The Jirels of eastern Nepal: An introduction

The Jirel people inhabit the Jiri Valley in the Dolakha district of eastern Nepal. Jirel culture features many elements that sets it apart from the cultures of other Nepali ethnic groups. They practice a form of Buddhism which varies significantly from the Buddhist practices of their Sherpa neighbours. The Jirels also worship Hindu gods and celebrate all the Hindu rituals with great enthusiasm. Additionally each Jirel clan has its own god or goddess, neither Buddhist nor Hindu, and these clans also engage in ancestral worship. The Jirels practice their own form of shamanism, which is centred on practitioners known as Phombos. These healers and spirit masters, who in some ways resemble the Nepali Jhankris, utilise unique rituals in their curing ceremonies. Jirel funeral rites also possess elements that are unique to them. Finally, it might be noted that each clan has various food taboos that again are neither Buddhist nor Hindu in derivation.