The Thakali people of lower Mustang have a long history of economic success
fostered through community systems that function due to cooperation, but are
also characterized by competition. One of these traditional systems is dhikur, a
system of rotating credit composed of approximately twenty members. This study
examines the roles of traditional savings and credit institutions within
communities in lower Mustang in the context of the emergence of private
financial institutions in Jomsom over the last ten years. My research displayed the
strength of these community based organizations in the face of a private financial
sector where organizational requirements make access unattainable for many of
Mustang’s residents. Research was conducted through semi­structured interviews
in Jomsom, Tukuche, Larjung and Marpha to gain a varied understanding of how
financial groups have evolved across communities, in different contexts. The
change and continuity that exists within traditional organizations, like dhikur, is
indicative of both the adaptation and preservation of social, cultural and
economic norms in Thakali culture.