LEPCHA – NATURE RELATION

LEPCHA – NATURE RELATION 

Dr. D.  C.  Roy.

Lepchas call themselves Mutanchi Rong-Kup Rum-Kup means ‘the Beloved children of Mother Nature or the children of God’. Lepchas are perhaps the only tribe who by their name links them with nature. In the outside world, the community is popularised as ‘Lepcha’.

 The degree of interconnectedness between nature and the Lepchas is so high and intrinsic that it affects all aspects of the community life. It creates a unique Lepcha-nature culture which is purely nature based. All Lepcha cultural aspects including their folk tales, folk songs, literature, religion, material culture etc are nature dependent.

Lepcha Mythology of Origin: Mythologycally “the first and foremost primogenitors of the Lepchas, Fodongthing and Nazaongnyo were created by God from the pure, virgin snows Kingtsoomzaongboo Choo’s pinnacles and sent them down to live, prosper and spread all over the fairy land of Mayel Lyang that lies on the lap of Kingtsoomzaongboo Choo that is Mount Kanchanjunga” (K.P.Tamsang, 1983: P-1, 2). Lepchas strongly believe that they are not only the true sons of the soil but they have originated from the Himalayas. Lepcha is a classless society but they have different clans or Moo and they believe that each moo originates from different peaks of the Eastern Himalayas. Each moo has separate Chu (Peak), Daa (Lake) and Lyap (Entrance) which link their origin with the mountain region of the area. They have separate names for each Chu, Daa and Lyap of the region while the Geological Survey of India recognises the peaks by numbers. Lepchas believe that after death their souls return to their corresponding Chu via  Lyap to meet and take rest with their ancestors. Each Lepchas respect, praise and sentimentally attach with the entire Himalayan range. Their sense of respect creates their obligation in preserving and maintaining the Himalayas without causing any harm to it. 

Lepcha Religious Practice: Traditionally Lepchas were nature worshippers. Mount Kanchanjunga is their divine deity. They worship all other natural elements like peaks, rivers, lakes, streams, cloud, water, soil, tree, rain, sun etc of the region. Mythologically Lepchas  relate them to different natural aspects of the locality. Each Lepcha clan has mythological link with different peaks, lakes of the Himalayan range. In all the three important events of life like Tungbaong (Naming Ceremony), Bri (Marriage), Sung-Lyaon (Death rites), Bongthing and Mun, the Lepcha priest and priestess utter the names and offer prayer and offerings to the respective peak, lake and also keep them witness of the occasion. 

Lepcha love and respect of nature have been reflected in their invocation in different Faats (Prayer). Faats are special offerings to different elements of nature. Muk-Zik-Ding-Rum-Faat is the offering to Mother Nature for timely and sufficient rain, mist and good climate for habitation and vegetation. The Faat is observed during March-April i.e the period of germination. It is said that in the evening of each Faat there is at least one shower of rain. Chu-Rum-Faat is the offering to Mount Kanchanjunga and other peaks who are the divine deity of the Lepchas. Tendong-Lho-Rum-Faat is the special offering to Tendong peak of Sikkim which is believed to cause deluge in the by gone days. The government of Sikkim has declared 8th of August as state holiday to celebrate the occasion. Lyaang-Rum-Faat is the offering and prayer to Mother Earth. Mut-Rum-Faat is the offerings to jungle spirit and the Lepchas praise the spirit both before and after hunting.

Lepcha Medicinal Knowledge: Lepcha health management practice forms a part of their culture, the man made part of their environment. Lepchas have a close and symbiotic relation with the nature. The Lepcha health management system has two parts: (a) propitiation of spirits – good or bad – responsible for causing diseases and (b) use of curative medicines prescribed by Bongthing or Mun from local herbs.

Nature not only provides food and shelter but even today most Lepchas depend on forest for herbal medicine to keep them fit and healthy. Lepchas mostly depend on their Bongthing and Mun, the local herbalist for their common ailment. The modern medical facilities are yet to reach far flung hamlets and they are delighted and keep themselves fit and fine with traditional method. For common diseases like cough and cold, indigestion, skin diseases etc their older folk of the family treat them from the surrounding herbs. The herbalist does treat jaundice, piles, bone fracture, cardiovascular diseases, gynaecological disorder etc. A list (Govt of Sikkim) on ethno- medicinal plants which are commonly known to the Lepchas is shown in Annexure 1.

 Most common Lepchas possess working knowledge on herbs but Maondaok, the Lepcha medicinal man is the expert. As per Lepcha folk tale, Tamsangthing narrated the knowledge on medicinal plants to Bongthing and Mun and Pundim Chu is the original source of all herbal medicines. Mun possesses better knowledge on herbal medicine than Bongthing. Each year during Sugi Rum-Faat, all Muns assemble in a particular place and renew their knowledge on herbs and offer prayer to Nyoo-Koong Nyoolik, the first Mun for her blessings. Before going for modern medical treatment, even today all Lepchas consult and take permission from the Bongthing and Mun, the bare-footed doctors of the Lepchas in the villages. There is no evidence of epidemic in Lepcha history and the community possess good health and their health management is purely nature based and environment friendly.

Lepcha Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Tribal knowledge about nature has been generated from their long experience and observation of nature’s behaviour. The elder taught this knowledge to the young who again transmits it to the next generation. The younger generations are taught how to observe and read nature including the behaviour of bird, insects, animals, weather, rain, plants, shrubs etc and gather knowledge of the environment they live in. This knowledge also reflected in the culture and life style of the tribes. Nature is a non-stop event and changes every moment. Tribal youths are taught for generations ‘to wait’, ‘observe’ and ‘learn’ the happenings of the nature and thereby gather full knowledge of the natural happenings. Lepchas have full patience and keep close watch on all happenings in this part of the country. One meaning of their name, Lepcha, is ‘to wait’

By virtue of their long dependence on nature, the Lepchas know each and very elements of the region. The mountains, rivers, lakes, plains, plants, shrubs, bushes, birds, animals and all natural elements are known and have separate Lepcha names. This besides enriching Lepcha vocabulary also depicts rich knowledge and wisdom of the Lepchas on the natural elements and events.

Lepchas can differentiate edible and non-edible plants and roots of the locality. They know the indigenous technique of freeing poison from some poisonous roots and make them edible. Such roots are very tasty but at the same time can take life if poisons are not taken out carefully. The root poison is used in arrow head for hunting animals. Lepchas are the born botanists and zoologists and expert chemists. It is said that J.D. Hooker gathered botanical knowledge on the region from Lepchas and always keep the Lepchas as his company while moving any part of the Lepcha land.  He described Lepchas as “great nature lovers and good entomologists and botanists, and have their own names for every animal, insect and plant, and are, I should think, unequalled anywhere as collectors” (J.C. White, 1909 : Reprint, 2005 : P – 7).

Lepcha Concept of Balancing Ecology: Lepchas not only use nature for their livelihood but they possess a good sense of preservation and conservation of nature.

Lepcha story of hunting in the forest and fishing in the river show their awareness in balancing the ecology. It is said that they do never hunt animals or catch fish more than their requirement. If more fishes are caught in the net they release them in water and keep only that much which is needed for the day’s meal. It is also said that they do not catch either the baby fish or brood fish.

 Lepcha society is intimately linkesd with bamboo which the call Po. They use bamboo in all sphere of life like construction of house, bridge, utensils, carrying containers, hat, agricultural implements etc. Lepcha water carriers, water conduits, drinking vessels, pins and broachers, bows and arrows, quiver and scabbards, thatching of roof – all made from different varieties of bamboo which are available in the forest. It is almost proverbial that Lepchas will remain in this part of country so long bamboo grows here. Use of bamboo than wood has its ecological significance in balancing the environment as bamboo bushes grow much faster than tree. Lepcha life style is eco-friendly.

Lepcha love and respect of natural elements and its ecological effect has been reflected through their rituals. Muk-Zik-Ding-Rum-Faat, Chu-Rum-Faat, Tendong-Lho-Rum-Faat, Lyaang-Rum-Faat are some of the rituals where Lepchas are found to offer prayer and offerings to natural elements for good rain,  good vegetation, good weather.

Lepcha Material Culture: All traditional material culture of the Lepchas is nature based. Lepchas use wood, bamboo and cane in construction of house and bridge utensils, ornaments, agricultural implements, hunting implements, carrying containers, musical instruments and what not. Doo-Kye-Moo-Lee, the traditional Lepcha house is constructed of wood, bamboo and thatch. Not a single imported item like nail or screw is used in its construction. The house is earthquake proof, flood proof, landslide proof, warm in winter and cool in summer. Lepcha cane and bamboo bridges are the typical example of Lepcha knowledge of engineer and architectural skill. Musical instruments of the Lepchas are made of bamboo or wood which is nature based. Lepchas use all bio-degradable items which are collected from the nature.

Lepcha Folk-Tales, Folk-Songs: Most folk-tales and folk-songs of the Lepchas narrate the nature and its different elements including the animals. Lepcha tale of Earthen Tower and reaching heaven relates to the preparation of pottery which is nature based. The popular love story of Teesta and Rangeet is widely narrated during any marriage and is the story of two rivers of the region. Different animals like bear, tiger, lion, monkey, stork, frog, geese, dog, bird etc came frequently in any Lepcha tale. None of the animals are neglected but they are used as friend and many times worshipped by the Lepchas. In the tale of Zolasy Pandi river Teesta was used as messenger and birds are engaged to carry the message of cropping period for differing vegetables which even today the Lepchas are following. The tale of Pago Rip narrates the sad story of Tambum, the bumble bee and relates the flowering of Pago Rip at mid night and fade away in the morning. A deep correlation has been established between the animal world and the Lepchas habitation through the folk-tales. 

Lepcha Literature: Lepcha literature is nature based. Lepchas love and association with nature have been reflected in their poems, songs, stories and novels. In fact nature and Lepcha literature are inseparable. Lepcha songs and poems are nature based and are the representation of Lepcha tradition and mythology which are again nature dependent. Lepcha literature is the reflection of their folk tales and folk songs and both are nature based. All natural elements of the region and the animal world are the source of Lepcha literature. Lepcha dictionary is enriched with the names for different plants, animals, peaks, trees, shrubs and other natural elements of the region. Lepchas are the nature’s children and they know all the bird and beast, tree and shrub, flower, fruit and fungi of the region and have their separate names. These natural elements not only enriched their literature but their names have been accepted by all new comers. Lepcha vocabulary is very typical and most scientifically arranged. Name of all rivers of the region starts with ‘R’ for example, Rangeet, Relly, Ra-thaong, Raang Raang, Rung-nyoo, Rum Bee, Rum Maam, Ryaong etc. Similarly the names of all wild animals starts with ‘S’ for example, Sa ka (means deer), Sa chaak (means leopard), Sa ngoong (means lizard), Sa toom (means wolf), Sa thaong (means tiger), Sa naa (means bear), Sa ryaok (means jackal), Sa laoyk (means rhinoceros), Sa hu (means monkey) etc.

Lepcha Village Name: A good number of Lepcha dominated villages of the region are named after the typical natural condition or natural elements of the area. Be it tree or animal or shape of land but the place name is the reflection of any of the typical character of the nature. It was perhaps these dominant natural component not only identifies the place but separates it from other places. For example Kanki Bong (Kanki is the name of a type of tree), Po-Chaok (Po means bamboo), Pa-Zok (anglised Pashok which originally means jungle), Sonada (the bears den), Pakyong (a kind of cane).

Lepcha Personal Names: Like the place name of the region, most personal names of the Lepcha, both male and female, are meaningfully linked with the environment and nature of the region. Although nature is generally feminised but the Lepcha personal names of the males are also linked and taken from the different elements of the nature. In some cases the same natural component is used for naming both the sexes; but the females are separated by using ‘mit’ or ‘kit’ as middle name. Some examples of Lepcha male names which are directly linked with nature are: Somee Lepcha (Somee means climate), Soaongfoom Lepcha (Soaongfoom means dawn or the first sun light), Sa Aom (Sa Aom means light), So Raam Lepcha (So Raam means thunder), Lyaangsong Lepcha (Lyaangsong means aroma of the earth) etc. Some nature based meaningful Lepcha female names are: Lyaangkit Lepcha (Lyaang means earth or soil), Koorsaongmit Lepcha (Koorsaong means white orchard), Safyummit Lepcha (Safyum means a cool or gentle breeze), Ramhimit Lepcha (Ramhi is the name of a river in Lepcha), Namthomit Lepcha (Namtho is the ray of sun in Lepcha), Niripmit Lepcha (Nirip is a type of flower available in this region), Paril Lepcha (Paril is a type of snake) etc.

Conclusion and Suggestions

Nature, the sum total of all living and non-living things, is very special to human beings in general and to the tribes in particular. Nature is the sole provider of life support system to the tribes. There is close and intimate relation between the tribes and the nature. Because of their close association tribes understand, know, read, judge, assess and interpret nature more correctly and accurately. There is an intrinsic bond between nature and tribe. They are the pure botanist, zoologist, environmentalist and what not. Tribes not only use the nature but they accommodate themselves in the nature without disturbing it. Lepcha livelihood is totally dependent on their Mother Nature - starting from cultivated plants to wild edibles, beverage to local drinks, firewood to light production, fish poisoning to hunting devices, gum yielding techniques to extraction of dyes, fodder to fibre, timber to building construction, incense to worship and lastly ethno-medicine to medico-religious belief. Such a diverse use of natural resources is an age old practice and could be well considered as a primitive agro-forestry based livelihood option. They worship most elements of nature and this inculcates a sense of preservation of nature. Destruction of nature is considered as sin to them and through nature they try to reach to God. In a word, nature is Godly to the tribes.

Lepcha culture is nature-culture. They not only live in nature with harmony but there is a high rate of dependentness on nature. Lepchas have accommodated themselves in nature by using and preserving it. This makes a two way interconnectedness between the Lepchas and the nature. Nature is the provider of life support system to the Lepchas and in return Lepchas love, respect and worship her as God. Destruction of natural elements is considered as sin and they protest strongly in the construction of Mega Hydro Electrical Power Projects by NHPC in Sikkim. Realising, although late, the value and importance of Lepcha Traditional Ecological Knowledge, the Government of Sikkim has scrapped four out of six Mega Projects in Sikkim. The primogenitors of the Lepchas were created out of virgin snow of Mount Kanchanjunga and the melting of ice block from the peak is considered as the beginning of the end of the tribe and human life in the region.

In Lepcha society, religion and nature are linked very closely. They worship almost all natural elements of the region. Nature provides everything for the livelihood of the Lepchas and they took sufficient measures in protecting and preserving all the natural elements. L.A. Waddel as early as 1899 narrated Lepchas as the true lovers of the nature.  “ ….. a true son of the forest and a born naturalist. He knows the habits of every bird and beast and creeping things: and the properties of every plant” (Reprint, 1978: P – 77, 78).

Time has changed Lepcha dependence on nature. In contemporary period Lepchas are compelled to settle in terrace based cultivation. Nearly 80% Lepchas are directly involved in settled agriculture and only 5% depend on livestock, forestry, fishing and hunting. The degree of direct and close relationship with nature has decreased with the changed living style of Lepchas. The relation has further been deteriorated with religious conversion and consequent cultural transformation. Religious conversion into Buddhism and Christianity has replaced the role of Bongthing and Mun by the Lama or Church priest who have nothing to do with traditional Lepcha nature culture. The Buddhist Lepchas, by using Bongthing and Mun along with the Lama, are the retainers of true Lepcha culture. The peculiar blending of Buddhism and traditional Lepcha religion is called Jyktenmo. Today the Buddhist Lepchas are more nearer to the nature than the Christian Lepchas. Traditional Lepcha material culture has been faded away by the modern market system. Synthetic and polythin have replaced all traditional bamboo, wood and cane materials of the Lepchas which were more eco-friendly. Lepchas no longer perform the rituals of fishing and hunting: bow and arrow have become useless: Doo-Kye-Moo-Lee, the typical Lepcha house of wood, bamboo and cane is found in the museum at Bhopal. The changed food habit not only detached the Lepchas from nature but they forget their days old scientific knowledge of separating edibles from non edible roots, fungus etc. and the wisdom of freeing poison from the poisonous roots.

In the present ecological imbalance in the earth when the development thinkers have started talking about ‘sustainable growth’, the Lepcha concept of nature can be used as a true model for human survival. The story of catching fish as much as required and worshipping almost all elements of nature in different occasions like Muk-Zik-Ding Rum Faat, Tendong Lho-Rum Faat, Chu-Rum-Faat, Lyaang-Rum-Faat, etc are some of the evidences of Lepcha accommodation and coexistence in nature. Lepcha culture is not only a tribal culture but it is Lepcha-nature culture which is eco-friendly. Lepchas were not aware about the present day ecological crisis but by following their nature culture they remained safe and free from the modern hazards. The exogenous factors have affected the ecology of the region and the Lepcha nature culture may be considered as the model of solution. The modern world has many things to learn from the Lepcha Treasure of knowledge and their love, respect, worship, association, accommodation and relatedness with nature is most important. Referring to the importance on tribal knowledge Her Excellency the President of India Shrimati Pratibha Devi Singh Patil on the occasion of the national level Tribal Festival ‘Prakriti’ held at New Delhi on 16th March 2011, has rightly said “’Prakriti’, the name of the festival, suggests the intimate relationship between the tribes and the nature. The tribes of India are the custodians of a large volume of our indigenous knowledge and traditional practices, much of it based on a deep understanding of natural products and nature cycles. They are the inheritors of age old practice, which constitute the heritage of the country. All efforts should be made to preserve and document this vast knowledge in a proper manner.”

*********

References:

1. Govt of Sikkim – (2009) –  Report on the Status of the Lepchas of Sikkim. Unpublished Government Document.

2. Hooker, J. D., (1854) - Himalayan Journal. Notes of a Naturalist Vol.1, Dehradun: Natraj

Publishers.

3. Jana, S. K. & A .S. Chauhan, (2000) – ‘Ethnobotanical studies on Lepchas of Dzongu, North Sikkim, India’.  Annals of Forestry, 8 (1) pp 131-144.

4. Mainwaring, G. B., (1876) – A Grammar of Rong (Lepcha) Language. Reprint (1985) Daya Publishing House. New Delhi.

5. Roy, D. C., (2005) — Dynamics of Social Formation among the Lepchas. Akansha Publishing House. Delhi.

6. Roy, D. C., (2010) – Status of Women among the Lepchas. Akansha Publishing House. Delhi.

7. Roy, D. C., (2011) – Lepchas: Past and Present. N.L.Publishers Siliguri.West Bengal.

8. Stocks, C. De. B., (1925) – Folk-lore And Customs of the Lap-chas of Sikhim. Article in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal New Series Vol. XXI, No 4. Reprint (2001) Asian Educational Services. New Delhi.