The Raute

Nomadic hunter-gatherers

Unlearn your ways and understand a new culture as you travel through the Nepalese western region in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Never stopping. Never settling. An indigenous group who’s always on the move. The Raute’s livelihood is inextricably bound to the forest and its natural resources.

Snapshot

Region is Southern Asia
Climate here is Mild

Life

The Raute have mastered the craft of wooden products and use it to barter for food-grains with the local people. Everyone’s enemy in the region, the monkeys, are the only wild animals hunted by the Raute.

Home

The Raute people live in temporary camps, hidden away in remote parts of the forest. Their dwellings are basic tents made from wooden branches covered with leaves and cloth.

Culture

Social Structure

Their community maintains a patriarchal society hierarchy with the Mukhiya as their chief. They follow a nuclear family structure and are endogamous, meaning they only marry within their specific caste.

Religion

The Raute are the worshippers of nature, such as the sun, rivers and forests. They also worship the hunting god Bhuyar. In their culture, women are not allowed to participate in the practice of worship and Bhuyar should never come into contact with any outsider.

Traditions

You will find the Raute filled with ancient traditions. The most impressive one is when a member of their community passes away, they bury the body in a nearby forest and shift their camp the next morning. They’ll even move if a death occurs on the very first day of their arrival.

Language

Their language is named after the tribe name Raute and is a small Sino-Tibetan language.

Art

The Raute have a talent for crafting wood and creating striking household utensils. As they do not farm, they have always relied on their impressive woodcraft for their livelihood.

Celebrations

The Raute observe the same festivals as practiced by the local Hindu community. These celebrations are filled with joy and fervour amidst singing, dancing, feasting and their own ritual performances.

Further knowledge

You must only address the Mukhiya because only the chief is allowed to talk to outsiders regarding the tribe’s lifestyle and traditions.

Never ask about numbers such as age, head count, etc. Birth and death are usual processes of nature and mathematical calculations about their lives are unnecessary and disrespectful.

Sunrise over Himalaya
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Old woman carrying basket
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Little girl Nepal
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Himalaya Yaks
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