Denying summit certificates an insult to Sherpas, says Norbu Tenzing Norgay
Jul 20, 2017 under National 834
Norbu Tenzing Norgay, the eldest son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who climbed Mt Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, has said that the government’s move to bar Sherpa climbers from obtaining summit certificates only adds insult to injury for the unsung heroes of mountain climbing.
Sharing his thoughts with this daily, Norbu, 54, who was recently spotted in Kathmandu, opined that everyone associated with the mountaineering industry, including expedition companies, climbers and associations should speak up for Sherpa climbers who have been denied summit certificates by the government.
“To the outside world it appears silly and by not giving certificates to summiteers it only adds insult to injury for summiteers who labour under dangerous circumstances, bear a disproportionate amount of risk and are under-compensated in many instances,” he said, adding that he saw no reason not to support Sherpa climbers. “For a true mountaineer, the pride and satisfaction of reaching a summit is far more important than a paper issued by a government office.”
Norbu, who is also an advocate for reducing risk on Mt Everest, further said Sherpas needed to overcome the client or guide mentality and be able to take charge when necessary. “The paying clients need to understand that a qualified Sherpa’s decisions on safety are as valid as those of the expedition leader.”
Since Mt Everest has largely become a bucket list tourist destination, Nepalis, including Sherpa operators, rightfully want a bigger piece of the Everest pie, he said.
According to him, high altitude Sherpas and mountaineering workers are in an awkward spot where they risk losing their jobs if they speak up with every Sherpa family agonising with loss of a loved one on the mountains and the devastating impact it has on the family. “My family is no exception and this issue of risk and inequity is never far from our minds,” he said.
But, it took a massive disaster like the one in 2014 which killed 16 Sherpas in the icefall for the world to finally see what was going on. “The life insurance is up to $15,000 (up from $10,000) which is barely enough to pay for the funeral expenses and not much has changed.”
It’s safe to say that ‘traditional alpinism’ rarely exists in the mountains of Nepal. “But the bucket list mentality and the desire to set new records makes Mt Everest a focus for everyone, even non-climbers,” he noted. Mt Everest is for everyone and no one should be denied to climb it. “Just do it responsibly and just as you would boycott a product because of bad business ethics, do your homework before you choose whom you go with; this could mean the difference between life and death.”
After all Nepal has been richly endowed with the most spectacular mountains in the world, but we need to be good stewards of these natural treasures. “I think we can all benefit but significant change can only happen with a combination of self-regulation, involvement of the Sherpa community and if there is someone powerful locally to take on the industry,” he said.
Norbu Tenzing Norgay, the eldest son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who climbed Mt Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, talked to Rajan Pokhrel of The Himalayan Times about the government’s move to bar Sherpa climbers from obtaining summit certificates. Excerpts:
This year too, Sherpa climbers who stood atop Mt Everest assisting foreigners have not been given certificates till date. What do you want to say to the government, mountaineering and expedition associations among others on the issue?
I’d like to preface by saying that I am not a climber nor am I involved in the expedition business. But like many Sherpas, I come from a family of climbers and have some understanding of the issues faced by Sherpas who make a living on the mountains.
From what I understand, the government issues these summit certificates which for many Sherpa summiteers is a source of pride and displayed in frames at their home. I don’t know what the politics behind the certificate issue is. To the outside world it appears silly and by not giving certificates for summiteers it only adds insult to injury for the summiteers who labor under very dangerous circumstances, bear a disproportionate amount of the risk and are under compensated in many instances. Everyone associated with the industry including expedition companies, climbers and the various associations should speak up for these unsung heroes. I see no reason not to support issuing certificates to the Sherpa climbers who summit. For a true mountaineer, the pride and satisfaction of reaching a summit is far more important that a paper issued by a government office. Being included in Elizabeth Hawley’s Himalayan Database is the best public record of an Everest ascent.
THT