Who are the Sherpas

Sherpas are an ethnic group of people living in the mountainous regions of Nepal. They are known for their exceptional ability to thrive in high-altitude environments and have long been integral to mountaineering expeditions, especially in assisting mountaineers. In fact, the word “Sherpa” has become synonymous with experienced mountain guides, porters, and mountaineers. However, the word "Sherpa" actually means "eastern people".

While it is indeed true that some of the Sherpas are excellent mountain climbers and are skilled in navigating difficult terrain, carrying heavy loads, and providing essential support during high-altitude climbs, the image of Sherpas as mountain climbers is merely a stereotype. In reality, only a handful of Sherpas are actually mountaineers. Most Sherpas neither climb mountains nor show any desire to do so. Majority of them prefer to engage in other activities related to trekking and tourism, such as running a hotel or a restaurant or operating a trekking office. 

Although Sherpas reside in different parts of Nepal as well as other countries, most of them still reside in the Everest region. Since the Everest region is the most popular trekking destinations of Nepal, the Sherpas have been able to generate a stable source of income over the years. Initially, their main source of income was farming, but after the development of tourism in these areas, most Sherpas began to earn their living by involving themselves in the field of tourism one way or the other. While the women in these communities tend to stay in their village and operate their hotels and lodges, the men tend to go out on treks as guides, porters, climbers, etc., or engage in other forms of tourism and trekking businesses. It is quite common for most of the families to turn their houses into hotels or lodges. Therefore, there is no shortage of hotels and lodges in the Everest region.

As people, they are generally quite friendly and hospitable. They are usually very welcoming of their guests. They enjoy engaging in small talks and banters, and they can often be seen pulling each other's legs. However, most Sherpas are quite religious and orthodox and can often be shocked or offended by vulgar behaviors. They are, in general, people who are very concerned about their reputation in the society. Since the population of Sherpas is very small and since they live in a tight-knit communities, they make sure to keep a good name and maintain an honorable reputation in the society.

Foreigners often tend to conflate Tibetans and Sherpas. However, they aren't the same. There are a lot of similarities and overlap between these two cultures, but there are also enough distinctions to make them different from each other. Although the Sherpas originally descended from the regions in and around Tibet, they aren't Tibetans per se. By that logic, you could say that you and your father are the same person. However, it is quite obvious that you have your own identity that is separate from your father. It is the same with the Sherpas. They have an identity that is unique to them. They even have their own language that is quite distinct from Tibetan language. Sherpas have their own dishes as well. Since they live in high altitude areas, they don't have the option to eat a variety of foods. Their dishes tend to be simple, mostly consisting of potatoes, buckwheat, and rice. Ri-kur (potato pancakes), Shyakpa (Sherpa stew), and mo:mo: (dumplings) are some of the staple Sherpa dishes. The main festival of the Sherpas, Lhosar (more about the festival in our next blog post), which usually falls on February or March, however, is the same as the Tibetan New Year and is celebrated on the same day as well.