Practices &festival of kiranti people

Kirats practice shamanism and their rituals are mostly related to the worship of mother nature and ancestors. Almost all sacred rituals are performed by nakchong, the kirat priest.
Sakela is the main festival of Kirat which is celebrated twice a year distinguished by two names Ubhauli and Udhauli. Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated during Baisakh Purnima (full moon day, which lies in the month of Baisakh in calenders of the Indian Subcontinent.) and Sakela Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of Mangshir. Sakela celebration is the prayer to Goddess of Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities.

The celebration of Sakela is also known as Chandi Nach. On Chandi Nach, they worship Durga, who is known to them as Chandi, or Chandika.(Worship of Durga among the Himalayan Kiratas is written in the Harivamsha Purana. Durga Puja is performed by them.

Tihar is another festival that was added first in the Veda. It is also known as Deepavali and Lakshmi Puja.
Shravan is another festival.

Kirantis celebrating the festival Sakela
Their supreme deity Tagera Nyingmaphuma is personified as Lord Shiva.

Many followers wear a tilak on the forehead, as in Hinduism, when they recite their sacred text, the Kiranti Veda.

Kirant Mundhum

Kirat Mundhum (also Kirati Mundhum) is the religion of the Kirat peoples of Nepal. The practice is also known as Kirat Veda,Kirat VedaKirat-Ko Veda or Kirat Koved. According to some scholars, such as Tom Woodhatch, it is a blend of animism (e.g., ancestor worship (Sumnima/Paruhang)Saivite Hinduism,and Tibetan Buddhism.It is practiced by about 3.6% of the Nepali population. Before it was recognized as a religion on the Nepali census, 36% of the Kirati population followed the Kirant religion, but when it was recognized it increased to 73.9%, a 157% increase in the Mundhum or Kiranti Veda (also known as Peylan) is the religious scripture and folk literature of the Kirat people of Nepal, central to Kirat Mundhum. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kirati languages.The Mundhum covers many aspects of the Kirat culture, customs and traditions that existed before Vedic civilisation in South Asia. The Mundhum commands that the priests say that the Kirat family members used to be called "Devas".

The Mundhum for each tribe consists of customs, habits, rituals, traditions, and myths passed down from the Kirati tribe's ancestors.The Mundhum also distinguishes each Kiranti tribe from other Kiranti and non-Kirantis as well.
Mundhum is organised into two parts — Thungsap and Peysap. The Mundhum extends beyond religion, serving as a guide for culture, ritual and social values. Mundhum is written in ancient Kiranti languages and versions vary amongst the various Kirat tribes, serving as each tribe's distinctive culture and framing their social identity and unity in relation to other tribes and peoples.
The Mundhum is divided into two parts. The first is the Thungsap Mundhum and the second is the Peysap Mundhum. The Thungsap Mundhum is the original part and was originally passed down orally prior to the art of writing. It is referred to as the oral Mundhum in books. It was an epic recited in songs by the learned Sambas or poets. The Kirat priests in the beginning were called the Sambas where, Sam means song and, Ba means the one who (male) knows the Song or Sam. The Peysap Mundhum is a written book about religion. It is divided into four parts. They are the Soksok Mundhum, Yehang Mundhum, Sapji Mundhum and Sap Mundhum. The Soksok Mundhum contains the stories of creation of the universe, the beginning of mankind, the cause and effect of the sins, the creation of evil spirits, such as the evil spirits of Envy, Jealousy and Anger and the cause and effect of death in childhood.
Nepali Kiratis.
Limbu have their own distinct religion known as "Yuma Samyo" or "Yamaism", the believer of Supreme Almighty goddess "Tagera Ningwaphuma".

Rai people culture

What is cultural relativism?

Question: "What is cultural relativism?"
Answer: Cultural relativism is the view that all beliefs, customs, and ethics are relative to the individual within his own social context. In other words, “right” and “wrong” are culture-specific; what is considered moral in one society may be considered immoral in another, and, since no universal standard of morality exists, no one has the right to judge another society’s customs.Cultural relativism is widely accepted in modern anthropology. Cultural relativists believe that all cultures are worthy in their own right and are of equal value. Diversity of cultures, even those with conflicting moral beliefs, is not to be considered in terms of right and wrong or good and bad. Today’s anthropologist considers all cultures to be equally legitimate expressions of human existence, to be studied from a purely neutral perspective.Cultural relativism is closely related to ethical relativism, which views truth as variable and not absolute. What constitutes right and wrong is determined solely by the individual or by society. Since truth is not objective, there can be no objective standard which applies to all cultures. No one can say if someone else is right or wrong; it is a matter of personal opinion, and no society can pass judgment on another society.Cultural relativism sees nothing inherently wrong (and nothing inherently good) with any cultural expression. So, the ancient Mayan practices of self-mutilation and human sacrifice are neither good nor bad; they are simply cultural distinctives, akin to the American custom of shooting fireworks on the Fourth of July. Human sacrifice and fireworks—

Nepal Culture & Religion

Culture is embedded in the high peaks of Nepal, tradition flows with its rivers, art traverses through its valleys and religion lies in the heart of its people. Nepal, in short, is a country where art, culture and religion are a part of life of the inhabitants. People celebrate every moment with aroma, adding novelty to the traditions without affecting their essence.
Art of NepalThe art and architecture of Nepal is deeply influenced by the religion. Unique craftsmanship can be found in temples, architecture, shrines, fountains and the design of religious objects. Art and religion is so deeply interlocked that it is impossible to separate the one from the other. All art forms express both Hindu and Buddhist iconography.
Buddhism in NepalBuddhism, the fourth largest religion all over the world, has strong roots in Nepal. Buddhism in Nepal dates from the birth of Siddhartha Gautama himself, therefore Buddhist influences are evident on the culture of Nepal. Nepal is the meeting point for Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Culture of NepalThe culture of Nepal is a assemblage of music, architecture, religion and literature. This mountain kingdom is multi-ethic and multi-lingual. The land is rich with unique cultural groups like Tharu,Yadav, Ahir, Newars and others.
Food of NepalNepalese are great foodies and their food varieties are hot, spicy and nutritious. Newari and Thakali cuisines are the original taste of Nepal. Otherwise, Nepalese style of cooking has been influenced by Indian and Tibetan cooking. Dal Bhat tarkari is the staple food of Nepal. Meat curries and monos are the hot favorites among the tourists.
Music of NepalThe rhythm, beats, bounce of Nepali traditional folk and classical music is spiritual enough to sooth you and entertaining enough to cheer you. Music is associated with every event in Nepal, then be it birth, marriage, festivals or national events.
People of NepalThe people of Indo-Aryan community are the original inhabitants of Nepal. No wonder their descendents form the majority even now. Other major groups in Nepal are Gurungs and Magars who live mainly in the western region; Rais, Limbus and Sunwars who live in the eastern mid hills; Sherpas, Manangpas and Lopas who live near the mountains of Everest, Annapurna and Mustang respectively.
Religion of NepalReligion in Nepal is not only a system of social coherence based on certain rituals and beliefs, rather it is the binding force that ties the mountain kingdom together. Though Nepal is famous, as the world's only Hindu Kingdom, equal respect is given to other religions as well. Buddhism is the second largest religion followed in Nepal, others being Tantrism, Islam and Christianity.

Nepal Culture

NEPAL CULTURE

Nepal:Surrounded by the lofty heights of the Himalayas, Nepal is a land of eternal beauty and attraction. It's a land of colorful cultures, ancient history and people, picturesque scenery and some of the best walking on earth. It is popularly known for the highest mountain peak of the world, Mount Everest which stands tall at 8848 metres. Nepal tourism informs about places to visit in Nepal, famous for the birthplace of Gautam Buddha who laid the foundation of Buddhism in the country. Come and explore Nepal having rich traditions of art, culture and heritage. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is a treasure house of ancient art and culture. Nepal is blessed with one of the richest cultures in the world. Culture has been called 'the way of life for an entire society'. The statement holds particularly true in case of Nepal where every aspect of life, food, clothing and even occupations are culturally guided. The culture of Nepal includes the codes of manners, dress, language, rituals, norms of behavior and systems of belief.The following are the cultural world heritage sites of Nepal.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Patan Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Changu Narayan Temple

Swayambhunath Stupa

Pashupatinath Temple

Lumbini

Bouddhanath StupaApart form the world heritage sites there are other pilgrimage sites in Nepal that hold great cultural importance. A tour to these places will make you familiar with the rich Nepal culture.

Barah Chhetra,Halesi Mahadev, Janakpur, Pathibhara, Tengboche in East Nepal» Manakaman, Gorkha, Lumbini, Muktinath, Gosainkunda, Tansen, Kathmandu Valley in Central Nepal» Swargadwari, Khaptad Ashram in West Nepal are famous pilgrimage sites in Nepal.

NEPAL CULTURE

Nepal has several ancient pilgrimage sites. Each temple is attached to a legend or belief that glorifies the miraculous powers of its deity. Kathmandu Valley is home to the famous Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhu Stupa and several other famous temples. Hundreds of famous temples are located in and around the Kathmandu Valley. Some well-known pilgramage sites are: Barah Chhetra, Halesi Mahadev, Janakpur, Pathibhara, Tengboche in East Nepal; Manakaman, Gorkha, Lumbini, Muktinath, Gosainkunda, Tansen, Kathmandu Valley in Central Nepal; and Swargadwari, Khaptad Ashram in West Nepal.
Nepal is also the Gateway to Kailash Mansarovar, the mythical abode of Lord Shiva. Devotees from various parts of Nepal and India throng the temples during special festivals. Even though weak infrastructure renders some places hard to reach, efforts are being made on national level to develop and promote some popular sites.
Pilgrimage sites of Nepal like Muktinath and Gosainkunda make popular trekking destinations. Tours to these sites are encouraged for the novelty they provide in terms of nature and culture.

culture

1946–1968: Symbolic versus adaptive

Parsons' students Clifford Geertz and David M. Schneider, and Schneider's student Roy Wagner, went on to important careers as cultural anthropologists and developed a school within American cultural anthropology called "symbolic anthropology," the study of the social construction and social effects of symbols.[150][151][152][153] Since symbolic anthropology easily complemented social anthropologists' studies of social life and social structure, many British structural-functionalists (who rejected or were uninterested in Boasian cultural anthropology) accepted the Parsonian definition of "culture" and "cultural anthropology." British anthropologist Victor Turner (who eventually left the United Kingdom to teach in the United States) was an important bridge between American and British symbolic

Structural-Functionalist challenge: Society versus culture

In the 1940s the Boasian understanding of culture was challenged by a new paradigm for anthropological and social science research called Structural functionalism. This paradigm developed independently but in parallel in both the United Kingdom and in the United States (In both cases it is sui generis: it has no direct relationship to "structuralism" except that both French structuralism and Anglo-American Structural-Functionalism were all influenced by Durkheim. It is also analogous, but unrelated to, other forms of "functionalism"). Whereas the Boasians viewed anthropology as that natural science dedicated to the study of humankind, structural functionalists viewed anthropology as one social science among many, dedicated to the study of one specific facet of humanity. This led structural-functionalists to redefine and minimize the scope of "culture."

Cultural anthropology

1899–1946: Universal versus particular

Franz Boas established modern American anthropology as the study of the sum total of human phenomena.

Ruth Benedict was instrumental in establishing the modern conception of distinct cultures being patterned.
The modern anthropological understanding of culture has its origins in the 19th century with German anthropologist Adolf Bastian's theory of the "psychic unity of mankind," which, influenced by Herder and von Humboldt, challenged the identification of "culture" with the way of life of European elites, and British anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor's attempt to define culture as inclusively as possible. Tylor in 1874 described culture in the following way: "Culture or civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."[98] Although Tylor was not aiming to propose a general theory of culture (he explained his understanding of culture in the course of a larger argument about the nature of

English Romanticism

In the nineteenth century, humanists such as English poet and essayist Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) used the word "culture" to refer to an ideal of individual human refinement, of "the best that has been thought and said in the world."This concept of culture is comparable to the German concept of bildung: "...culture being a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the matters which most concern us, the best which has been thought and said in the world."

Culture

Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate")[1] is a term that has different meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions.[2] However, the word "culture" is most commonly used in three basic senses:
Excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.