‘A little bit of home’: Nepali people in Wake County ring in new year with Nepal Day

Momo is a dumpling stuffed with vegetables or meat and dipped in a spicy tomato sauce called achaar made with chili, peppercorns and garlic.

To make them, a small piece of dough is made into a wrapper, stuffed with the filling, pinched around the edges to form a little satchel, and steamed to perfection.

The flavorful dish is native to Nepal, a small, landlocked country between India and China. This Saturday, momos can be found at Morrisville’s Church Street Park to celebrate Nepal Day. The day coincides with the Nepali New Year, which just celebrated the year 2081 on April 13, due to their calendar being 57 years ahead of the Georgian calendar.

“This (event) is a little bit of home, even though we are far away from home,” said Kalpana Bhandari, the executive secretary of the Nepal Center of North Carolina.

About 6,000 Nepali families live in Wake County, mostly in Morrisville, Cary, Apex and Holly Springs. Because they are smaller in number and share similarities with the large Indian community, Nepali people are often mistaken for Indian.

“When you say you’re from Nepal, some people think you’re from India,” Bhandari said. “We’re close to India, but we’re different. It’s important for us to be recognized and to show a different part of the world. Nepal Day is a proud moment for us.”

A fusion of geography and culture

Mostly in the Himalayas, Nepal has eight of the world’s highest peaks, with Mount Everest being the tallest. All that many people know about the country are the mountains and Sherpa people, known for their climbing skills.

But Bhandari said there is more to learn about Nepal, home to over 30 million people and the size of Arkansas.

“Nepal has its own language, with hundreds of ethnic groups who have their own languages,” Bhandari said. “They have their own food and culture and their own customs.”

Nepal is also the birthplace of Buddha, and many people, like the ethnic group Newar, practice Tibetan Buddhism. Hinduism is the dominant religion, however, and Nepalese and English are the dominant languages.

“Nepal is a fusion of multiple geographic features and multiple cultures,” said Bikash Shakya, the president of the Nepal Center of North Carolina. “We have the Himalayas region, the plain land, where Kathmandu, the capital, lies, and the middle area.”

Bhandari said many Nepalese immigrants come to the Triangle because of Research Triangle Park, the universities and local school systems, and the weather, which is similar to parts of Nepal.

“And it’s not the case now, but the housing here was affordable before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bhandari said. “There was a lot of movement here before then.”

Shakya, a Holly Springs resident of Newar descent, said Nepal Day attracts Nepali people from all around the state to Morrisville for the celebration, which also helps others learn about the culture.

“We display ethnic dresses, ornaments, foods, and since it’s open to the public and in a public park, people here come to visit and see Nepali dances and culture and taste the food,” Shakya said. This is the biggest event hosted by the Nepal Center of North Carolina.

The center has over 2,000 members and has helped build community ties and support Nepali residents. It holds blood drives and fundraisers for local issues and families in Nepal and helped get Triangle residents vaccinated against COVID-19.

A fun family atmosphere

Western Wake County has seen a large influx of Indian, southwest, and south Asian residents in recent years. Morrisville has the greatest number of Asian residents at 46%, and about 400 Nepalese families live in the town.

Mayor T.J. Cawley, who served as a town councilman in 2017, said the town designated Nepal Day because it is “important to our value of inclusiveness.”

“We’re always happy to do what we can to celebrate culture,” he said. “It makes us a tapestry. What makes Morrisville a great place to live is not just our location but also our residents and staff.”

Nepal Day will begin with a blood drive at 7 a.m. Saturday at Church Street Park, 5817 Cricket Pitch Way in Morrisville.

The parade begins around the cricket field at 11 a.m., and festivities will continue until 5 p.m.

The celebration includes local Nepali food vendors who will be selling ethnic dishes and native yogurts and bread.

“If you want to know about Nepal, the Nepali people, their culture, dresses and music, this is the right place and the right time to come,” Shakya said. “You’d be amazed.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2024 at 12:55 PM.

Kristen Johnson

The News & Observer

919-829-4532

Kristen Johnson is a local government reporter covering Durham for The News & Observer. She previously covered Cary and western Wake County. Prior to coming home to the Triangle, she reported for The Fayetteville Observer and spent time covering politics and culture in Washington, D.C. She is an alumna of UNC at Charlotte and American University.