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3.6 Culture
3.6.1 Kinship and Lineage
Badis have ainal, consanguineal, and ictive kinship relations similar to those of other ethnic and caste groups in Nepal. However, they have closer ainal
relationships compared to other relations. Badis say that they like the gunyu a
sarong-like garment relationship, or ainal relationships more. his is more so among Terai Badis because they give more importance to daughters compared
to sons. Hill Badis give more importance to consanguineal relations.
Badis consider son-in-law and nephewniece as special relations. hey respect son-in-laws as
Brahmins priests. he son-in-law or nephew is essential in marriage, death,
bratabandha, or birth rites, etc., to serve as a priest. Other relatives are not essential in any rituals or festivals. hey do not respect close
relatives. According to an experienced Badi man of Rakam, they did do not have family planning. As they marry at a young age, the age of nephew and
uncle is similar. hat is why they do not show any respect while addressing them. his seems to have developed as a tradition. A Badi activist says that when
children grow up they begin to use disrespectful words to address their parents, yet lovingly. However, there has been some change in use of such addresses.
Now they use honoriic language when conversing with parents and seniors.
3.6.2 Lineage and clan
Badis have no gotra, or clan. Most Badi were unaware of gotra. A local Pandit priest
of Rakam VDC also denied knowledge of it. He explained that Kashyap is the gotra
of grass, leaves, animals, and all those who do not have gotra. his may not be true.
Badis initially were caretakers in palaces of petty kings, and later Badi women were made concubines. Children of Badis were not given
gotra. Due to continuation of such occupation, Badis are not a progeny of a ixed ancestor or a clan. So, Badis
have the most mixed ancestry. Group discussion with Badis revealed that because a child gets his or her
gotra from the father, and because children were not accepted as their own lineage by men, they do not have any
gotra. Not a single gotra or lineage name was found among the Badis in the study areas. However, they use surnames.
Such surnames do not afect establishing marriage or other relations with other Badis. here is diference between surname and lineage. Some are descendents of
Sunar, Giri, Budhathoki, Rolpani Bahun, Salyani, Sankoti, Falabagi, Musikoti, and Jajarkoti, while Patar, Badi, Nepali, Rana, Bhand, Damai, Baigar, Singh, Kumal,
Das, Vadyakar, and Gaine are some of the surnames.
3.6.3 Fictive kinshipMiteri:
In the past, Badis were eager to make ictive relationships with elites, but because high castes would not readily accept such relations, they were compelled to have
it with other Badis who were not relatives. Panche Badi of Rakam VDC says that nowadays they build such relationships with other communities. hey regard
ictive friendship or
mit as one’s own brother, to the extent that the mit should observe the death pollution similar to that by family members. he
mit’s son can even perform the funeral rights of his
mit father. Bhagauti Badi thinks that such rites may have been sanctioned by the petty kings and the nobles because Badis
have close ties with them. According to her, the kings and nobles were respected by having such
mit, so Badis also imitated it. Such relationships are diferent among Badis in comparison to others in two ways. he irst is, such ictive relationship is
established by organizing a feast, where the two men would hold each end of a small stick together and vow that they are now
mit and one can perform the funeral rites of another’s parents in another’s absence, and that from now on they are family
members. Another informal friendship occurs between namesakes by declaring that they are now friends. However, such a friend is not seen as a member of the family.
3.6.4 Joking relationship
Joking relationships are mainly between sala-sali, solta-soltini, and phupa-
bhadai. Similarly, in some places there is joking relation between ego and brother’s wife. here is a saying: “No need to seduce your
sali.” During Holi, brother’s wife bhauju and husband’s brother dewar play
Holi by embracing each other. According to Horilal Badi, this is mainly so by Badis living near
haru settlements. First of all, bhauju and dewar smear color to one another. his tradition is found mainly among harus.
here is lirting between bhinaju-sali, soltina-solti, and Pusai father’s sister’s
husband. In the past, there was a tradition of marrying one’s brother’s wife after the brother’s death, but it is not practiced now. Horilal Badi says that a
man should not touch younger brother’s wife or mother-in-law’s sister. In other communities, a woman should cover her head on seeing husband’s brother,
but there is no such practice in Badi. here is a legend about this as told by Malgodami Badi. Badis in the past used to cover their head when they saw
husband’s elder brother. When they used to go to dance in the house of petty kings, it was seen that younger brother’s wife was dancing and husband’s elder
brother was playing the
maadal. While dancing, her headdress fell down, but the elder brother’s wife did not return it to her. From that time on, there was no
need to cover the head.
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3.7 Religion
Kategori