Journal of Advance Research in Social Science & Humanities ISSN: 2208-2387 People's Perception towards Wetland Culture: A Case Study of Dhimal Community, Nepal Puspa Lal Pokhrel, PhD [email protected] Associate Professor Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur Kathmandu Abstract Dhimal is an indigenous community of Nepal, whose lifestyle is dependent on wetland. A large number of Dhimal are traditional inhabitants of wetland dominated Jungle area in the vicinity of a popular urban center of Tarai known as Damak. This paper attempts to highlight the linkage between wetlands and cultural practices of Dhimal in Eastern Tarai, Nepal. Likewise, their perceptions towards the wetland have also been studied. Damak was colonized by the Dhimal and Meche community during the 1860s to clear the Jungle. Dhimal communities have unique wetland related culture, rites and rituals. Their culture and way of life have been threatened after the 1950s when Nepal Malaria Eradication Organization was established. Before 1950 pestilence malaria was prevalent in Damak municipality. During that period the people of mountain and hilly region of Eastern Nepal did not dare to colonize Damak by clearing the jungle for cultivation. Until 1965, Damak was opulent and extremely rich in wetlands and wetlands resources. Sufficiency of wetland resources and way of life of Dhimal community had been delightful. In recent years their cultural practices are falling at risk due to shrinking and disappearances of wetlands. Introduction Wetlands are the most productive ecosystem on the earth surface. From the beginning of the civilization wetlands resources have been providing a source of income and economic activities for human beings. The indigenous communities of developing countries like Nepal still live close to wetlands and rely on them to meet their needs (Pokhrel, 2017). Wetlands provide habitat for several species of flora and fauna living within different ecosystems. Human culture is guided by physical environment and surrounding natural resources. Natural resources provided economic Volume-4 | Issue-9 | Sept, 2018 1 Journal of Advance Research in Social Science & Humanities ISSN: 2208-2387 activities for the local community, which gives various cultures to the people of different climatic region of the world. Wetlands have been and continue to be part of many human cultures in the world. The peoples who live in proximity to wetlands and their culture is linked to them as wetlanders (Coles and Coles, 1989). Distinctive environments influence the behavior and culture of people who live there (Hardesty, 1977; Moran, 1989). A wetland culture is an identifiable human group (either extant or historic) living in a wetland dominated geographic region and using wetland materials for a substantial portion of food supply, shelter materials, fuel or other critical resources (Kiviat, 1991) Nepal is a small and landlocked country, rising in Asia, which is rich in cultural diversity. Nepal has an outstanding position in the world. Dhimal cast is categorized under the marginalized indigenous groups of Nepal. The Dhimal represents one of the oldest indigenous groups of Eastern Tarai. They have smallest population in our country. They have separate identity, unique language, peculiar dress and culture. They lie mainly in the Jhapa Morang and Sunsari Districts of Nepal. They have their own distinct identity and way of life. They have been sustaining wetland environment since ancient time. According to Malley (1907), Dhimal habitats is the "marshy tract, formerly covered by dense malarious Jungle. According to census of Nepal, 2011 total number of Dhimal population is 26,298, which constitutes 0.099 percentage of the total population. Among them, 6572 population are settled in urban area. Remaining populations of 19726 are sheltered in rural area (CBS 2011). They are following nature religion (Prakriti Dharma). In other words, they are worshippers of nature who believes in supernatural powers. Table 1: Trends of Dhimal population in Eastern Tarai S.no year Population of Dhimal source 1 1921 505 Record of British Sub-continent 2 1952 5671 Nepal Government on the basis of Mother Tongue 3 1961 8188 Census report HMG 4 1972 10016 Members of the Folk-Life Study Team 1972/73 5 1981 13000 Key Informants Volume-4 | Issue-9 | Sept, 2018 2 Journal of Advance Research in Social Science & Humanities ISSN: 2208-2387 6 1991 16781 CBS 1991 7 2001 19537 CBS 2001 8 2011 26298 CBS 2011 Field Survey 2017 Before the establishment of Nepal Malaria Eradication Organization the fertile lands of Jhapa and Morang were popularly known and considered as "Kala Pani" a "deadly" malaria ridden zone where mountain people would definitely & easily die if they remain there for long time in summer seasons. According to Oldfield 1981, the Tarai region of Eastern Nepal, Jhapa and Morang were reported to be "extremely swampy with its pestilent climate, the most malarious and unhealthy districts". Damak also lies in this Malarial Environment. During the time, hilly people feared the malaria and painful and cruel environmental condition of Tarai. While the Tarai indigenous community, Dhimals were surviving the malaria. Jhapa and Morang were ancestral territories of Dhimal community and were" hyper endemic of malaria" until 1950's . Earlier than the Nepal Malaria Eradication Organization (6 December, 1958), malaria was prevalent in the lowlands of Eastern Tarai, Jhapa and Morang districts. Malaria was the threat for the people who wished to settle in the Tarai. Because of the terrible and life threatening disease of malaria, the people who lived in Mountain and Hilly Region did not dare to establish colony in Tarai through forest land reclamation. Till mid of 1960s outsiders did not dare to exploit the dense forest land of Tarai, because of the presence of the epidemic malaria disease. According to various scholars, Dhimal were nomadic people at the beginning who used to hunt and gather animals and fish for their daily life. Afterwards, there was scarcity of land to hunt animals; they began to settle in specific areas. According to old generation Dhimal people; Rajarani of Northern Morang is the ancient and original settlements of Dhimal community. Before 1981, Dhimal community were concentrated mainly in 14 Village Panchayats of Morang and 13 Village Panchayats of Jhapa. Among them, ancient settlements of Morang District are Haraicha, Kaseni, Dangihat, Bahuni, Keraun, Bayarban, Belbari, Urlabari, Amardaha, Rajghat, Letang, Madhumalla, Babiyabirta, Gobindapur Village Panchayats. Likewise, antique Dhimal's habitation of Jhapa are Damak, Gauradaha, Topgachhi, Parakhopi, Anarmani, Sanischare, Dhaijan, Duhagadhi, Shantinagar, Nakalbanda, Bahundangi, Jyamirgadhi, Dhulabari Village Volume-4 | Issue-9 | Sept, 2018 3 Journal of Advance Research in Social Science & Humanities ISSN: 2208-2387 Panchayats. Dhimal communitty still like to live in traditional villages' mainly compact settlement where 15- 30 houses accumulated together. Majority of Dhimal community enjoyed thatched roofed houses. According to rural local elders, thatched roofs are sustainable and environmental friendly credentials. They provide excellent insulation, keeping houses warm in winter season and cool in summer season. Among the Village Panchayats of Jhapa and Morang, Damak Village panchayat was populated and inhabited mainly by Dhimal communities before 1958. According to the old generation people of Dhimal, malaria was the most serious health problem affecting roughly 20% of the households of this area. Popular imagination before 1950 of Tarai as Kalapani and Kala Banjar (barren land) may have been drawn from the history as a malarial environment of Tarai. Dhimal community transformed these outwardly "deadly place or lethal and pernicious places" into their home. Dhimal community imbued Damak with their common cultural histories and identities. They made Damak a habitable dwelling place for all today's dense cultural landscapes. Now, Dhimal population reached 4980 in Damak Municipality. Damak municipality is situated in the Eastern part of Jhapa district of Nepal. Total area of this municipality is 75.3 square kilometer (7513 hectares). It is located between two rivers Ratuwa in the East and Mawa in the West. Damak lies in Subtropical climatic zone. There are 10 wards including the largest tea garden in the Jhapa Districts. The municipality lies between 98- 232 meter above the sea level. Methodology The study has covered the 71 households of surrounding area of Dakini Kharkhare wetland. The wetland was divided into two zones- one within 1 km around the wetland and another of 3 km. Sample size was determined on the basis of statistical norms. According to the rule of thumb, if the size of sample is 30 or more, the distribution becomes normal and statistical test can be performed (Daniel & Terrel, 1995). Following the rule a quota sampling of 35 households in each zone was randomly used for household survey. The study area of 3 km around the wetland was determined by the help of Topographical Map 1991. Purposive sampling technique has been used for qualitative data collection. Households for the interview were selected by the lottery method. Data were collected from different map, Aerial Photo, Census Report, and Booklets. Data was analyzed and filtered as per need of the study. Sometimes, secondary data were Volume-4 | Issue-9 | Sept, 2018 4 Journal of Advance Research in Social Science & Humanities ISSN: 2208-2387 supplanted by primary data in conventional