Tag thesherpalegends

A climbing monk – Tashi Sherpa

A climbing monk – Tashi Sherpa

Later that same day, the Pangboche monastery greeted me with its ancient presence. Founded by Lama Sange Dorje in the 17th century, it exuded the fragrance of burning juniper, a common incense. Inside, religious statues and icons adorned the space,…

Sacred summit of Mingma Futi

Introducing Mingma Phuti, a humble beacon of wisdom in the shadow of Everest. In the winding pathways of Pangboche, her sanctuary amidst the Himalayan grandeur beckons. Encountering Mingma was serendipitous, her presence a testament to a life of devotion. For…

Babu Chiri Sherpa

Endurance of Babu Chiri Sherpa

Babu Chiri Sherpa, born in Nepal in 1965, became a Himalayan trekking porter when he was just 15 years old and he died in 2001 while taking pictures and falling into a crevasse on his 11th climb to the summit…

A Sherpa fetches ladders for climbers attempting to summit Mount Everest.

Who are Sherpas?

Sherpa means an ethnic group of people from the north east part of Nepal. Sherpa doesn’t mean to carry something and doesn’t necessarily mean high altitude worker Sherpa is an ethnic group of people living in the mountains whose primary…

Sherpa Ang Kaji, taking a break near the bottom of the Khumbu Ice Fall, in 2012. Kaji and 15 other Sherpas were killed in the April 17 avalanche. (Photo: Emily Harrington)

Why are Sherpas always happy?

For decades, foreigners have noted and celebrated the good-natured cheerfulness of Nepal’s Sherpas. The perception that Sherpas are always happy can be attributed to a combination of cultural, historical, and psychological factors. While it is important to recognize that this…