Sunuwar people
सुनुवार, कोइँच | |
|---|---|
Kirati Koinch Sunuwar | |
| Total population | |
| Nepal 78,910 (2021) | |
| Sikkim | 3,795(2006) |
| Languages | |
| Sunuwar, Nepali | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly: Kiratism • Hinduism 92.29% • Christianity 7.23% (2011) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
The Sunuwar or Koinch are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group (Nepali:सुनुवार जाति|Sunuwār Jāti), a Kirati tribe native to Nepal, parts of India (West Bengal and Sikkim) and southern Bhutan. They speak the Sunuwar language. According to the 2001 census of Nepal, 17% of the tribe follow the Kirant religion and adopt the Mundhum (Kiranti) culture.
The Kõinchs (Sunuwar) number 82,705 in total. The term ‘Kõinchs’ is also the name of the mother tongue. Other terms like Mukhiya or Mukhia are exonyms of the tribe. Sunuwar have a distinct language, religion, culture and social customs.