The Sherpa Identity - a podcast by Tenzing Sherpa

Back to back sherpa is used everywhere with little to no consideration of the many sherpas that are living as orphans of mountaineering accidents or even continue to climb mountains as they need to earn money to feed their families. There are also many businesses and companies that use our last name to promote their business as a guide to the world of some sorts. Like Sherpa snacks, or a insurance firm that uses the word sherpaa with two a’s and the craziest thing is, it’s not even owned by sherpas or there aren’t even any sherpa employees. As perfectly stated in a medium article by Sofie Broznowski “Branding by companies normalizes and institutes racism by oblivious climbers and tourists. Who expect the Sherpa to help with their every need, and when this is not possible, are easily angered and indignant” Please stop this pandemic of robbing our last names. But you know what the most angering thing was. In the movie sherpa that is about the 2014 disaster where close to 16 sherpas died. There is this climber who goes as far as to ask “can’t we talk to your owners?”, about continuing the climb (Peedom)” what owners what the hell is this. you know I am currently in the Air Force where the day I sewed on the name sherpa on my military uniform was one of the proudest days of my life. I didn’t know I had a owner. It is deeply saddening to see my last name being torn down by all this bigotry. The military tells us that when our last names are printed on our uniforms, It is not the one individual you are representing but the name of your family. That is why you don’t have your first name but rather your family name. In every situation I have tried to represent my family name in the best way. But as my family left the mountains to pursue a better future for me, I see a mountain in front of me filled with the bigotry and ignorance of those normal people around all of us that leaves no respect for the family name we worked so hard for.

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