Mon May 05 10:44:33 UTC 2025: ## Nepal’s Last Nomadic Tribe Faces Extinction as Tradition Clashes with Modernity

**SURKHET, Nepal** – The Raute, Nepal’s last nomadic tribe, are on the brink of extinction, their unique way of life threatened by dwindling numbers and resistance to change. According to the Social Service Centre (SOSEC) Nepal, the Raute population has plummeted from 566 in 2021 to a mere 137 today, a stark decline despite 32 births in the last six years. This drastic drop is attributed to a higher death rate, with 42 individuals, including newborns, perishing during the same period.

The Raute, who live in temporary shelters in the Girighat forests, maintain a traditional lifestyle centered around hunting, gathering, and bartering handcrafted goods. They reject agriculture, settled living, and formal education, a stance that clashes with the government’s efforts to integrate them into modern society.

While the Nepalese government provides a monthly social security allowance of 4,000 Nepalese rupees ($29.5) per person to support their basic needs, many elders remain staunchly opposed to change, fearing that abandoning their nomadic lifestyle and adopting agriculture would lead to their demise. Surya Narayan Sahi, a 49-year-old Raute leader, vehemently opposes sending children to school, emphasizing the importance of preserving their traditional practices.

However, this resistance is met with a growing desire for change among younger generations. Gajali Sahi, a 22-year-old Raute woman, highlights the immense physical burden placed on women due to their constant relocation and expresses a longing for education, a desire shared by other young Rautes. Despite their elders’ prohibition, some children are secretly receiving basic education from SOSEC teachers, highlighting the conflict between tradition and the yearning for a better future.

The precarious situation of the Raute underscores the complex challenges faced by Indigenous communities balancing cultural preservation with the pressures of modernization. The future of this unique tribe hangs in the balance, dependent on whether a compromise can be found between tradition and the need for change.

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