Not a Caveman (When I Was 8)

Hello, my name is Maansu. I was born in Nepal but raised in New Zealand. This means I follow both Nepali/Newari traditions as well as Kiwi traditions. Last year, I experienced a Newari tradition called Gufa (Yes, you read that right, a “CAVE”). Gufa is a traditional Newari custom where little girls (Newari) like me get married to the sun. The sun is considered a God in both Newari and Hindu traditions. We are kept in a room with no sunlight, and I wasn’t allowed to see boys, NOT EVEN MY DAD!!! It lasted for 12 days until I was shown to my newly wedded husband, “the Sun.”

I had my grandparents here in New Zealand, all the way from Nepal, for this very reason. I was so happy to have them here, as they love me so much. My mom or grandma would bring me food and snacks and entertain me. When I needed the bathroom, my mom or grandma would tell my dad, grandpa, and little brother not to come around the bathroom until I was done. When the day finally came, family and friends gathered, dressed me in a fancy dress, jewelry, and a lot of makeup. “I’m not used to this,” I thought. Then, I went outside where my family was waiting for me, including my dad. He told me to look at the sun, but… it was covered in clouds! “OH NO! We’ll just have to WAIT!” said my dad. We were about to go back in when… OH MY WORD!!! The cloud disappeared like magic. And then we had a ceremony! My grandpa performed Puja on me and offered prayers to the sun and other gods. Then, I played with some friends, took photos, and got heaps of gifts from lots of uncles and aunties. That was my Gufa. We also had a big party later to celebrate!!!

I’m very thankful to my grandparents for coming all the way from Nepal, all the wonderful people who came to my party, and a big thank you to my mom and dad!