The Lepchas are known to be the original inhabitants of Sikkim. They are also known as Mutanchee Rongkups—where Mutanchee means “mother’s loved ones,” a metaphoric expression of “My Kanchenjunga.” Rong means Lepcha and kup means children (basically, children of the Gods).
According to sources, the Lepcha people strongly believe to have originated from the laps of Mt. Kanchenjunga. They worship their supreme god during any occasion in life, Ithbu Debu Rum (here Rum means God in Lepcha). Male Lepchas are known as Rongkups, whereas the females are known as Rongmit. There are almost 80+ clans within the tribe, each with their own dialects, stories, and traditions. This is known as Chu Doh Lep, where Chu stands for mountain, doh stands for lake, and Lep stands for a place. Every clan has their own mountain, lake, and place of origin or symbolisation.
In Lepcha history and oral tradition, it is believed that the world was created by the deity Ithbu Debu Rum, who shaped the landforms, oceans, and living beings before finally creating the first human ancestors- Fodong Theeng and Nyuzong Nyu.
They were instructed to live as siblings, but unfortunately lived as a couple. As a result, our first-generation ancestor Laso Mung Punu was born. He is said to have brought suffering into the world, and stories describe him as cruel, some even say he ate the Lepcha people. To end his tyranny, the Lepchas sought help from their god, who then summoned Zorbongthing, a powerful shaman.
Alongside Zorbongthing, the Lepchas took 12 years to kill Laso Mung Punu. During this time, Laso Mung Punu is believed to have taken on 12 different animal forms-each one representing an avatar. These 12 animal forms correspond to the animal calendar still observed in Buddhist culture.
The death of our first ancestor, Laso Mung Punu, is commemorated each year with a week-long celebration known as Namsoong. This annual Lepcha festival takes place from late December to early January.
A Folktale from Sikkim sourced by Lungmying Lepcha.
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