By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent
A music album called “TA-LA-SHI-PA” by Tsewang Chorten from Mugum Village in far north western Nepal was released today at the Everest Hotel in Kathmandu by NIPA Production amidst a brief programme attended by Nepal Culture Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Shiwa Rinpoche, several film and music artistes, press, Mugumpas and public.
About a two dozen distinguished personalities of Nepal like doctors, artistes and entrepreneurs were honored including Gyalnor Tsewang, a Tibetan entrepreneur and Tsering Gyurmey, a Tibetan musician.
Mr. Tsewang Chorten is from Mugum Village in far north western Nepal, now it is officially called Mugu Village Development Committee, Mugu District in Nepal. The parents of Mr. Chorten originally from Kham Region of Tibet settled in Mugu Village of Nepal in the fifties and he was born there, now they are all legal citizen of Nepal after about two generations. They all speak Tibetan and are still very much Tibetan in their heart and well of course their first album is also more or less all Tibetan songs, however, since now they are citizens of Nepal, they represent a different ethnic group of Nepal called Mugalis. They have a different identity and demand equal treatment from Government of Nepal as citizens of Nepal.
Mugum or Mugu Village in Karnali Zone of Nepal is an ancient trade center of Dolpo, Karmarong, Humla, nomads of western Tibet and all small villages around the north western border Nepal-Tibet. Basically, all the people in Mugum are from Tibet and Buddhist, a unique thing about them is their traditional dress for women, however, we could understand that this is an typical example of what we Tibetans would say ‘rongtsam ge bodme’ (Tibetans of lowland border), they are usually tribe of Tibetan businessman who have married women near lowland borders in Nepal and India and many of them now have a different identity of themselves like the Mugumpas even though they were Tibetans.
Most of the people in Mugum are traders even though they cultivate some crops. Academically Mugumpas are backward but now many of their children are studying in schools and colleges and one such person is Khenpo Gyurmey Tsultrim of Sechen Monastery in Kathmandu. These are perfect examples of Tibetans getting integrated into local customs and traditions and I wonder how long it would take for other Tibetans living in the Diaspora to get integrated into locals of their respective host nations.
This is an effort to preserve the culture of Mugumpas and all credit goes to Himgyap Tashi, son of Mr. Tsewang Chorten who organized the evening. Tashi is a very enthusiastic choreographer, dancer, videographer, event manager and video film director. Like any other Tibetan guy he is very interested in Tibetan music. He also directed singer Tsering Gyurmey’s first music video album.
