It is a tale to tell the children sitting around the table after a festive dinner: How the pilgrims suffered political and religious persecution and decided to flee their homeland.
How their journey proved long and perilous. How they arrived both fearful and hopeful in a new country and had to rely on the natives for their survival.
And finally, how they came to celebrate their newfound home with a feast of thanksgiving. It is an old story given new life in people like Wangchuk, 40, and Lhandop, 29, Tibetan refugees who are observing this Thanksgiving as modern-day pilgrims, grateful to have arrived in the safe harbor of America and eager to mark this holiday in ways traditional to their new and old homelands.
The men represent two waves of the Tibetan diaspora. There are people like Wangchuk and his family, who fled with the Dalai Lama in 1959 in the wake of the Chinese invasion 10 years earlier, and recent refugees like Lhandop, who are still putting their lives at risk in their flight from the Communist regime.
Although Wangchuk immigrated to the United States in 1993, his wife and four children were not able to join him until last year, arriving, coincidentally, just three days before Thanksgiving. The family was too harried to celebrate then, so today is a special occasion.
"I am most thankful I will be able to reunion with my family and we'll be able to celebrate surrounded by friends," said Wangchuk, who like many Tibetans uses only one name.
They are planning a traditional American feast. Wangchuk once worked as a housekeeper and learned to make all of the staples--turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, coleslaw--and will add the Tibetan dish momos--a dumpling made of meat or vegetables.
Lhandop already had a turkey dinner at an employee party this week. At his home he will prepare a more traditional Tibetan menu that will feature lamb dishes. The day will be no less special for him, though. He arrived in the United States three years ago. It will be the first Thanksgiving he will celebrate with his friend, Leeja, who arrived just six months ago seeking political asylum.
The two had fled Tibet together, escaping on foot over the Himalayas during the treacherous winter season.
Lhandop's accommodation to American tastes will be beer "and lots of singing and dancing. Most of my friends are single," he said with a grin.
