Indigenous Traditional Technologies in Nepal: Creative Use of Knowledge, Skills and Technologies

Nepal is rich in Traditional skills and technologies due to its geographical diversity and many ethnic communities. All of these communities have some kind of traditional knowledge associated with their life from time immemorial. They have contributed their wisdom, knowledge, skill and technologies on sound use of the natural resources, conservation and restoration in the field of water management, agriculture, food, beverages, construction, energy, fabrics, metallurgy, pottery, and so on. Indigenous Traditional Technologies is remembered for its glorious past and its services to the societies for centuries.

Ghatta

Indigenous traditional knowledge, skill and technologies are nature or environment friendly, locally developed within existing cultural and social tradition, socially accepted, economic, simple and suited to the specific local conditions. In the modern day of technological advancement this knowledge is often forgotten or neglected. Understanding their advantage and disadvantage of these practices will help further strengthen the existing knowledge in these fields. We can use them necessary modification and improvement.

Some of the examples of Creative use of traditional Knowledge, skills and technologies are listed below:

Traditional Water Management System

A Traditional water management technology is widely found in natural water resources management especially in irrigation, drinking water sources management, diversion channels, milling and grinding techniques. The art of rainwater collection  is in here since ancient times. The technology of rain water collection from the rooftops in cement jars for the domestic purpose is becoming more and more popular in the water scarce places.

Traditional water mill (pani ghatta) has been used for centuries in Nepal for grinding of wheat, maize, millet etc.  Stream is diverted into channels with piled up stones and brushwood weirs. Last part of the channel leads into a chute at the angle of 45 degree.

pani ghatta

Traditional Soil Fertility Management Practices
Indigenous traditional knowledge in soil fertility management is an aged-old practice in Nepal. Use of farm yard manure, green manuring, in situ manuring such as keeping animals in sheds or in open fields  are also by using droppings of migratory flocks of sheep and goats, mulching, use of nitrogen fixing plants, crop rotation, fallowing, terrace riser slicing, trapping flood water for fertilization, burning of trash, use of forest soil and black soils, and burying of dead animals and mobile toilets are recognized as common indigenous soil fertility management  practices. Pit or Pit dug in the back yard and everything organic is dumped into the pit and the heap is covered and allowed to decompose and after an appropriate time the manure is transferred to the field.

Traditional food and beverages making
People of different culture, religions and races have their own food habits since immemorial time. Traditional foods are prepared locally available local materials using indigenous technology. A traditional food varies from locality to locality.
Some of the traditional foods popular in Nepali Peoples are gundruk, sinki, tama, khalpi, dahi, mohi, churpi, kurauni, mashaura, kinema,furaoula, melko amilo, kagati ko chuk, sel roti, titaura, sukuti, chooyla, kachila, jand, raksi, chyaang, cheura, etc.  Some of these foods are location specific and some of them are community specific like chooyla and kachila in Newar community where as kinema in Limbu Rai. Some of the food products like gundruk, sinki, sel roti are common to all geographic regions , all tribes and culture. These foods are prepared using the traditional methods specific to the product.
Fragmented foods are made by simple procedure, each household in the rural areas are familiar with such processing. Moreover, the techniques are so simple that it can be constructed easily at any place with the help of the household tools or other available materials.  For eg Gundruk and sinkkki are made from the vegetables leafs and radish.

The other creative use of the Traditional Nepali Technologies practices in Nepal are :
Traditional Soil Fertility Management Practices, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge on Pest Management, Biofencing, Agriculture tools and implements, Traditional Metal Craft, wood Craft and stone sculpture practice, Traditional construction practices, Fabric woolen – Bamboo strips-straw goods, Papers, Handicraft Making practices etc.