People and Tribes of Sikkim

The Lepchas (who call themselves Rongkup, meaning 'children of God') are the original, indigenous inhabitants of Sikkim.

• They traditionally lived deep in the forests and have a profound spiritual connection with nature, particularly Mount Khangchendzonga.
• Today, they form a small minority of the population but are highly protected as the aboriginals of the state.

The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated south to Sikkim around the 14th century.

• They are primarily followers of Tibetan Buddhism and built many of the great ancient monasteries found across Sikkim.
• They brought with them traditional farming and trading practices. Their language is Sikkimese (closely related to Tibetan).

The Nepalis migrated to Sikkim from neighboring Nepal starting in the 19th century, primarily brought in by the British to work in agriculture and tea gardens.

• Today, they form the vast majority (over 65%) of Sikkim's population.
• Because of this, Nepali is the most widely spoken language (lingua franca) in the state. They follow both Hinduism and Buddhism.