Belonging, Memory and Migration: An Anthropological Study of the Burmeli Nepalis in Kathmandu and Rupandehi, Nepal
- Anurag LamsalDetails
22 February 2026/१० फागुन २०८२ (आइतबार, दिउँसो ३ बजे)
Research Seminar Series
Belonging, Memory and Migration: An Anthropological Study of the Burmeli Nepalis in Kathmandu and Rupandehi, Nepal
Anurag Lamsal, Independent Researcher
Abstract
This research explores the sense of belonging felt by Burmeli migrants, a Nepali-origin community who migrated to Burma (now Myanmar) and, over generations, returned to Nepal. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this research investigates how collective memory and performance play a crucial role in preserving and reproducing a sense of belonging across time and place. Focusing on the intergenerational transfer of memories, especially through stories of Nepal as a homeland, the study examines how Burmelis continue to engage with their imagined and experienced connections to both Burma and Nepal.
Building on theoretical perspectives from anthropology, the study positions belonging as a dynamic and fluid process, shaped by emotions, memory, and performance. Migrants’ stories of hardship, symbolized by the term “dukha,” feature prominently in their narratives of Nepal, portraying it as a land of scarcity and struggle. These memories, passed down across generations, are enacted through rituals, songs, and communal performances, which transform memory into a living, embodied practice of identity and belonging.
By analyzing how Burmelis perform their connection to both Burma and Nepal, this
research sheds light on the challenges they face in adapting to new realities and maintaining a sense of continuity. The study also highlights the importance of collective performances in stabilizing identity within the diaspora. The findings emphasize that belonging for Burmeli migrants is not just a static attachment to a place but an ongoing negotiation shaped by migration, memory, and cultural performance.
About the Speaker
Anurag Lamsal is an aspiring anthropologist who has recently earned a master's degree in anthropology from Tribhuvan University. His work often circles questions of memory, migration, and belonging, shaped by lived experience as much as by research.