Tharu Identity as Borderlands and Mestizo by Origin, Culture and Myths

Abstract

Tharus, an indigenous ethnic group found in the borderlands of Nepal and India, have been subject to extensive studies affirming their status as indigenous tribes. This research delves into the Tharu identity, characterizing them as a mestizo group—a blend of various cultural influences. While Tharus' origin stories exhibit diversity, historical records confirm their early settlement in the Terai region of Nepal, establishing them as the original inhabitants. Despite inscriptions suggesting immigration, Tharus, including the Chitwania subgroup, are rooted in indigenous origin, culture, and myths like Jimutbahan (Jitiya), Bikram Baba, and Lotus Pond myths. Tharus are viewed as ethnic yet mixed tribes, with the mythical narratives of their origin as the descent of Buddha or of Mongols mixed with Hindu Aryans culturally. Their religious and cultural practices reflect this mixed heritage, as they observe Hindu rituals uniquely and incorporate distinct elements into traditional practices related to birth, marriage, death, and festivals. This mixed identity fosters a mestizo-ethnic affiliation for Tharus, straddling two realities without purely belonging to either. Analogous to the mestizo identity in America, where Native Americans share a mixed heritage with Europeans, Tharus' identity is shaped as borderlands by their origin, culture, and myths. Using the theory of borderland identity as the theoretical perspective, this research endeavors to unveil how Tharus embody a mixed identity as borderlands through archival exploration and in-person interviews with Chitwania Tharu individuals and research references.