SHERPA PEOPLES - New Cultural & Heritage Center Support

KHUMJUNG, KHUMBA REGION, Nepal

Purpose: New Cultural & Heritage Center Support

Start Date: March, 2012

Funding Level: $25,000

Lives Directly Impacted: 250

SUMMARY

Inti Raymi Fund visited Nepal and provided financial support for construction of the Indigenous Sherpa Peoples’ Cultural & Heritage Center in Khumjung, Nepal. The Sherpa Peoples’ culture and traditions as with all other Indigenous Peoples cultures are disappearing globally. This center emphasizes art, music and dance traditions of this region, keeping these cultures alive in the local people because they are being overly influenced by the outside world due to climbing industry in the region.

BUILDING, COMPUTER EQUIPMENT & ART SUPPLIES

The Inti Raymi Fund provided almost 1/3 of the funding for The Cultural & Heritage Center in Khumjung, Nepal. This center for learning is designed to preserve the culture, art forms, and traditions of the Sherpa Mountain People of Nepal.

The Sherpa Cultural & Heritage Center, is the Life’s Passion and brainchild of the lead project director and famous Mt Everest Sherpa and guide, Phurba Tashi Sherpa of Khumjung, Nepal, in the Khumbu Region.

Phurba Tashi, has been a successful Sherpa and guide on Mt. Everest expeditions his entire life in Nepal, and has personally summited Mt. Everest 21 times! He holds the world record with 30 ascents of 8,000M peaks.

BASIC HISTORY

The Khumbu Region of Nepal has received tremendous support for education and medical projects in past years from the International Climber and Trekker Community, so much so that now many of the more affluent Sherpas are living abroad or in Kathmandu, Nepal. Because of the ever-increasing tourist levels, and the inevitable infiltration of Western Culture into Nepal, the local Sherpa Peoples have become concerned that their history and culture is being progressively diluted.

Given the rich historical culture of the Nepali People, and especially the Sherpa Peoples of the Khumbu Region, Purba Tashi realized it was important to memorialize and teach others of the cultural significance of the “Sherpa Life”. Thus the Cultural & Heritage Center was born. By preserving the traditional Music, Art, Dance and Cultural Customs, the “Sherpa Life” can remain alive and present in the hearts of the Nepali People. The Center can guarantee that this heritage will be taught and preserved though the younger generation well into the future for others to enjoy.

HOW THE INTI RAYMI FUND WAS INVOLVED

Russell Brice of Himalayan Experience, (HIMEX) is the leading Expedition Service provider on Mt. Everest, and is a cofounder of the well-respected Friends of Humanity Foundation, (FOH) a nonprofit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Brice, personally helped raise the required capital necessary to construct this facility. The Inti Raymi Fund, contributed $25,000 of the $95,000 required to complete this facility.

Video below shows the traditional Sherpa dance with Chimu alongside the Sherpas of the Everest Climbing Team 2015. Footage from Mt. Everest Base Camp just days before the infamous 4/25/2015 earthquake and avalanche which killed 19, injured 50 at base camp and killed an estimated 10,000 in Nepal. Chimu filmed the earthquake and avalanche, footage can be viewed on a different project page at https://intiraymifund.org/mt-everest-mountain-climbing-fundraiser-for-50-charities/

All images by Inti Raymi Fund except 1) Mariano Galvan with IRF banner on Mt. Everest and 2) Pherba Tashi Sherpa on Mt. Manaslu with IRF banner.

TEAM MEMBERS

Phurba Tashi Sherpa, CHIMU - IRF Director

COMMUNITY & INTI RAYMI FUND'S INVOLVEMENT

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