The fluidity of ethnicity: The case of Nepali and Newar identity in the United States

Who is a true Newar? Just with a last namealone, can we justify our claim to be Newar? Born to a Maharjan family, the author's parents did not speak Newari much and the author learned more Newar words and things about the Newar culture after coming to the United States. The concept of ethnicity depends on the situation and context, as it is the people in the society who define the boundaries of ethnicity. In a situation such as with immigrants, they are attempting to create ethnicity for themselves in a place away from their homeland. The people themselves create this new sense of identity by talking about these notions and setting boundaries for themselves. Nationality is not an appropriate definition of ethnicity in the homeland, since everyone is of the same nationality - but it is pronounced in a foreign country. In a place away from one's homeland, one is defined by one's nationality.