Yolmo people

The term "Yolmo" consists of two separate words "Yul-" means "a place or area surrounded by high mountains", and "Mo", which means "goddess", indicating a place under the protection of a female deity. This etymology, however, is disputed and often considered spurious. Some refuters of this explanation argue that "Helambu" is an ambiguation of the word "Yolmo" phonetically contoured by the speakers of Nepali. There is an ongoing discussion amongst Yolmo scholars regarding the spelling of "Yolmo" in the Latin script. Some favour "Yolmo" while others prefer "Hyolmo" or "Yholmo" wherein the presence of the letter "H" indicates that the first syllable of the word is spoken with a low, breathy tone. Robert R. Desjarlais (except in his most recent work) and Graham E. Clarke (works cited below) both use "Yolmo", while the Nepal Aadivasi Janajati Mahasangh (Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities) uses "Yolmo". ==Culture==

Society The Yolmo are an ethnolinguistic group primarily found in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and Tibet. Ancestry and Customs Yolmo communities trace their ancestral roots to the Kyirong region of Tibet and maintain strong ties to Tibetan Buddhist traditions and monastic lineages. Within Yolmo society, several clans are recognized, including Nyingma Lama (Buram Shyingpa), Terngilinpa, Sarma Lama, Lhalungpa, Lama Dhomare, Jyapa, Chujang, Nyima Hoser Lama, and Lhoba. Other clans—such as Shyangba (Shyanbo/Shyanten), Dongba (Dong), Yeba (Waiba), Yonchhen (Yonjoun), Thongso, and Gole (Ghaley)—are found in both Yolmo and Tamang communities. Because some Tamang surnames also appear among Yolmo families, further research is needed to determine whether these groups share origins in the Kyirong region. All Yolmo subgroups follow the patrilineal system of descent."Bride-stealing" used to be a staple among their customs but it is no longer practiced or encouraged. Religion Their primary religion is Tibetan Buddhism of the Nyingmapa school, intermixed with animism and paganism as incorporated within the general dimensions of Bon. In the last few decades, the Helambu region has also become a popular site for tourism and trekking, and many Yolmowa are now employed in the tourism industry as tour-guides either in their own respective villages or in various other parts of Nepal. The "Kagate" An ethnic group related to the Yolmowa are the Kagate (or Kagatay) who stem from the original Yolmo inhabitants of the Helambu, Melamchi Nimadumbu valleys. What distinguishes them is that the Kagate began migrating southeast from Helambu, and eventually, into the Ramechhap District over 100 years ago, and that they practiced the craft of paper-making during their peregrinations in order to make a living — thereby earning themselves the moniker "Kagate" (which is Nepali for "paper-maker"). They have since developed certain characteristics in their speech that are distinct from traditional Hyolmo. The Yolmo speaking groups in the Lamjung District and Ilam District have also historically been called "Kagate" although both groups claim a clear distinction between themselves and the Kagate of Ramechhap. However, "Yolmo" and "Kagate" are often used as terms for both the ethnic group and their dialect interchangeably. ==Distribution==

Nepal According to the Nepal National Census of 2011, the population of the Yolmo people living within Nepal is 10,752, who are distributed over 11 districts of the country, and 99% of this population speak the Yolmo language. However, the number of monolingual Yolmo speakers is very low and on a gradual decline, as the number of monolingual Nepali-speaking Yolmo and bilingual Hyolmo with English as their second language increases. There are also a number of villages in the Ilam district where Yolmo is spoken. India The Yolmos are listed as a Scheduled Tribe in the states of West Bengal and Sikkim in India. Bhutan and Tibet The Yolmo language is also spoken by significant populations in Bhutan and the Gyirong County of southwestern Tibet. == Notable people ==

Yolmo Ngagchang Sakya Zangpo : Tantric master who lived in the late fifteenth century and beginning of the sixteenth century ==References==