Raute people

Raute are a nomadic traveling ethnic group officially recognized by the Government of Nepal.

To obtain grain (rice), iron, cloth, and jewelry, they carve wooden bowls and boxes to trade for goods from local farmers (Shahu, 2019).

Raute do not share their language, hunting strategies and worship practices to the villagers to maintain their cultural purity.

The government of Nepal has permitted them to cut down small trees in state - run forests needed for poles in erecting their tents, which often puts them in friction with the local population.

Rautes emphasize that they wish to remain full-time foragers and not assimilate into the surrounding farming population.