Kalopool, whats the diff between a Mustange Bista and Om Bikram Bista?  What about the Mustange Lama and Raju Lama?  What about the Sherpa from Namche and the Sherpa from Helambu???  Nothing, Nada, Zip...the pieces don't fit!  Their languages are different, their traditions have unbridged discrepancies and their religious outlook on life are viewed in totally differently perspectives.  The only thing that matches here is the Last Name/Surname.  Same applies to the Gurungs of Manang and the ones from Lamichhane (or the Ghales from Manang and the Ghales elsewhere).  Why are the Manange's considered Gurungs?  As per history, it is said that for the census undertaken during the Rana Regime, people from the mountains/far-out areas were catergorized and given "Nepali" last names to account for the general population who didn't fall into the 4 varnas (except for the Sherpas who already had made a name for themselves and Nepal everywhere through their high-altitude services to the Himalayan expeditions).  So, that is exactly how a "gurung" part came into a Manange name (or a "lama" in a Mustange name and a "Sherpa" for a Yolmo's surname).  To impose a sense of the varnas into the hill-peeps daily lives for better control of them, the Ranas categorized the more affluent and royal Mananges as "ghales" and for the Mustanges, they categorized the upper echelon as "Bistas".  hahahha  But sadly, the very peeps for whom the Rana's intended this for didn't notice any difference!!  hahahaha  Manange ghale and gurung still ate off the same plate!!

On another note, the late-great Harka Gurung always considered Manang to be the root of the Gurung civilization in Nepal.  According to him, the Gurungs of Nepal first migrated from Tibet using the Thorong Pass into Manang and then travelled further down into the lower hills.  However, seeing so many discreps in the 2 cultures, I feel that this theory would rather suit the Tamang version instead.  As per the Dalai lama, "Ta" (horse) "Mang" (warrior) came into Nepal from Tibet eons ago...However, the Tamangs who chose or stayed put in the mountains for some unknown reason became current day mananges (as they did not interbreed with the peeps of the lower hills).  The Tamangs who moved south slowly assimilated into normative nepali culture.  In contrast, the ones who remained behind in Manang still clung to their barbaric, warrior roots (still can be seen in and around Ktm) and kept the horse riding and archery tradition alive until today .  LOLz.  And to support my theory, the phonetics in Tamu are very similar to the ones used by Mananges.  Also, the Lhosar celebrated does not coincide with the Tibetan one and finally, we even greet the ones we know not by saying hello but rather, "kain chaje?"