The Lo-Rig project's PhD student, Tshering Om Tamang, arrived at Trinity College Dublin on 28 April 2026. In her first week, she has been settling into life on campus, meeting fellow researchers at the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies (TCAS), and completing key administrative steps such as obtaining her student ID card. Her arrival followed delays related to visa procedures and flight restrictions. She has also begun familiarising herself with Trinity's academic systems, libraries, and research facilities, as well as navigating life in Dublin. Looking ahead, she hopes her four years at Trinity will be intellectually rewarding, offering opportunities for meaningful research, collaboration, and personal growth. She particularly looks forward to advancing her research on the Monkha language as part of the Lo-Rig project.
PhD student, Tshering Om Tamang, at Trinity College Dublin (April 2026).
Between 13th and 17th March 2026, Ms Tshering Om Tamang and Sonam Lhamo visited Chungseng village to carry out fieldwork on the Monkha language.
During the visit, the researchers collected primary data on local language use and community perspectives. An important activity was a community meeting, where the team introduced the aims and scope of the Lo Rig Project, with particular focus on documenting Monkha language. Following the presentation, community members shared their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives on language preservation.
Alongside the meeting, Ms Tshering and Sonam Lhamo collected language samples from speakers in the village. They recorded natural conversations and oral narratives to capture everyday speech and elicited word lists to document the vocabulary of the Monkha language. These focused efforts aimed to provide an accurate record of authentic language use to support ongoing documentation and preservation of Monkha.
Community members attending a meeting in Chungseng village (March 2026).
Fieldwork data collection session in Chungseng village (March 2026).
Rinchen visited the remote Gongduk communities of Pam, Caibi and Miden, where he introduced the Lo-Rig project, held consultations with community members, and conducted the sociolinguistic survey.
Due to the lack of a guide, he was unable to visit Bangbangla, possibly the most remote Gongduk village. A future visit is planned for autumn 2026.
People from Miden village attending the consultative meeting about the Lo-Rig project (March 2026).
On 01 March 2026, Tshering Om Tamang officially registered as a PhD student at Trinity College Dublin.
Tshering's doctoral research will focus on the preparation of a descriptive grammar of the Monkha language as spoken in the Riti and Cungseng speech communities in Sarpang district, Bhutan. Her work will form a central component of the Lo-Rig project's long-term documentation and description of Monkha varieties.
Tshering Om Tamang at the Royal University of Bhutan.
While Tshering received her visa for Ireland after a four-month wait in early March, she is still waiting for her passport to be returned and is also unable to travel to Dublin due to travel restrictions in the Middle East. The project team looks forward to welcoming her in person once the necessary arrangements have been completed.
The Lo-Rig project is delighted to have Tshering formally join the team and anticipates a productive collaboration in the years ahead.
Sonam travelled to Trongsa district to conduct fieldwork among the speakers of Monkha in the villages of Phuzur (her home village), Jangbi, and Wangling.
During the visit, she completed the sociolinguistic survey of all households in these villages. She also interacted with Pamo Dorjimo, one of the two remaining Pamo (female "Bon" or pre-Buddhist practitioners) in the villages. Pamo Dorjimo provided detailed information on the various patrilineal clans (or "castes") that were once found among the Monpa people and which of these clans still exist today. Sonam also clarified several outstanding questions concerning the transcription and translation of earlier recordings.
From 18 February onwards, Sonam joined the Monpa community in celebrating Dawa Dangpai Losar, the traditional New Year celebration, which lasts several days. During the daytime, men play khuru (darts) and degor (stone put). At the same time, groups of women conduct changkor: they visit every household, sing traditional songs, and are then served ara, singchang, and bangchang, local alcoholic drinks, in return. In the evening, it is the men’s turn to perform changkor.
During Losar, the main meals of the day are taken together.
On 1 February 2026, Michael Bayona joined the Lo-Rig project as a postdoctoral research fellow.
Michael specialises in speech processing and artificial intelligence. Within the project, he will apply and further develop computational methods for the analysis of Gongduk and Monkha, with a particular focus on accelerating the transcription and processing of recorded materials. His work will also contribute to the development of digital tools and applications that speakers can use to support and promote their respective languages.
Michael Bayona, Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the Lo-Rig project.
The Lo-Rig project team warmly welcomes Michael and looks forward to a productive collaboration over the coming three years.
On 30 January 2026, Tim visited New Kaspi village in Singchung circle, where he met with Mr. Sani Bachung, a speaker of Bugun.
The visit formed part of the preparations for the Summer School on Ancient Trans-Himalayan Languages, organised by the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies in June 2026. Discussions focused on the structure and distinctive features of the Bugun language, as well as topics relevant to historical-comparative research in the region.
Sani Bachung enlightening Tim about the intricacies of the Bugun language (January 2026).
On 29 January 2026, Tim visited the Central Institute for Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS) at Dahung, Singchung circle, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. He had an extended discussion with the Institute's Director, Dr. Gurmet Dorjey.
Tim presented copies of his book Reconstruction of Proto-Western Kho-Bwa, as well as Ethnography of the Costumes of the Brokpa and Monpa People, which he co-authored with Dr. Michiko Wakita.
Materials presented during Tim's visit to the Central Institute for Himalayan Culture Studies (January 2026).
As the Institute had already closed for the winter break, interaction with students and staff was not possible during this visit. Nevertheless, Dr. Dorjey and Tim discussed the Institute's unique position within the culturally and linguistically diverse region of Western Arunachal Pradesh. CIHCS hosts staff, graduate and postgraduate students from a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
The Institute expressed interest in developing cooperation with the Trinity Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in areas of shared strength, including Buddhist Studies, Bhoti (Tibetan) language and literature, regional and local histories and hagiographies, and local religious belief systems and practices, including Bon traditions.
Despite 26 January being India’s Republic Day, the Vice Chancellor-in-charge, Prof. S.K. Nayak, took time to attend a short presentation delivered by Tim on possibilities for future research cooperation between AITS and the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies. Recognising the potential mutual benefits of such collaboration, the Vice Chancellor expressed his support for developing institutional cooperation.
Tim delivering his introduction to Trinity College Dublin at Rajiv Gandhi University (January 2026).
The Vice Chancellor-in-charge presenting a token of appreciation to Tim in the presence of Dr. Lisa Lomdak (January 2026).
On 27 January, Tim delivered two talks to graduate and postgraduate students and staff of RGU. He summarised the ethnolinguistic situation in Western Arunachal Pradesh, outlined the present state of research, and identified gaps in current knowledge as opportunities for future research, ideally to be undertaken by scholars and students from Arunachal Pradesh.
He also introduced Trinity College Dublin, the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences, and the Trinity Centre for Asian Studies. Copies of his publications, Reconstruction of Proto-Western Kho-Bwa and Ethnography of the Costumes of the Brokpa and Monpa People, were presented to the Institute’s library.
Tim delivering his talk on the ethnolinguistic diversity of Western Arunachal Pradesh (January 2026).
Tim with staff, scholars and students of the Arunachal Institute for Tribal Studies (January 2026).
Following the lectures, a frank and open discussion took place with attending students and staff. The exchange continued informally during a subsequent lunch in a local restaurant.
Sharing lunch with students and scholars of RGU AITS (January 2026).
The event received coverage in local media, including a report in The Arunachal Times.
Local media coverage of the event at AITS (January 2026).
Local media coverage of the event at AITS (January 2026).
Between the 21st and 23rd of January, Tim visited his alma mater, Tezpur University in Assam. Between 2012 and 2017, Tezpur University hosted Tim and his colleague from Bern University, Ismael Lieberherr, so that they could conduct their PhD thesis research. Prof. Dr. Madhumita Barbora (now retired) acted as their second supervisor. This time, the Head of the Department of Linguistics and Language Technology (DLLT), Prof. Dr. Arup Kumar Nath, organized a meeting on the 22nd of January, and gave Tim the opportunity to present a talk his talk on the ethnolinguistic situation in Western Arunachal Pradesh, the present state of research, and opportunities for future research. Tim also introduced Trinity College Dublin, the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences, the Trinity Center for Asian Studies, and the Lo-Rig project.
Tim giving his talk to staff, graduates and postgraduates of DLLT (Tezpur University, January 2026).
The talk was well attended by staff and students of the Department. Tim also presented his "Reconstruction of Proto-Western Kho-Bwa" and in turn received three Tezpur University publications on the phonology, morphology, and syntax of seven previously under-described and endangered languages of Northeast India.
Publications on endangered languages of Northeast India presented to Tim by colleagues at Tezpur University.
Dr. Nath, Dr. Amalesh Gope and Tim also discussed potential cooperation between DLLT and the Centre for Language and Communication Studies (CLCS) at Trinity College Dublin the field of language documentation and description and phonetics and phonology.
DLLT staff and Master's and PhD students attending Tim's talk (January 2026).
