The Sherpa of Nepal Essay -- Culture Economy Papers

The Sherpa of Nepal Sherpa, a term derived from words meaning people and atomic number 99, refers to a cultural groupthat numbers about 35,000 and whose members occupy parts of India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan (Sherpa Friendship Asscn,19991), though most groups are found in Nepal (Stevens 1993 31). It is generally understood that the Sherpa came to Nepal from eastern Tibet about viosterol years ago (www.rip.physics.unk.edu/Nepal/NPE 19992). This research paper will focus on the Nepalese Sherpa. It will explore socio-ecological aspects of their lives, including their cultural and ecological adaptations. In addition, it will highlight changes in Sherpa culture and the relationship brought about by outside influences. Nepal is a relatively small country, 100 miles wide by 500 miles long. The southern border is tropical with rich soils, flora and fauna making this region of Nepal densely populated by humans (Bishop 199810). The mountainous region, however, is more sparsely populated. It is the Sherpa who populate these mountains, specifically the middle Himalayan range (Bishop 199811). Most Sherpa settlements are found at altitudes of 3,000 to 6,000 meters. These high altitude environments are prone to unpredictable climatic and geomorphological conditions. Growing seasons are short, and there is often the risk of early frosts or snowstorms. The slopes are steep and farming and grazing is often difficult (Stevens 1993 57). However, patronage these challenges, the Sherpa have managed to subsist in their environment by employing a system of agro-pastoralism. This method combines stationary village agriculture with a nomadic system of herding (Bishop 199825). This management of life has been crucial to Sherpa survival. The Sherpa prac... ...olyandry Kinship, Domesticity, and Population on the Tibetan Border. Chicago and London The University of Chicago Press. Ortner, Sherry B. 1989. High Religion A Cultural and Political History of Sherpa Buddhism. Princeton, NJ Pr inceton University Press. Ortner, Sherry B. 1978. Sherpas through their rituals. London Cambridge University Press. Savada, Andrea Matles. 1993. Nepal And Bhutan Country Studies. Washington DC US Government Printing Office. Sherpa Friendship Association. Sherpa Facts. . February 17, 1999. Stevens, Stanley F. 1993. Claiming the Higher Ground Sherpas, Subsistence, and Environmental Change in the Highest Himalaya. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA University of California Press. Stonor, Charles. 1955. The Sherpa and the Snowman. London Hollis & Carter. Unreached Peoples Prayer Profiles, The. . February 17, 1999.