EverestQuest-Social Studies Lesson Plan 5

The Sherpa People

Learning Objective:
Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, art and other behaviors and attitudes serve as expressions of culture.

Teacher Directions:
The climbing of Mount Everest would not be possible without the help of the Sherpa people. In fact, they have taken part in every expedition to Everest since 1921.

The History of Sherpas was not well known until the late 1800s. They lived a peaceful life, independent from Nepalese and Tibetan warlords.

In the beginning of the 1900s, the Sherpa began paying large taxes to Nepal. By the 1950s many small Himalayan kingdoms like the Sherpas had joined the Kingdom of Nepal. Most Sherpas had also become citizens of Nepal.

Sherpas have lived in the Khumbu valley and in alpine villages of eastern Nepal for many years. Most Sherpas still live in this area but have spread out into other places also. Some Sherpa communities are found in Darjeeling, Nepal. Sherpa communities can even be found in other areas, such as India, Bhutan, Europe and North America.

The Sherpa language is similar to the Tibetan language, but because Sherpas lived isolated from Tibetans for so may years, the Sherpa language has changed into its own. There are some words in Sherpa vocabulary that are not even recognizable to Tibetans.

Sherpas can also speak other languages depending on their location. Sherpas living closer to Tibet can speak and understand Tibetan dialects. Most Sherpas under the age of sixty can speak, read and write Nepali. If educated in Buddhist monasteries, they can also speak, read and write Tibetan. Sherpas living in or near India can usually speak and write Hindi and English. Some Sherpas who work in trekking and mountaineering can speak English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portugese, Swedish, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

It is hard to learn a great deal about people unless you can visit them or communicate with them directly. In this activity, we will attempt to do just that. First, learn a little more about the Sherpa people and their traditions by checking out these links:
Famous Sherpa Climbers
Sherpa Festivals
Sherpa Culture
Sherpa History and Facts

First, use the Venn* diagram to point out shared, distinct characteristics of what you know about the Sherpa people and your own culture. In the area of the left circle that doesn’t overlap with the right circle, write down characteristics of your own culture — language, traditions, history, festivals/holidays, etc. In the area of the right circle that doesn’t overlap with the left circle, write down what you have learned about the Sherpa culture. In the area in which the two circles overlap, write down characteristics that both cultures share.

Share and discuss your diagrams. Come up with a list of questions that you would like a real-life Sherpa to answer. Select just a few of those questions that you would like to ask a Sherpa student. Then go to the following Web site and pick out a Sherpa student and email him/her the questions.
Sherpa Student Forum

Or you can email a Sherpa expert at the following email address: sherpafriends@hotmail.com.

There is no guarantee that they will respond, but you never know until you try. You might just make a new friend.

Resources:
Famous Sherpa Climbers
Sherpa Festivals
Sherpa Culture
Sherpa History and Facts
Sherpa Student Forum