Sherpas

Summer, L. S. Sherpas. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-887068-95-3. Available at 305.89 SUM on the library shelves.

Synonymous with mountain climbers, Sherpas are actually an ethnic group that settled in the Himalayas in the 1500s. Culturally different from their Nepalese neighbors, Sherpas survived in the high mountains, coming down in the winter to the lowlands and heading back as soon as the weather permitted. Hired as mountaineers due to their knowledge of the mountains, Sherpas led the first people to the top of Everest and have since participated in all expeditions to the various summits.

Though many Sherpas become wealthy due to their mountaineering employment, many are still subsistence farmers and remain poor. A lack of education and the challenge of high paying climbing jobs mean that the social fabric that once united Sherpas is now threatened. The community finds itself at a crossroad and is slowly organizing to defend its interest and protect its language and culture.

This short book is full of information about a group most of us are not familiar with.