The Sherpa ethnic group famous for their acclimatized ability to climb mountains and their welcome to tourists are the native inhabitants of Nepal. The Sherpa people live in the Himalayan high-altitude region, thus they have a special culture and lifestyle that attract tourists. So in this specific blog, you will be learning about the Sherpa people and their way of life analyzing why the traditions are considered special.
The Sherpa Community
Origins: The Sherpa people are the Indigenous people of the Himalayan region of Nepal originally they originated from Tibet and came to Solu-Khumbu about 500 hundred years ago. The word “Sherpa” literally translates to “eastern people” in the Tibetan language.
Language: Sherpas have their unique language which is known as Sherpa and is a demean from the Tibetan language. They also speak Nepalese and, to a lesser extent, English mainly because of the tourism growth.
Mountaineering Legacy
Mountaineering Expertise: Sherpas are the mountaineering specialists of the world-famous Nepal Himalayas. They have been part of many successful climbing expeditions to Everest by assisting the climbers in a big way.
Religious Beliefs
Buddhism: Sherpa are known to be Buddhists of the Tibetan sect, which has a very great impact on their culture. Most of Sherpa villages have monasteries prayer flags and stupas as some of the features.
Festivals: Sherpas celebrate a number of Buddhist festivals such as Losar–Tibetan New Year, Dumji– the birth celebration of Guru Rinpoche, and Mani Rimdu–a festival of mask dance and prayer.
Traditional Lifestyle
Agriculture and Livestock: The Sherpas have been agriculturalists by occupation that rear yaks for milk, meat, and wool and cultivate crops such as potatoes and barley.
Architecture: They are made of stone, and use either thatched or tin roofs, depending on the region’s location. Some of them have beautiful colorful prayer flags hanging around the stupa and symmetrical carvings on them.
Hospitality and Cuisine
Warm Hospitality: Sherpas are well-noted to be hospitable people. They are usually offered a cup of butter tea which is salty tea prepared using butter derived from a yak and traditional meals.
Cuisine: Sherpa foods that one can enjoy are the momos a type of dumpling, thukpa which is a noodle soup, and Sherpa stew. Meat from the Yak and their dairy products are also part of their diet.