Gaiety of Spirit:The Sherpa's of Everest

Gaiety of Spirit is an exploration of a culture and a people. Sherpas have earned an extraordinary reputation on mountaineering expeditions. But, the Sherpas are actually an ethnic people who practise the rich traditions and culture of Himalayan Buddhism. Over the past three decades, Frances Klatzel has helped to create two museums of Sherpa culture – describing their culture, traditions, and symbols.

The Sherpas… Everest… Mountaineering… Sherpas cultural heritage as an ethnic people is rarely described. Eric Shipton wrote of the Sherpas: “…the temperament and character of the Sherpas… have won them a large place in the hearts of the Western travelers. Their most enduring characteristic is their extraordinary gaiety of spirit” Sherpas are an ethnic people who settled remote valleys in the Himalaya about 500 years ago and practise the rich traditions and culture of Himalayan Buddhism.

For years, I lived and worked with Sherpas near Mount Everest, helping to create a museum of Sherpa culture at Tengboche monastery. Sherpa friends gently led me to a richer level of understanding of their culture, traditions, and symbols. It describes the culture of the Sherpas as I experienced it for seven years at the monastery and over the past three decades.