Creating fear and distress all around them, the Gorkha Army couldn't have achieved it alone. An inwardly curved blade, with a strong grip, sliced through the adamant nature of the British, leading Nepal to victory and granting it the title of the only nation in history to remain uncolonized. While history idolizes the Gorkha Army, in Nepal, we idolize the Khukuri. Not only did it give the Gorkhas the will to fight for freedom, but even ordinary people well above the age of 60 joined the Gorkha War. With blood dripping down their bodies and legs that limped on the battlefield, they pushed through, drawing strength from the Khukuri. My family still respects and upholds the same values that the Khukuri held centuries ago. When my father emigrated to America, he told me it was the most difficult thing he'd ever had to do. As he walked out of our house in Nepal with no luggage, he couldn't help but feel distressed. He had to walk in his bare feet for an hour, but just before entering the airport, he stopped at a local store and sat down. Politely, he asked for a drink of water, and the store owner didn't hesitate to bring him one. As he drank from the steel cup, he noticed a khukuri on the wall. Before departing, he thanked the store owner and then stood on his knees to bow down to the Khukuri. For me and my family, the Khukuri gives us meaning and purpose. It serves as a constant reminder of what our ancestors have sacrificed for us.

– Purnima Neoupane

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child