Uttam Makaju

Storyteller, Canada Celebrates Folklore, Nepal

Uttam Makaju, is a Nepalese-Canadian immigrant, belonging to Newar(Newah) community, a community rich in pageantry and rituals connected with sustainability, health, and the environment. Before migrating to Canada, he worked as a high school principal (12 years) and as a social activist. He completed a Masters in Sociology and B. Ed. from Nepal, and a Social Service Worker Diploma from Seneca College, Canada. After the completion of his college education, he worked as a Settlement Counsellor (2008) and since then has been working as a Program Instructor for community living. After landing in Canada, he joined Scouts Canada for a couple of years and later joined Canadian Newa Guthi, a GTA-based organization dedicated to promote, preserve, and practice Newah culture in Canada. As its VP since 2014, he helped conduct various activities ranging from cultural to community-focused services. He has been involved in teaching Newah (Newari) language and culture to Ph.D. students of Toronto University one evening in a week since 2018. He is the Founding President of “Himalayan Vibes” a Toronto-based Nepalese folk musical group.