Modernizational Impacts in the Socio-Economic Status of Magar Community (A Case Study of Baglung Municipality of Baglung District)

Abstract

Nepal is a small country, characterized by socio-cultural and geographical diversity. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi religious and multilingual country and for this reason the folk traditions and folk literatures here have their own unique characteristics. Because of this the study of human civilization and cultural heritage is significant from sociological and anthropological point of view. These days the cultural heritages and identity of these ethnic groups is in danger because of modernization, acculturation,lack of scientific research and lack of proper protection. Among the many ethnic groups of Nepal only 59 fall under the category of ethnic groups. Most of those aboriginal and ethnic groups are politically weak and disadvantaged(Tenth Five Year Plan, 2059: 483). This study is centered upon the impact of modernization on the social as well as economic status of Magar people of Baglung municipality. This study also focuses on their cultural and political status. Because of the impact of modernization, their original life styles and culture are in danger of extinction. This study has selected the ward no. 2 and 3 of Baglung municipality, Ramrekha and Guthi as the area of study where these magar people are living in a large number than any other castes. As the research target of this thesis, this study covered various social, economic and cultural aspects of respondents in the study area. The objectives of this study are: -To examine the social scenario of the Magar people.-To analyze the cultural changes of Magar people.-To study the education level of Magar people. Concerning these objectives, this study followed different the or eticalas well as research documents and methodological procedures of research.The limitation of this study is confined to the particular unit of research area and limitation of this study is confined to the particular unit of research area and community people were contacted and the main limitation of this the siswork is to fulfill the Master’s Degree courses. It has its own importance and significance that all the studies and research activities used to have. The primary data were collected through field visits adopting household survey etc. For household survey, the questionnaires were used.The field is analytical and descriptive. The field survey was conducted in only two wards of the Baglung municipality. For the effective information, fifty magar respondents and households were selected for primary data and secondary data were collected through the journals, project work reports,newspapers and information books. The questionnaires were provided on the Magar people who are able to read and write. Those who can not read and write were taken interview. Random sampling was adopted for selecting the households as its methodological procedures. Correlation research design,Analytical research design as well as Field study research design were used in this study. The collected data and information were confined through tabulation and percentage distribution. 5|Page Themajor findings of this study can be summarized as: the average family size of magar respondents in Baglung municipality is 4.3. They arefound preferring nuclear family system nowadays; 84% of the total respondents are living in nuclear/single family system. 74% of total respondents still prefer to have son to daughter where only 8% of respondentsprefer daughter to son. 84% of the total respondents represents’ from themedium class and 6% of the total respondents are from high class. Magar people used toworship Buddha from the ancestral times. Butbecause of the impact of Hindus upon them and because of the impact ofmodernization upon them, they started to forget their actual traditional meansand values that leaded them to the demolition of their religions and festivals.Though it is believed that the magar people were Buddhist by religion, the numbers of magar people who worship Buddha were found rare. Only 64% of the total respondents were found believing in Buddha religion. 26%respondents believe in Hindu religion and 10% are Christian. Most women in our society are found lacking behind in educational sector to men. It is not because of their lack of interest in education but because of lack of opportunity to them to attend school regularly. A number of parents in magar community still giving priorities to their son to attend school. 36% of the total respondents have shown such manner. Only 64% of the total respondents have given equal opportunity to both their sons and daughters. 14% of the total respondents believe that traditional cultures should not be changed; where as 76% of the total respondents are in favour of cultural development. In their view, culture should be changed in favour of their society. Magar people were found concerning their mind only on employment opportunities in foreign countries, feasts and festivals in the past. Butnowa days this like a trend can be found somehow changing. These people are also showing their interest in politics as well as community works. Many of the mare found engaging themselves in social works too. In the survey, 24% of the total respondents were found affiliating themselves with different kinds of political parties. And 46% of the total respondents were found engaging in many kinds of social activities. To minimize these effects caused by modernization, the government should adopt an acute policy to make them feel secure. The government should invest inhuman development resources. It should provide necessary materials and support to upraise the aboriginal and ethnic groups. NGOs and INGOs should cooperate with them to make them taste the positive impacts of modernization reducing its negative impacts.