The ethnographic Magar museum in Rolpa, hill district in Province 5, is in the verge of a closure due to paucity of budget.
The museum featuring culture and traditions of the ethnic Magar community has now shrunk to one room. More, the publicity of the museum is awaited. Nepal Magar Association Rolpa’s secretary Jokh Bahadur Pun said they are not in the position of even paying the rent for museum.
The museum last year was provided with some financial assistance by the local government to pay the rent. “We hope for support and cooperation from all local government in the district to protect and keep the Magar language and culture alive through the sustainability of the museum,” he said.
Rolpa is the Magar-majority district as 46 percent, out of the total population, are Magars. Magars residing in Phagam, Jelwang, Gam, Siuri, Seram, Uwa, Thawang, Mirul, and Jankot in the eastern north part of the district, speak the Magar language.
Most Magars don’t speak their mother language. Two schools in the Pariwartan rural municipality in the district run the Magar language class.
The museum was established by the Association in 2071 BS with the support of the Western High Hilly Poverty Alleviation Project. It exhibits the Magar cultural dress, utensils and entertainment devices.
