Location: The Newars nation is commonly considered the whole of Nepal. This Himalayan kingdom lies between the nations of China and India. It has been influenced by various neighboring countries yet still maintains quite unique. There are conflicting opinions about where the Newars originated because of the Mongol and Indian influences apparent in their society.
Language: Their language is composed of a cross between Tibetan-Burmese and Indo-European speech and writing.
Daily Life: The Newars are led by a Malla or king. These rulers are supposed to be very righteous and pious. In fact, it is said that they are the reincarnations of Lord Vishnu, who was said to have the power to talk with the great rulers of the spiritual world in his dreams. Since the Newars two main religions were Buddhism and Hinduism, caste systems were very much a part of their everyday life. According to legend, there were 4 main levels of the caste set in place by the gods to make society an easier place to live. It wasn’t until the greed of human beings became so great that the caste system turned into something negative.
The Newars were skilled craftsman. Between the tenth and sixteenth centuries, painting and sculpturing flourished. Their creative summit was between 1200 AD to 1768 AD. During this time there was a flourish of architectural accomplishments.
The Kathmandu Valley, where the highest concentration of Newars exists, is prime farming land. Therefore, one of the two main occupations is farming and the other is trade. Disregarding the later of the two, the Newars have very little contact with the outside world. The Newars are a long-standing kingdom. Without extensive contact with the outside world, they have managed to keep pure much of the way of life they had practiced hundreds of years ago.
References
Mountain People Nepal www.nepal.com/articles/newars.html. Laxmi hada.
Newars http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9055554
Newars http://www.asian-trekking.com/nepal_intro/nepal_mountainpeople.htm#NEWARS
Newars www.visitnepal.com/nepal_information/people.htm
By Steve Kangas