Introduction / History

The name Tamang means "horse trader." They were involved with a long war with their rivals, the Gurkhas, who eventually defeated them. The Tamangs once had forced labor obligations. Their land was divided by clan. They have about 100 clans. Most of the Tamang live in Nepal or India, but there are smaller numbers of them in Bangladesh and Bhutan. Most of the Tamang live in Nepal.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They are generally very poor, yet they enjoy festivals, music and cultural events. They have their own song and dance style called Tamang Selo. These songs can be about sorrow, humor, joy or satire. Their main festival is Sonam Lhochhar. It welcomes the new year in February or March.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of Tamang follow Tibetan Buddhism but mix this heavily with animism and to a lesser extent, with Hinduism. Their priests, or lamas, have a dominant role in the community and perform ceremonies for funerals, etc. Perhaps the most powerful person in society, however, is the shaman, who exorcises demons and interacts with the spirit world.

What Are Their Needs?

The area is more open to outsiders than it has been in previous times, but there is still some difficulty in entering. The smaller Tamang group in India has a significant number of Christian believers. Perhaps these followers of Christ will see the need to carry the gospel to the remainder of their own people in Nepal.

Prayer Points

There are some followers of Jesus today among the Tamang of Nepal. Pray for these people to be good ambassadors for Christ in Nepal.
Pray they will seek each other out to fellowship together.
Pray they will be zealous to know Christ and follow his ways.
Pray for the entire Tamang community to be able to care well for their families, to find ways to generate income and meet basic needs.

Scripture Prayers for the Tamang in Nepal.