It is undeniable fact that hybrid culture has everywhere occupied enormously dominant space across the globe. As a result, its direct impact goes not only to the local indigenous knowledge heritages of different ethnic groups in the process of being hybridized, but also to their ethnic ideology, creative thinking, and conception of philosophy. Feelings among people is developed that modern knowledge system of human life is like ‘cut and paste.’ In real sense, it can be said that spontaneous creation of knowledge seems to have been disappeared in the world. Nowadays, indigenous thinking and critical discourse is in the process of extinction. People have developed themselves a kind of illusionary understanding that western knowledge and ideology is merely a true knowledge. In this situation, it is the acute need of hour that we have to generate such type of inherent knowledge that can truly signal Tamang recognition.
At the present context, when scholars and great researchers have been sharing their viewpoints that only perception of knowledge of indigeneity can make the world better place to live, it is now right time to seriously think and uphold of Tamang knowledge heritage. Indeed, it is very indispensable to expose various hidden knowledge domain of Tamangs and to universalize it. For it, this knowledge festival will definitely enable to make a good play to fulfill the need of all Tamangs.
Likewise, Tamang knowledge festival will help to table existing status of Tamang knowledge position. After the event observation, many scholars are expected to begin conducting in-depth study and research on Tamang issues focusing on their own indigenous knowledge, culture, tradition etc., and proper activities will be in progress to promote and expand the horizon of their ethnic property.
This helps to transform the intellectual as well as ethnic asset for future generation too.
However, Kathmandu has witnessed the organized celebration of Tamang knowledge festivals since 2016 AD. Those festival observing on the occasion of Tamang Lhosar exhibits their heritages, ethnic materials, various foods items, cultural performances, as well as various books and magazines, creative writings etc., sells and distributes to large number of Tamang people. Ethnic Ideology, matters and contemporary issues are rigorously discussed and critically argued to reach conclusion. That enables them to develop intellectual conscience for building social recognition in broader arena. In addition to this, trends and traditions are being attempted to setting to honor those Tamang intellectual personalities and icons who put up outstanding contribution in Tamang language, literature, culture preservation and promotion, ritual settings, society, development of knowledge heritage, technology, recognition and so on issues. These type of activities are able to transform festival today more attractive and much more knowledgeable among Tamangs and non-Tamangs.
4. Statement of problem:
It is well known fact that indigenous knowledges and heritages of Tamangs have been in endangered position. To be in critical position of Tamang intellectual heritages is to be Tamang ideology, ethnic knowledge and philosophy in great threat including their own identity. Moreover, nobody has been successful enough to be able to explore the main root of Tamang knowledge. And for clear roadmap of transforming knowledge from one generation to another, no one has effectively and efficiently succeeded to pave the way till date.
5. Objectives of Knowledge Festival:
i) The festival will help to make known the existing status of Tamang knowledge, ideology and heritages.
ii) It helps to collect Tamang indigenous knowledge from the festival too. Then it will be presented, exhibited, and then disseminated to the public.
iii) After identification, research and analysis of ethnic knowledge and its abundant resources, these intellectual properties will be collected, reviewed and documented for coming generation.
iv) Tamang youths are expected to be inherently encouraged to study about source of knowledge, conduct research and work for its preservation, promotion and documentation.
6. Current position of Tamang Knowledge:
Presently, Tamang indigenous knowledge heritages have been in the process of extinction. But it is very hard to identify the real causes behind it due to lack of intensive and extensive study. It is also found that most of Tamangs follow so-called dominant and widely popular wisdom. They presume that transported knowledge is their real knowledge world. Besides this, majority of Tamangs, both educated and ordinary ones, relate customs as a symbol of ethnic identity and put rounded cap to sustain racial existence. However, sadly speaking any critical attempts haven’t been made yet to wipe out such types of terrible illusion and orthodox understanding.
7. Envisaged benefits from the project:
As this program is designed to be celebrated as an great event on the occasion of Tamang Day which falls on Bhadra 6 in co-ordination with various Tamang institutions, organizations, eminent members and scholars, the identification of Tamang knowledge heritages and its collection, in-depth study, research, discussion, documentation and presentation as well as two day’s exhibition will help to reap utmost benefit by Tamang language speakers and whole community of both Nepal and abroad. And it will even be a useful document for policy farmers to formulate the policies and further programs.
8. Rationality of Tamang Knowledge Festival and Symposium:
It is well known fact that Tamang indigenous knowledge heritages are in the verge of extinction owing to the enormous practice of transported knowledges from other society as well as foreign countries. As a result, its dire impact goes to community people that majority of Tamangs have unhesitatingly started to raise illogical questions like; is there any Tamang knowledge and ideology? This type of understanding of community people obliges scholars to think that Tamang culture, source of indigenous knowledge, ideology, ethnic heritages, traditions etc. have been in critical stage. Therefore, this is a big problem to be addressed on time.
Similarly, the prime goal of organizing this type of program is to draw attention of concerned authorities of government to take appropriate initiative for its preservation, and create awareness in entire Tamang community and public people towards ethnic culture and its rich heritages. It not only support to identify Tamang knowledge, but also equally contribute to conduct in-depth research for its documentation, preservation, and promotion in the community and country, and to disseminate it across the globe. These activities empower community people and scholars to unconditionally put forward to enlist Tamang Knowledge up to concerned international agency. Moreover, this type of social project encourages all Tamangs and other publics to institutionalize knowledge and recognize it in the wider public sphere.
