Sunuwar

The Sunuwar count themselves among the Kirati peoples, traditionally recognized as ancient inhabitants of the hills of eastern Nepal. The name Sunuwar recalls the region of the Sunkoshi River, where early communities settled. Collective memory joins origin, clan and land, and is passed from generation to generation more through oral narratives than written records.

The name Mukhia, by which they were also known, is a term of Indo-Aryan origin tied to the idea of local headship, and not the name the people give themselves. Koĩts is the name they use among themselves, and it is in this name that many recognize the continuity of their identity, including those who live far from their villages of origin.

Sunuwar life usually revolves around family and clan, in hill communities where farming sustains many households. Relatives celebrate and face hardships together, and important decisions pass through the elders. Inherited land and the bond with the home village weigh heavily on how each person sees themselves.

Many families today live alongside Nepali at school, in trade and in services, and young people move between the village and the cities in search of study and work. In this movement, the mother tongue is cultivated at home and at gatherings of the people, and festivals bring scattered relatives around the same table.

Most Sunuwar declare themselves Hindu, but that word hides a rather mixed faith. A good part of the people also preserve the Kirati tradition, known as Kirat Dharma, which rests on oral narratives and rites. Among the Sunuwar, this heritage is called Mukdum and is kept by ritual specialists, the naso, alongside shamans. In many homes, the two heritages live together without conflict.

In practice, religious life revolves around family and clan rites, respect for ancestors, and the rituals of birth, marriage and death. Those who move away from these customs may be seen as leaving the community, because being Sunuwar and taking part in these rites usually go together.

Scripture in Sunuwar is still little known among the people. There are audio materials, such as a dramatized version of the New Testament, but many families depend on Nepali to hear the Word, and the printed translation in progress does not yet cover the whole New Testament. What is missing, then, is Scripture in the language of the heart, in formats that reach both those who read and those who only listen, clearly and within reach of every family.

For many Sunuwar, believing in Jesus seems like leaving the clan and abandoning the rites of the ancestors that hold the family together. Religion and ethnic identity walk together, and anyone who changes faith risks being seen as someone who breaks with their own. Added to this are the scarcity of Scripture in the mother tongue and the very small presence of Christian witnesses who speak Koĩts, which leaves the message distant and unfamiliar.

The Sunuwar need, above all, to hear the gospel clearly, in their own language, from people who respect their culture and their families. They also need portions of Scripture in accessible formats, both written and in audio, and materials that value the language and memory of the people.

There is a need for communities of faith that welcome the Sunuwar without asking them to stop being who they are, and for disciples who walk with them with patience, respect and friendship.

There is a concrete sign of hope in the translation work: the Gospel of John in Sunuwar was completed in November 2025, published in a Bible app and prepared for printing. The translation of the rest of the New Testament continues as a project, still without the resources to be completed. A recent portion of Scripture, in the language of the heart, is now within the people’s reach.