SHERPA, MYTH and REALITY

Now that the huge difference between "Alpinism" and "Guided Ascents" has been clarified,it becomes necessary to take a look at the SHERPAS ,who make the latter possible,and without whom the vast majority of "summitters" would not even dare to dream of 8K "conquest" ,which earn them bragging rights and press coverage.

The word Sherpa is widely misunderstood. Most,even mountaineers, wrongly associate the word with porters or guides.

Even in this post-colonial world the romanticised myth that has been perpetuated ,since the early 1920s, is that the Sherpa is an indispensable ,cheerful,willing,able,almost child like,porter and or guide,who is genetically programmed to perform at higher altitudes,and will willingly lay down sweat or life or limb , in the service of "conquering heroes" who undertake these dangerous climbs for either personal or national glory.

Image Courtesy: Huffington Post, National Geographic

BUT when we rightly view the Sherpas as an indigenous ethnic group(literally ,people from the east)  in a poor country doing extremely dangerous work to make a living (rather than the myth ), it brings us to the tragic shameful reality ,where we have boxed them into a stereotype , imposing our version of the narrative on them and denying them their proud history, culture, individuality, language and heritage.

Graham Schaffer, senior editor of Outside magazine, had this to say:
"Sherpas are Everest's workforce - the literal backbone of the climbing industry there....
without the hard work of the Sherpa porters , it would be largely impossible for Americans and Europeans (and obviously Indians) with slightly above - average physiology , and well above - average disposable income , to scale the world's tallest mountain."
"NO service industry in the world so frequently kills and maims its workers for the benefit of paying clients".

The myth that they do this gladly has been perpetuated for business interests,resulting in the" noun "Sherpa  being converted to an "adjective" , signifying selfless dependability as a service provider.

This "misappropriation" has given rise to "commodification" where the word Sherpa is used in branding goods and services ,signifying something sturdy and dependable.

Companies and organisations that use the name Sherpa, range from Android apps, iPad apps,Pet trading company , Food delivery service, Aircraft Manfacturer,Kawasaki Motors, Yahoo and many many more.

It is high time the "summitters" stop congratulating themselves  at the expense of the Sherpas .Let them rather help the Sherpas reclaim what is rightfully theirs . A "Sherpa" is a noun,signifying an ethnic group,and not an adjective used unethically as a noun to promote business or services.

This is what a Sherpa poet has to say -

On the theft of Sherpa

Dearest:
I am so sorry for you, but more for me,
that in Sherpa there is no word for ‘guide’.
If there was, I’d give it to you…gladly.
There would be no misgivings between us, then.

You see, as languages go, it’s not very advanced.
An oral language, used by precious few;
on its way to being used by fewer still.
Dying a little death with every passing generation.

You see, there’s been a great misunderstanding,
or shall we say an unseeing, a grand larceny.
Isn’t there an unwritten human code
against stealing such words?
No not patents, proper nouns aren’t they called?
Sherpa with a capital S in the front.

Had we spent more time together,
had we talked as equals do,
I’d tell you what I am, and what my words mean.
I’d even warn you – that some words cannot be stolen;
they are off-limit, personal.
If we could walk as equals do,
There’d be no room for this cruelty, then.

~ Dolma Sherpa

Rupak Bhattacharya

Doctor

rupakb55@gmail.com

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