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INTRODUCTION
Nepal is a land-locked country located between China and
India. It is roughly 1/6th the size of B.C. The land changes from
the stature of the mighty Himals on the North to the plains of the fertile
Terai on the South within a distance of 100-120 kms. Therefore, one encounters
a very diverse climate within a very short distance. Nepal has a population of
23 million and ranks 34th in the world population. The country,
though small in size, boasts of several languages and ethnic groups. Most of
the terrain is very rough with many communities being accessible only by foot.
Only a decade ago, the number of Nepali people in British
Columbia (B.C.) was less than twenty, but the 90’s saw a steady rise of
immigrants from Nepal to BC. Although no official society had yet been formed
then, the Nepalis in B.C. started organizing events such as celebration of
Dashain festival (in September or October) and the Nepali New Year. Summer
picnics, marriage ceremonies, and birthday parties also brought the Nepali
people in BC together.
Realizing the need to organize community events and to
promote Nepali culture in the context of B.C.’s multi-cultural mosaic, it was
decided in late 1998 to organize a Nepal Society. Accordingly NCSBC was born on
March 22nd 1999. Presently, there are approximately 250 Nepalis
living in B.C., most of whom are active members of NCSBC.
The primary objectives of the Society are:
·
· to
help Nepali British Columbians to preserve and promote Nepali identity and
culture;
·
·
to promote Nepali culture
amongst residents of BC;
· · to build cooperation, goodwill and mutual support among Nepali British Columbians;
·
·
to extend our community
assistance in human development activities in Nepal in whatever small way we
can; and
·
·
to undertake activities of
charity and welfare benefiting members of Nepali community or Canadian citizens
at large.
For over the last three
years, NCSBC has been active in fulfilling its mandate. To celebrate our
community, we have maintained various festivities and social gatherings that
saw the Society’s germination. The society, through its Nepali Heritage and
Language Centre (NHLC) holds Nepali language classes on a regular basis. The sessions
led by dedicated volunteers was started two years ago.
We have also started building a public presence by participating in local events, such as the multicultural parades of the Trinidad and Tobago festival (the recent one being on July 27, 2002). We also took part in the Multicultural Festival organised on August 11, 2001. In such festivals, we seek to emphasize the diverse practices and contributions of Nepali culture. Additionally, we hosted the first ever Pacific Nepali Community Picnic on September 1st 2002. Among the participants were Nepalis from Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
Last Updated: February 18, 2003