Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal

Recent research on Christians in Nepal challenges instrumentalist readings of conversion by focusing on the conversion narratives of Christian Nepalis. Yet some Christian Nepalis identify as second- or third-generation Christians – born and raised in Christian households – whose experiences with the...

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Main Author: Victoria M Dalzell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris 2022-12-01
Series:European Bulletin of Himalayan Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/ebhr/652
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author Victoria M Dalzell
author_facet Victoria M Dalzell
author_sort Victoria M Dalzell
collection DOAJ
description Recent research on Christians in Nepal challenges instrumentalist readings of conversion by focusing on the conversion narratives of Christian Nepalis. Yet some Christian Nepalis identify as second- or third-generation Christians – born and raised in Christian households – whose experiences with their faith and relation to Nepal’s religious landscape significantly differs from those of first-generation Christians. These second-generation Christian Nepalis increasingly fill leadership positions within their churches, including musical ones. This article shows how musical practices link generations of Christian Nepalis and allow young people to claim cultural belonging both inside and outside the Church through choices in musical style. Through ethnographic detail, I demonstrate how Christian youths are catalysts for changes to church music practices and publicly link Christianity to Nepal’s various subcultures through musical sound. Christian Nepali youths’ musical activities both negotiate cultural changes within Nepal’s Christian community and demonstrate belonging to Nepal’s wider society.
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publisher Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris
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spelling doaj-art-7cc94e8732c742cb967f191d4e02ad4b2024-12-09T16:04:46ZengCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), ParisEuropean Bulletin of Himalayan Research2823-61142022-12-015910.4000/ebhr.652Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in NepalVictoria M DalzellRecent research on Christians in Nepal challenges instrumentalist readings of conversion by focusing on the conversion narratives of Christian Nepalis. Yet some Christian Nepalis identify as second- or third-generation Christians – born and raised in Christian households – whose experiences with their faith and relation to Nepal’s religious landscape significantly differs from those of first-generation Christians. These second-generation Christian Nepalis increasingly fill leadership positions within their churches, including musical ones. This article shows how musical practices link generations of Christian Nepalis and allow young people to claim cultural belonging both inside and outside the Church through choices in musical style. Through ethnographic detail, I demonstrate how Christian youths are catalysts for changes to church music practices and publicly link Christianity to Nepal’s various subcultures through musical sound. Christian Nepali youths’ musical activities both negotiate cultural changes within Nepal’s Christian community and demonstrate belonging to Nepal’s wider society.https://journals.openedition.org/ebhr/652NepalmusicChristianityyouthbelonging
spellingShingle Victoria M Dalzell
Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
European Bulletin of Himalayan Research
Nepal
music
Christianity
youth
belonging
title Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
title_full Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
title_fullStr Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
title_full_unstemmed Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
title_short Growing up Christian and Nepali: negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the Church in Nepal
title_sort growing up christian and nepali negotiating belonging through music inside and outside the church in nepal
topic Nepal
music
Christianity
youth
belonging
url https://journals.openedition.org/ebhr/652
work_keys_str_mv AT victoriamdalzell growingupchristianandnepalinegotiatingbelongingthroughmusicinsideandoutsidethechurchinnepal