Increasing Materiality and Emerging Concepts of Ethnic Religious Identity: The Case of ‘Kirat Religion’ in Nepal

Abstract

Abstract Traditionally lacking temples, mass processions, pilgrimage traditions, full time ritual specialists, or painting traditions, religious practice among the Rai of eastern Nepal was until recently characterized by low visibility. After the ‘People’s War’ at the turn of the millennium, new political ideas understand religion as one of the core features of ethnic identity. Since this reconceptualization of the ‘New Nepal’, an increase of materiality, and hence visibility, in what is today called Kirat religion can be observed. In this article, three case studies are presented as a basis to discuss the link between materiality, religion, and ethnic activism: a newly installed pilgrimage site in eastern Nepal, a recently built temple in the capital Kathmandu, and an upcoming type of festival clothing. Pointing out that in this case materiality is employed to achieve a political end, we come to the conclusion that the effects the material objects have on people are specific to a certain moment in time and depend on pre-existing concepts and practices of religion in a given society.