What has almost 20 years of ‘freedom’ meant for Kamaiya men in Kailali district, Nepal? Analysing changing patterns of migration as a marker of freedom

Almost 20 years after being officially ‘freed’ from the Kamaiya system of bonded labour in July 2000, this paper considers the lived experience of freedom for male Kamaiya former bonded labourers in Nepal. The article considers the symbolic and material significance of migration in the post-bondage era within Kamaiya communities. The focus on migration for this group of young male former bonded-labourers who were previously unable to migrate, facilitates analysis of the ways in which migration between Nepal and India enables new performances of masculinity. Ultimately, this paper argues that migration, however precarious, has become an important marker of freedom for the Kamaiya.