Sharchop
Encyclopedia
Sharchop is a collective term for the populations of mixed Southeast Asian and South Asian descent that live in the eastern districts of Bhutan
.
or possibly Burma during the past 1000 years. Van Driem (1993) indicates the Sharchops and closely related aboriginal Monpa (Menba) are descendants of the plurality ethnicity of Bhutan and the principal pre-Tibetan (pre-Dzongkha) people of that country.
, Sharchop, and tribal groups constituted up to 72 percent of the population in the late 1980s according to official Bhutanese statistics. The 1981 census claimed Sharchops represented 30% of the population, and Ngalops about 17%. The CIA Factbook, however, estimates the "Bhote" Ngalop and Sharchop populations together to total about 50 percent, or 354,200. Assuming Sharchops still outnumber Ngalops some three to two, the total population is around 212,500.
s. They also learn the national language, Dzongkha. Because of their proximity to India, some speak Assamese
or Hindi
.
Tshangla is also spoken by the Monpa (Menba) national minority across the border in China
, where it is classified as a branch of Monpa
, distributed in Mêdog
, Nyingchi
and Dirang. Tshangla is similar to the language of the Kalaktang Monpa.
with some elements of Bön, although those who live in the Duars
follow Animism
.
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
.
Ethnicity
The Sharchops are an Indo-Mongoloid people who migrated from AssamAssam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
or possibly Burma during the past 1000 years. Van Driem (1993) indicates the Sharchops and closely related aboriginal Monpa (Menba) are descendants of the plurality ethnicity of Bhutan and the principal pre-Tibetan (pre-Dzongkha) people of that country.
Population
The Sharchops comprise most of the population of eastern Bhutan, whose total population in 2010 was about 708,500. Although long the biggest single ethnic group in Bhutan, the Sharchop have been largely assimilated into the culturally and politically dominant Tibetan-Ngalop culture. Together, the NgalopNgalop
The Ngalop are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan as early as the ninth century. For this reason, they are often referred to in literature as "Bhote"...
, Sharchop, and tribal groups constituted up to 72 percent of the population in the late 1980s according to official Bhutanese statistics. The 1981 census claimed Sharchops represented 30% of the population, and Ngalops about 17%. The CIA Factbook, however, estimates the "Bhote" Ngalop and Sharchop populations together to total about 50 percent, or 354,200. Assuming Sharchops still outnumber Ngalops some three to two, the total population is around 212,500.
Language
Most Sharchops speak Tshangla, a Tibeto-Burman language; fewer speak Monpa languageMonpa language
Tawang is one of the Monpa languages of the East Bodish family. It is spoken in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, claim by Tibet as a part of Lho-kha Sa-khul. It is quite distinct from non-Eastern Tibetan languages, though it shares many similarities with Bumthang...
s. They also learn the national language, Dzongkha. Because of their proximity to India, some speak Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
or Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
Tshangla is also spoken by the Monpa (Menba) national minority across the border in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where it is classified as a branch of Monpa
Monpa language
Tawang is one of the Monpa languages of the East Bodish family. It is spoken in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, claim by Tibet as a part of Lho-kha Sa-khul. It is quite distinct from non-Eastern Tibetan languages, though it shares many similarities with Bumthang...
, distributed in Mêdog
Mêdog County
Mêdog County, is a county of the Nyingtri Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China...
, Nyingchi
Nyingchi Prefecture
Nyingchi Prefecture is a prefecture in southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region in western China. The Chinese government claims South Tibet, which is currently governed by India, as part of the prefecture....
and Dirang. Tshangla is similar to the language of the Kalaktang Monpa.
Lifestyle
Sharchop peoples practice slash-and-burn and tsheri agriculture, planting dry rice crops for three or four years until the soil is exhausted and then moving on, however the practice has been officially banned in Bhutan since 1969.Religion
Most Sharchops follow Tibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
with some elements of Bön, although those who live in the Duars
Duars
The Dooars or Duars are the floodplains and foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar means door in Assamese, Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Bengali languages, and the region forms the gateway to Bhutan from India. There were 18 passages or gateways through...
follow Animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
.
See also
- Ethnic groups in BhutanEthnic groups in BhutanThere are many ethnic groups in Bhutan, and no one group constitutes a majority of the Bhutanese population. The Bhutanese population comprises four main ethnic groups, which themselves are not necessarily exclusive: the politically and culturally dominant Ngalop of western and northern Bhutan; the...
- Monpa people
- NgalopNgalopThe Ngalop are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan as early as the ninth century. For this reason, they are often referred to in literature as "Bhote"...
- LhotshampaLhotshampaLhotshampa, or Lhotsampa, means "southerners" in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. The term refers to the heterogeneous ethnic Nepalese population of Bhutan.-History:...
- TotoToto tribeThe Toto is a primitive and isolated tribal group residing only in a small enclave called Totopara in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India. Totopara is located at the foot of the Himalayas just to the south of the borderline between Bhutan and West Bengal...
- Demographics of BhutanDemographics of BhutanThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Bhutan, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....