August 16, 2003 - Personal Web Site: Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal by RPCV James F. Fisher

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Nepal: Peace Corps Nepal : The Peace Corps in Nepal: August 16, 2003 - Personal Web Site: Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal by RPCV James F. Fisher

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Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal by RPCV James F. Fisher



Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal by RPCV James F. Fisher

Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal by James F. Fisher

With a foreword by Sir Edmund Hillary. The best account of modern Sherpa life in Kathmandu & SoluKhumbu that we have read. An ex-Peace Corps anthropologist who had lived in Sherpa communities during the 1960's comes back to interview Sherpas in the 1990's about love, money, family, politics, and religion. Describes the curious natural affinity between Himalayan Sherpa and heartland North American cultures. Also in hardcover. .Highly Recommended.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description
James Fisher combines the strengths of technical anthropology, literary memoir, and striking photography in this telling study of rapid social change in Himalayan Nepal. The author first visited the Sherpas of Nepal when he accompanied Sir Edmund Hilary on the Himalayan Schoolhouse Expedition of 1964. Returning to the Everest region several times during the 1970s and 1980s, he discovered that the construction of the schools had far less impact than one of the by-products of their building: a short-take-off-and-landing airstrip. By reducing the time it took to travel between Kathmandu and the Everest region from a hike of several days to a 45-minute flight, the airstrip made a rapid increase in tourism possible. Beginning with his impressions of Sherpa society in pre-tourist days, Fisher traces the trajectory of contemporary Sherpa society reeling under the impact of modern education and mass tourism, and assesses the Sherpa's concerns for their future and how they believe these problems should be and eventually will be resolved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


About the Author
James F. Fisher is Professor of Anthropology at Carleton College and the author of Trans-Himalayan Traders: Economy, Society, and Culture in Northwest Nepal (California, 1986). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews
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Knows Sherpa economy and values, January 24, 2001
Reviewer: Barbara Pijan Lama (see more about me) from Portland, OR, USA and Jung Gompa (Junbesi) Nepal
James Fisher worked with Edmund Hillary in the early 1960's to establish the early Sherpa schools in Khumjung and Jung Gompa (Junbesi) as well as the medical supplies landing strips at Lukla and Phaplu. Thus he learned first hand the basics of Sherpa culture and economy; he had a good working understanding of Sherpa moral values, too.

Returning to USA for PhD in Anthropology, Prof. Fisher developed a theoretical understanding of human society. He then coupled theory with his practical knowledge of Sherpa life, and did several outstanding studies of Sherpa culture which ask the right questions of the appropriate spokespeople resulting in culturally accurate answers.

Sherpa Friendship Association always recommends Sherpas: Reflections on Change as the first book anyone should read to answer the vital questions: what is happening to Sherpa society now? Is Sherpa religion dead? Have Sherpa values collapsed into generic materialism? Many folks recently returned from Himalayan trekking or those studying vajrayana buddhism, as well as Sherpa leaders, are very concerned to find these answers. You will find Prof. Fisher's answers accurate and positive, because he does not ask random informants (or informants with mischievious motivation) like many other anthroplogists who go on to write books on Sherpas.

Essentially, Fisher's interviews show that Sherpa culture remains vibrant, moral, and strongly religious. Great book, highly recommended!

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

An Excellent Insight into the Sherpas of Nepal, March 30, 2000
Reviewer: Gyan Pradhan from Fulton, Missouri, USA
A very informative and readable book. The author provides a thoughtful and moving account of the Sherpas and how their community is being transformed by the forces of modernization. The book is well-researched, thorough, and balanced. The author's personal accounts and anecdotes that cover a quarter of a century, complemented by excellent photographs, are particular strengths. Excellent reading for anyone with an interest in the Sherpas of Nepal.

Was this review helpful to you?



2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

An Excellent Insight on the Sherpas of Nepal, March 30, 2000
Reviewer: Gyan Pradhan from Fulton, Missouri, USA
A very informative and readable book. The author provides a thoughtful and moving account of the Sherpas and how their community is being transformed by the forces of modernization. The book is well-researched, thorough, and balanced. The author's personal accounts and anecdotes that cover a quarter of a century, complemented by excellent photographs, are particular strengths. Excellent reading for anyone with an interest in the Sherpas of Nepal.



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Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Nepal; Writing - Nepal

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