Yalang and Palam: Cultural Heritage, Identity and Performance in the Limbu Community of Eastern Nepal

This article stresses the historical, social, and symbolic significance of the Yalang and Palam within the Limbu community in eastern Nepal. Yalang (paddy dance) and Palam (improvised oral song), rooted in communal threshing and agricultural practices, represent the Limbu people’s collective memory, moral principles, and historical awareness. This study employs a descriptive approach, collecting information from newspapers and archival documents, and uses a historical-analytical research methodology. In the face of modernization and cultural change, the study shows how Yalang and Palam serve as living cultural institutions that combine labor art and ritual, promoting social cohesion and egalitarian participation while bolstering a Limbu identity. Through the transmission of historical information, philosophical contemplation, and shared values across generations, these performances serve as a means of cultural preservation. As essential components of both Limbu heritage and Nepal’s broader cultural legacy, the study emphasizes the critical need to promote and conserve Yalang and Palam documentation.