By Chandra Pandak
Taplejung, Jan. 10: The Limbu community living in eastern Nepal including Taplejung and Panchthar are actively working to preserve their culture.
Concerned about the decline of indigenous cultural practices like Ya: Lang (Paddy Dance), Ke: Lang (Drum Dance), Hakpare and Khyali, various Limbu organisations have begun conducting training to impart knowledge to the new generation and preserve them. The trainings are conducted with financial support from the respective local governments.
Local organisations like Kirant Yakthung Chumlung, Kirant Yakthung Artistes’ Forum and Limbu Culture Preservation Committee ramped up their activities in recent years to stop the decline of Limbu culture and involve more people in its conservation.
A 15-day Ya: Lang training was completed in Taplejung on Friday at the initiative of Kirant Yakthung Artistes’ Forum. Chairman of the Ya: Lang Training Consumer Committee Bal Bahadur Okhrabu Limbu informed that 52 people participated in the training held in district headquarters Phungling with monetary aid from Phungling Municipality Ward No. 4.
Similarly, the Limbu Culture Preservation Committee conducted a Ke: Lang training in the district headquarters also with financial support of the municipality’s Ward No. 4 office. “More than 50 people participated in the 15-day workshop,” Hangmaya Limbu, chairperson of the committee said.
Limbus living in Terathum, Dhankuta and Ilam have also been engaged in preservation activities of their local culture.