Catholic youth group in Nepal releases short film on Indigenous culture and faith

By LiCAS News

Produced by members of the FA MULAN SIGNIS group in the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS), the film, titled "The Convergence of Indigenous Tamang Tradition and Catholic Faith in Tipling," offers a rare glimpse into how the Tamang people integrate their Indigenous customs with Catholic beliefs.

The documentary captures various Indigenous practices unique to the Tamang community, such as traditional hair-cutting rituals and salt inaugurations. These practices serve as a testament to their strong cultural identity, which has been preserved despite the community’s embrace of Catholicism.

The film explores how these ancient customs are harmoniously woven into the community’s Catholic faith.

“As Indigenous people, we are very much connected with nature and the ethos, cosmology, and philosophy. I think this is one of the reasons that the Tipling people are interested in Christianity and accept it,” Bishop Paul Simick, Apostolic Vicar of Nepal and the Titular Bishop of Maturba, said in the film.

The documentary also features interviews with Indigenous community members, from youth to elders, and faith leaders.

Their perspectives provide a deeper understanding of how the Catholic Tamang community in Tipling merges their Indigenous practices with their faith, offering a unique narrative of cultural and religious convergence.

The release of the documentary coincided with the 30th International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which is celebrated globally every August 9. 

This year’s theme focused on “Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact.” 

Established by the United Nations in 1994, the day commemorates the cultural heritage and contributions of Indigenous communities worldwide and seeks to raise awareness about the ongoing challenges they face.

#SIGNISFAMULAN is a project of SIGNIS, or the World Catholic Association for Communication, an organization recognized by the Vatican as an International Association of the Faithful with the mission to “help transform cultures in the light of the Gospel by promoting human dignity, justice, and reconciliation.”

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