Sunuwar people

Sunuwar, Sunwar, Koinch
सुनुवार, कोइँच
	Kirati Koinch Sunuwar
Total population
	Nepal 78,910 (2021)
	India
Sikkim	3,795(2006)
Languages
	Sunuwar, Nepali
Religion
	Predominantly: Kiratism • Hinduism 92.29% • Christianity 7.23% (2011)
Related ethnic groups
	Rai; Jirel; Hayu; Thami;

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.

Demographics

The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Sunuwar as a subgroup within the broader social group of Mountain/Hill Janajati.^[8] At the time of the Nepal census of 2011, 55,712 people (0.2% of the population of Nepal) were Sunuwar. The frequency of Sunuwar by province was as follows:

The frequency of Sunuwar was higher than national average (0.2%) in the following districts:^[9]

Ramechhap (4.2%)
Okhaldhunga (3.0%)
Sindhuli (2.7%)
Ilam (1.3%)
Taplejung (1.1%)
Dolakha (1.0%)
Panchthar (1.0%)
Udayapur (0.9%)
Jhapa (0.3%)
Khotang (0.3%)
Lalitpur (0.3%)
Solukhumbu (0.3%)

Lifestyle

Most Sunuwar practice agriculture (approximately 55%). They do so throughout the eastern hills of present-day Nepal. Crop cultivation and cattle farming (rice, millet, wheat, soybean, potato, and maize) are the main agricultural works. Sunuwar people also took part in the Second World War and were known as Gorkhali fighters, as well as honest. Some Sunuwar still join the Nepal Army, Indian Army, Singapore Police Force and British Army.

Traditional cultures

Sunuwar are very rich in culture and traditions. They have hundreds of traditional feasts and festivals with complex rituals and rules. Every traditional feast or festival has its own objectives, characteristics, and system of celebration. Some festivals, such as Shandar Dance in Baisakh Purnima, Shandar (Shyadar-Pidar), Gil puja (Gil-Pidar), and Meserani puja (Meserani-Pidar), are considered more important than others. They celebrate the Shyadar-pidar festival on the Day of Buddha Purnima, or after 5 days of Buddha Purnima(Panchami) according to the Nepali calendar. Sunuwar New year is celebrated on the day of Basanta Panchami. As a community, they celebrate Meserani Pidar twice a year, based on the Lunar Calendar.