Short Documentary - Changing Surname (Rai) in Tasmania

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• published: 04 Dec 2014
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Some Tasmanian Bhutanese people are changing their existing surname in Tasmania. Majority of them are from Kirat Khambu ethnic clans. Many of them are believing that their existing surname 'Rai' is not their actual surname and its not worth to keep it as their family name because of many reasons such as (1) Historically 'Rai' signifies a post given by conqueror Prithivi Narayan Shah in 1831 B.S. to some of the powerful Kiratis authorizing them to collect revenue in the area mentioned and to pacify their defected enemies. (2) Many clans of Kirat Khambus are given the common title 'Rai' and thus, it would be difficult to distinguish the particular clan of Kirat Khambu. Therefore, there is more likelihood of having marriage within own family and different clans of Kirat Khambus may reach in a point of extinction. Thus, in order to preserve and give continuity of their own clan, Tasmanian Kirat Khambus are making their surname more specific by putting their particular clan of Kirat Khambu based on their family tree (ancestral origin). Additionally, the Bhutanese Kirat/Buddhist Association of Tasmania (BKBAT) Inc. has been celebrating different festivals such as Sakela, Sakewa, Buddhajayanti, Tihar, Mahaguru Phalgunanada's birthday anniversary and Christmas since 2010 in Tasmania in order to preserve Bhutanese-Nepali cultures and share with young generation and wider Australian communities and to assist in building an inclusive and cohesive communities in Tasmania. (3) Historically, different titles were given to different kiraties such as ‘Rai’ to Kirat Khambus, ‘Subba’ to Kirat Limbus, ‘Mukhiya’ to Kirat Sunuwar and ‘Devan’ to Kirat Yakkha. After the dawn of democracy in Nepal, some groups of kirat people felt the necessity of removing the imposed title and started to use their more specific family name. For instance,ethnic organisations of Kirat 'Limbus' rarely use 'Subba' in their organisation's title. (4) In Tasmania, greater number of Bhutanese migrants has the family name 'Rai' and caused some confusions in various daily activities. For instance, some local people believed that 'Rai' people marry within own family. Due to these, some Kirat Khambus have been changing their surname with more specific. This report has been prepared based on individual experience and feelings and it may not represent the feeling of all Kirat Khambus of Tasmania. Note: The Bhutanese Kirat/Buddhist Association of Tasmania (BKBAT) Inc. highly acknowledges all resources used in this report specifically Youtube, Naulakha (a musical documentary) and Bhutanese Kirat Community in South Australia and expresses thanks to all of them.