Sunuwar people

"Sunuwar" redirects here. For the language, see Sunuwar language. For the script, see Sunuwar alphabet.
Sunuwar, Sunwar, Koinch
सुनुवार, कोइँच
Kirati Koinch Sunuwar
Total population
   Nepal 78,910 (2021)[1]
 India
Sikkim3,795(2006)[2]
Languages
Sunuwar, Nepali
Religion
Predominantly: Kiratism • Hinduism 92.29% • Christianity 7.23% (2011)[3]
Related ethnic groups
Sunuwar Udhauli at Nakhipot, Lalitpur, Nepal.

The Sunuwar or Koinch are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group. (Nepali:सुनुवार जाति|Sunuwār Jāti) a Kirati tribe native to Nepal, parts of India (West Bengal and Sikkim) and southern Bhutan. They speak the Sunuwar language. According to the 2001 census of Nepal, 17% of the tribe follow the Kirant religion and adopt the Mundhum (Kiranti) culture.[4]

The Kõinch's (Sunuwar) number 82,705 in total.[5][6] The term ‘Kõinchs’ is also the name of the mother tongue. Other terms like Mukhiya or Mukhia are exonyms of the tribe. Sunuwar have their distinct language, religion, culture and social customs.[7]
They inhabit the eastern hills of Nepal and Himalayan. They are concentrated along the Molung Khola, Likhu Khola and Khimti Khola (‘Khola’ Indo-Aryan Nepali etymon ‘rivulet’) regions. By administrative division, they dwell in Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap and Dolakha districts of Nepal, politically known as Wallo kirat (‘Near/Hither’), Kirant (in the past and also in use among the Kirantis at present) after the fall of the Kirant dynasty (ruling for about 1903 years and 8 months) at the ancient Nepal valley. Wallo Kirant in the past was their Kipat or communal land.

  1. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  2. ^ "LINGUISTIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES UNDER SSP LED GOVERNMENT" (PDF).
  3. ^ Central Bureau of Statistics (2014). Population monograph of Nepal (PDF) (Report). Vol. II. Government of Nepal.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2011-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  6. ^ "LINGUISTIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES UNDER SSP LED GOVERNMENT" (PDF).
  7. ^ A Grammar of Sunuwar. Dörte Borchers. 2008. ISBN 978-9004167094. Retrieved 27 August 2018.