Jirel people
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Nepal India Bhutan China (Tibet Autonomous Region) | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism, Buddhism and minorities of Bön, Christianity, Animism, Jainism, Kiratism, Muslim, Sikhism (by gurudwaras in Nepal) |
The Jirel (Nepali: जिरेल जाति listen i ) is one of the 59 ethnic/indegenious people in Nepal.They call themselves Jiriba, which means "people from the mountain of life." Jiriba believe that they migrated to Nepal, Jiri, and Dolakha from Tibet from the north in the ancient time crossing the pass near to Gauri Shankar mountain. The name of the mountain Gaurishankar in Jiriba or Jirel is "Tsheri/ziri". In Jirel language "Zi/Tshe" means life or light and "Ri" means mountain. Jiriba means "the People from the life mountain". They are the original inhabitants of vast Jiri and its adjoining villages in Dolkha district, the central region of Nepal. They have their own distinct language, culture, customs, rituals and lifestyles. In the beginning They were bon practising phonbo "bonpo". They are now mostly Buddhist but many of the Jirel adhere to other religions, like Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
They were Phon' or "Bon" which also is in practice in tibetan known as "Bonpo" religion worldwide. Their indigenous shamanistic religious beliefs are centered on practitioners called Phonbo, "Shamans" who are believed to have a direct relationship with the supernatural world.[1] Their main occupation is agriculture and animal husbandry.[1] In recent years they have also been involved in business, government, and teaching jobs. Many of the Jirel are in the British Gurkha Army, Indian Army, Nepalese Army, and the police. They are primarily settled in Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk Chitwan, and Ilam districts, next to Likhu, Khimti, the Jiri and Jiri Shikri rivers. Jirels have linguistic and ethnic semblance mostly with the tribes of Central Tibet (Lhasa), also with Sherpas, Dolpos, Hyalmus, Syubas, Lhomis, Bhotes in Nepal.[1] Jirels have their own mother tongue which is called Jirpa Kecha, and belongs to the Tibetan language family.
Footnotes
[edit ]References
[edit ]- Maibaum, Anita and Esther Strahm. 2005. Jirel-Nepali-English. Kathmandu: Center for Nepal and Asian Studies, Tribhuvan University.