Sherpa people

The Sherpa people are an ethnic group in Nepal known for their mountaineering and trekking skills in the Himalayan mountains. Sherpas have a deep respect for the mountain terrain they call home and view the mountains as sacred. They also have a rich cultural heritage that reflects their beliefs in family, hospitality, kindness, and consideration for the natural world. However, since tourism to the region around Mount Everest became popular in the twentieth century, they have served as guides, porters, and protectors of Mount Everest and the surrounding areas.

In 1953, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary on Hillary’s historic first ascent to the summit of Mount Everest. Since then, many Sherpas have also become famous mountain climbers. Among them are Ang Tharkay, Ang Tsering, and Mingma Gyabu Sherpa. Although traditionally the Sherpa guides were young men, women such as Psang Lhamu Sherpa, have also become famous for their mountaineering skills.

Brief History

The name Sherpa, sometimes pronounced Sherwa, means “dweller from an eastern country.” The Sherpa people were nomadic people who came from the Kham region in Tibet and traveled west to settle in the area of Solu-Khumbu of the Koshi Province of eastern Nepal. They began to leave Tibet sometime about the twelfth to fifteenth century in search of pasturelands. Historians believe a main reason they migrated could have been to religious differences with Mahayana Buddhists.

According to oral traditions, the people arrived at different times, crossing over the Himalayas from Tibet. When they settled in the area determined which of the four major Sherpa clans they belonged to. These clans are the Minyagpa, Thimmi, Sertawa, or Chawa. Eventually, about twenty clans emerged from the four main clans, with a Sherpa’s clan being determined by their male ancestry.

During the Middle Ages, the area was part of the Kirata Kingdoms. However, in 1773, the King of Gorkha annexed Nepal as part of the unification of the country. Because they were a peaceful people, the Sherpa were allowed political autonomy.

Traditionally, the Sherpa were Alpine pastoralists who herded yaks and cattle, moving among the high-altitude pasture lands from the Tibetan border to the banks of the Bhoteksi River. They also engaged in the trade of salt wool and rice and farmed potatoes, barley, and buckwheat crops. They were able to cope with the low oxygen of the high altitude because they evolved to have more red blood cells to increase the capacity of their blood to carry oxygen. Over the generations, they also learned to navigate the icy mountain terrain and negotiate crevasses, ice fields, and avalanche areas.

Sherpa settlements were traditionally high in the mountains, at about 10,000 to 14,000 feet (3,048 to 4,267 meters). During the harsh Himalayan winters, the men who were able to work would go down to the lower elevations to trade or pasture their animals, while the old and the young would stay in the villages. When spring came, the men would return to prepare the fields for sowing crops.

In 1976, Khumbu became a national park, and tourism to Mount Everest became a feature of the Sherpa people’s economic support. Until Westerners came to climb Mount Everest, the Sherpa people, despite having excellent mountaineering skills, had not climbed the mountain or other nearby tall peaks because they viewed these places as home to the gods. During this time, many Sherpas also began to adopt Western-style clothing and traditions to appeal to the influx of hikers and adventurers wishing to visit the area.

Overview

Population estimates from the early 2020s place the total number of Sherpa at more than 250,000 people. Many Sherpa live in the Solu-Khumbu region near the southern base of Mount Everest. Some also live in the eastern areas of Kulung, the valleys of the Dudh Kosi and Rolwaling Rivers to the west, and the Lantang-Helambu region to the north. The city of Kathmandu also has a population of Sherpa, and outside of Nepal, small communities can be found in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, India.

Sherpa villages are usually found on the side of mountain slopes or on top of steep cliffs. Some are very small, with just a few houses, while others are larger and have a hundred or more houses, such as the towns of Khumjung or Namche Bazaar. Houses are usually two stories and built of stone with wooden roofs. The lower level is for animals and storage, while the upper level has living spaces and an altar. Larger towns have community amenities, such as a temple, mill, fields, and monuments. These villages are connected by roads or trails, and much of the transport is done by pack animals or people.

The language the Sherpa people speak is a Tibetan-Burman dialect of Tibetan that borrows from Nepali and other languages. Writing is in Tibetan script. Many Sherpas also speak and write Nepali, and many, especially younger Sherpas, learn English to work in the tourism industry. This has become an increasingly important skill since tourism has become the major driving force in the Sherpa economy since the late twentieth century.

The Sherpa have a rich folk history. In their folklore, the Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman, is an ape-like creature that would attack Sherpa villages. According to Sherpa legend, village elders tried to wipe out the threat but only succeeded in reducing the creature’s numbers. A few Yeti remained by hiding out in mountain caves. They occasionally come down to attack humans.

The Sherpa people are primarily Nyingmapa Buddhists, who practice a religion that is a mixture of Tibetan Buddhism and animism. Nyingmapa Buddhism is the oldest Buddhist sect in Tibet that incorporates mysticism, shamanism, and reverence of local deities. The Sherpa worship numerous gods and goddesses in addition to Buddha, and they believe all of the natural elements, such as mountains, rivers, forests, and caves, are home to spirits. These spirits must be worshipped or at least appeased to prevent calamity from befalling the people.

The Sherpa refer to Mount Everest as Chomolungma, the “Mother of the World.” Each clan has certain mountains and peaks that are sacred and protective. Therefore, it is an important part of Sherpa worship to present offerings and chant prayers to the gods and spirits that inhabit these places. Lamas are spiritual leaders who often preside over ceremonies and rituals. Shamans and soothsayers also act as liaisons to the supernatural world and diagnose or cure illnesses.

Throughout the region are gompa, or monasteries, where Buddhist monks live. These are usually men, although some monasteries also have females living there. They take a vow of celibacy and live in isolation, having contact with others only during religious festivals and ceremonies. Sherpa communities have high regard for those who dedicate their lives to religious enlightenment and provide support for their local monasteries.

Religious holidays are important in Sherpa culture and are celebrated with feasting, dancing, and drinking. The major festivals are Losar for the new year in February; Dumje, for prosperity in July; and Mani Rimdu, which is held four times a year at different monasteries to scare away evil spirits. Nyungne is also a festival but it is celebrated with penance and abstinence to acknowledge any sins committed throughout the year.

Family is important in a Sherpa’s life as people are identified by their clan. However, a person must marry outside of their clan, choosing their own marriage mate. The process of courtship and betrothal is often quite lengthy and may involve the man living with his fiancée’s family for several years to prove the relationship will be successful. A newly married couple may receive a house as a wedding present, or they may live with the wife’s family until a child is born.

It is common for Sherpa parents to name their children after the days of the week, or after a virtue, such as Lhamo, which means beautiful. Children usually do not go to school and are provided any education they will need at home, therefore historically, rates of literacy are low. However, public schools are being introduced into some Sherpa communities.

Sherpa people eat a diet of starches, flavored with vegetables, spices, and meat. Tea traditionally accompanied by salt and butter is very important in Sherpa culture and it is drunk after waking and throughout the day. For breakfast, roasted flour may be added to tea or milk, and a mid-morning meal often consists of spiced boiled potatoes or bread dipped in sauce. A typical dinner is a stew with potatoes or dumplings, vegetables, and sometimes meat. Because of their religious beliefs, Sherpas will not kill an animal for food but will eat the meat if harvested by someone else. Dairy, such as butter and cheese curds, are also a staple of Sherpa diets, along with beer made from maize or millet.

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