (NFDIN),
Tamang have the 44% mass among the Nepali Indigenous group of People. If we
look thoroughly the census of Nepal from 1940 to 2011, Census data shows that,
Tamang tribe is the largest Indigenous tribe in Nepal. From the previous
decade, Aristocratic & so-called higher castes people also claiming them as
Indigenous people of Nepal. In this situation, parliament of Nepal has discussed
about the categories of Indigenous Tribe & Caste of Nepal. Act of 2059 – National
Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN) & International Labor Organization (ILO)
Convention No. 169 has declared about the certain characteristics of Indigenous
tribe.
According to
the ILO Convention No. 169, Indigenous people are defined as following…
1)
Differentiation
from the Nation Community (Aristocratic/Leading People).
2)
Differentiation
in terms of socially, culturally, and economically.
3)
Having own
culture, costume, code of conduct, rule & regulation, and tradition.
4)
Having special
ancestral geographical arena & tenant of peculiar place.
5)
Limited peoples
from socially, culturally, economically, and politically.
Above
points clarify that, Indigenous people means to having own language, culture,
tradition, oral or written history, social norms, and code of conduct.
Act of 2059- NFDIN has defined using the nine indigenous identity
markers of people.
1)
Identity No. 1.
Having own Mother tongue / Language.
2)
Identity No. 2.
Having own social structure.
3)
Identity No. 3.
Having own ancestral tradition (ritual tradition).
4)
Identity No. 4.
Having differentiation of traditional culture.
5)
Identity No. 5.
Having oral or written history.
6)
Identity No. 6.
Having Spiritual law & Norms.
7)
Identity No. 7.
Having own social, cultural, economical, and political institutions.
8)
Identity No. 8. Having different culture,
society, language from National Caste.
9)
Identity No. 9.
Having certain geographical arena.
According
to these nine identity markers we can state that, those are Indigenous tribe
who have own mother tongue, ritual tradition, social structure, specific
geographical location, and oral or written history. Our ancestral fathers have
invested lots of physical, economical, & insight effort. So, it is our
responsibility to protect our position as Indigenous group of people.
Among
the several listed Indigenous identity markers, no. 4 is related with Damphu.
‘Damphu’ is the Tamang folk musical instrument. Damphu is one of musical
instruments of Tamang, which holds the identity of the Tamang cultural
tradition. To distribute & protect our Indigenous cultural tradition of
Tamang Tribe and it is important to keep informing the new emerging generation
about the Damphu. If we don’t use the Damphu as our cultural musical
instrument, it may raise the question about our cultural traditional identity.
Therefore, it’s significant to be familiar with Damphu on new generation of
Tamang tribe. What is the Damphu, who made it, how does it made, who use to
play, when does it to use & what is the federal meaning of Damphu?
Damphu is the only one ancient folk musical
instrument of Tamang Tribe. We have no written history about who had made it
but we can argue that with reference of Tamang Musician Santa Bir Lama’s song
in 1956. He has explained that, Mheme Pengdorje lama who had lived in Himalayan
range of Nepal. Mheme Pengdorje lama use to go hunting wild animal. At the mean
time he had hunted Deer. With the synchronic of Deer skin, Koirala’s wood,
& Bamboos’ sharpen instruments, he has made the Damphu. It shows that,
Pengdorje is not only producer of Damphu in Tamang community; he is the first
musician of Tamang society as well. Process of making Damphu is simple way,
that’s why Tamang community claims that it is the ancient musical instrument of
Tamang community.
There
are five types of leading people in Tamang community. They are Tamba, Ganba, Lama, Choho, & Bonbo.
They have own responsibility as their title position. Tamaba always focused upon the ancient ritual culture, try to save
their ancient ritual culture, & also known as the leader of Tamang
community. Ganba’s major concern is
to save the Tamang tradition & language, normally Ganba refers to the
grandsire of family & old age people of community. Lama is the educated person in the community, teacher of religion,
knowledge, & wisdom. Choho is
the literate & lawyer of Tamang community. They try to control over the
several negative activities in the society, & provide the justice for
injustice people in community. Bonbo
is the doctor of Tamang society. They use to provide the several organic herbal
medicines, & use the Tantra with divine power to save the life of sick,
illness people in society. As the position of society, they are contributing,
sacrificing their responsibility for the development of Tamang society.
Damphu
is not bringing into play in all the ritual traditional ceremony (1. Birth
Ceremony 2. Rice Feeding Ceremony, 3. Chhewar Ceremony / Gunyo Choli Ceremony,
4. Marriage Ceremoney, 5. Death ceremony) of Tamang society. Damphu is use to
play in five ritual ceremony with the birth of people in Tamang society; Birth,
Rice Feeding, Chhewar, Gunyo Choli, & Marriage ceremony. Especially, Damphu
is use for the welcome to Mother’s Brother in Chhewar, Gunyo Choli ceremony and
to know the heredity of bridegroom and bride’s in Marriage ceremony. Damphu is
use to play just entertainment purpose in other normal cultural festivals. In
this situation Tamba use to sing song, Damphure use to play Damphu and Dance.
But nowadays, Damphu use in all Tamang language cultural folk songs. There are
sufficient uses of Damphu in periodic folk songs, tamang selo songs, &
Mhendo Maya Folk Songs.
If
we look federal meaning of Damphu, there are synchronic of Himalayan Range’s
Deer’s skin, Hilly area’s Koiralo’s wood, & Terai Area’s Bamboos’ sharpen
instruments make the complete perfect Damphu. It shows that, Damphu represents
to all Nepali geographical arena, Tamang has cultivate to live from long time, and
Damphu has carried the importance of all geographical areas of Nepal.
Therefore,
at the present time to distribute and protect our Indigenous cultural tradition
of Tamang Tribe and it is important to keep informing the new emerging
generation about the Damphu. If we don’t use the Damphu as our cultural musical
instrument, it may raise the question about our cultural traditional identity.
Therefore, it’s significant to be familiar with Damphu on new generation of
Tamang tribe. For that reason, it’s necessary to protect the ancient Damphu. If
we lost our Damphu, we will lose our cultural identity with Damphu.
Notes:
Damphu :
Ancient Tamang Cultural Musical Instrument
Santa Bir Lama:
Tamang Cultural Singer
Mheme Pengdorje Lama: First Tamang Musician & Creator of Damphu
Deer:
A kind of wild animal
Koirala
: A Kind of Tree, Easy to make circle.
Tamaba: leader of Tamang community.
Ganba:
the grandsire of family & old age people of community.
Lama
is the educated person in the community, teacher of religion, knowledge, &
wisdom. Choho is the literate &
lawyer of Tamang community. They try to control over the several negative
activities in the society, & provide the justice for injustice people in
community.
Bonbo
is the doctor of Tamang society. They use to provide the several organic herbal
medicines, & use the Tantra with divine power to save the life of sick,
illness people in society.
Tantra:
Having Divine power
