TIBETANS

The region of Tibet is in the Himalayas and has been governed by China since 1950. At that time, many Tibetans were displaced to nearby countries such as Nepal and India. They formed new communities, including relocating their governmental headquarters to Dharamshala in India, but retain a strong allegiance to their homeland and their spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama. The Tibetian language has remained their primary language along with Mandarin Chinese which is the second official language of the region. Their immigration to North America began small in the 70’s in Canada when the Dalai Lama appealed for Tibetans to be able to immigrate. Later, in the 1990’s, the Dalai Lama made a new appeal and several thousand Tibetans were allowed to immigrate into Toronto and New York City. Many of these immigrants came from Nepal and India where they were already refugees. As a result, Tibetans in North America have been described as “twice removed”. In a study done by the Central Tibetan Administration, 26,594 Tibetans were counted as living in the United States and 9,504 in Canada. New York, Toronto, and Minneapolis have the largest concentrations.

Historically, the Tibetans have been a nomadic people following their herds of animals. The region of Tibet is the highest elevation on earth, containing Mt. Everest. The staple diet of the Tibetan region is roasted barley, yak meat, and butter tea. They may be found celebrating the birthday of the Dalai Lama every year. There are Tibetan societies in the cities where they live, and some of these exist to promote Tibetan independence for the homeland. Tibetans stay in close communication with their family in Tibet, India, and Nepal and a large minority take frequent trips to Dharamshala or other Tibetan communities in South Asia.