– Tsering Tenzing Sherpa
In November 2012, I worked with journalist Grayson Schaffer from Outside Magazine on the article ‘The Disposable Man’ to uncover the real life stories of Nepal’s Sherpas who work in high-altitude climbing and the families who have became casualties of the climbing industry. During this investigation, I came to realize that our Sherpa community has a its valuable but also sometimes very sad relationship with climbing. Being an ethnic Sherpa myself, I have grown up with these climbers and heard their perspectives about the climbing industry. Most of climbing Sherpas have chosen this industry based on their own geography. Some feel it is a cultural obligation, and others see it as the most lucrative economic opportunity available.
But climbing is also a very dangerous job. It is especially dangerous when everyone else in the family depends financially on one male member of the family who climbs Everest. If suddenly he loses his life, the family will have to live with the economic burden. The insurance amount that you get is just enough to cover your cultural rituals, like the funeral services that are our tradition. Still, although climbing is risky, the high income has always won over the risk and created competition to get into the industry, especially for those who don’t have higher education.
On the mountain, you never know what could happen. In Nepal, people don’t insure their lives and personal health. You earn as long as you have the strength. You have no pension for retirement, no bonuses, and no social services like they have in other countries. As a climber gets older he becomes dependent. The cultural responsibility for work gets passed to the children, who lose the freedom to choose their direction in life and even often have to become climbers, whether they like it or not, to support their parents and family. This is something I have analyzed and seen myself.
These days it is hard to find any Sherpa who wants their children to work as a climber. It is true that there are some youngsters who enjoy adventure and show a keen interest in mountaineering, making an educated choice to enter the field. There are also some Sherpas who established themselves and made a good name for themselves in this industry. Some are even sponsored by western gear makers. But what about those who only end up carrying loads and oxygen to the top of Everest? As time passes by most of these people are left injured, forgotten and ignored.
There are experts who discuss the lives of Sherpas in occupations besides mountaineering like farming and animal husbandry. In reality these professions neither provide security nor good opportunities. Overall, mountaineering has lifted the life of our ethnic group above poverty line, but there are still people within the community who live below poverty line. These people’s children don’t have the chance to dream as big as everyone else’s children who seek economic strength. There are children whose fathers are not doctors or pilots, and there are parents whose children aren’t doctors and engineers. These people behind the scenes face the most drastic challenges in this society, which needs to be understood. These are the people who still need this industry to survive. This industry has bought economic prosperity in the society despite some drawbacks and environmental hazards. There is no way one can just stop this industry. It is deeply established. This is necessary to make life move on in this region, and that needs to be understood.
The government charges huge amounts in royalties for western climbers, and the outfitters do the same with the clients. I wonder where all this money goes. Barely any of the royalties are used in development projects in the area. It does not go to the families of the most loyal people, who sacrificed their lives to help fulfill someone’s personal interest and dreams of making it to the summit. One reason for this unfairness may be the community’s lack of access of the community and inclusions in politics and authority. Besides, the nation going through political turmoil without a constitution, it is not yet promised if the issues of minority and ethnicity will be addressed properly.
The community has become an inseparable part of the mountain and vice versa. Ever since the first summit of Everest in 1953, the industry has grown drastically in short period of time. During these decades there have been many ups and downs. There have been problems with the increasing commercialization of the industry, and the 2013 altercation on Everest was not a good thing. Also, the sacred mountain is now getting bare, and although everyone talks about conservation and the cleanliness of the mountain, nobody walks the walk. Instead, conservation and cleanliness has been more useful in promoting agencies and organizations than literally keeping the mountain clean.
As per the August issue of 2013 Outside magazine, climbing Sherpas have the most dangerous job with the highest mortality rate. I’m thankful that some westerners have realized these issues and shown concern and generosity. They have helped children go to good schools, assisted widows, and helped economically burdened families by providing jobs. Even with this help, there is still a dark side to the story that no one talks about. Retired Sherpa climbers who have struggled to make others’ dreams come true and now live miserable lives for the risks they have taken. Many of them now suffer from physical disabilities.
From my perspective, becoming a climbing Sherpa is both an opportunity and a threat. It’s fortunate to be born Sherpa with genetically big lungs and adventurous hearts. There are hardly any other people who can do what we do. I’m thankful to our ancestors, Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary who have opened the roads to this lucrative economic opportunity. No doubt this industry is the only reason that many Sherpa live a good and lavish life today. And even though parents want their children have better jobs than climbing, I still see many young Sherpas interested to get into this industry, which is great. The climbing industry is essential to in this community and I think this industry help support generations. Rather than focusing on the threat and risk, I think everyone in the climbing industry needs to work on reducing the possible dangers and making the profession more secure and sustainable. We should raise our voices and petition the government, outfitters, and like-minded people to make this profession stable, secure, and safe rather than trying to dissuade young climbers from trying it.
Nepal Mountaineering Association should address these issues. There needs to be a foundation set up to address the voices of these old veteran heroes of the mountain. The loyalty of Sherpas and the generosity of westerners has strengthened the relationship between the two and has made the industry more stable and secure. Most of the climbing Sherpas and outfitters now live in symbiosis, but not all. If the outfitter and clients can care for their workers and their families, this profession and industry can go far. It can support many lives to come, many dreams to live.
The author is a general member of Mountain Spirit
This article was published in Mountain Trail_issue 5_ April 2014, a quarterly e-newsletter of Mountain Spirit. To read the e-newsletter, please click Mountan Trail.
