The Sherpa people live in one of the harshest regions on the planet, the Khumbu. Their world is one of sheer mountains (the highest anywhere), roaring rivers, glaciers, steep trails, and yaks. There are no roads, no airports, not even a swimming pool. They are poor and have little; still, they are among the happiest and friendliest people I’ve had the privilege of meeting. Sherpa are best know for their excellence in mountaineering.
(At our campsite in Kumjung, our Sherpa staff providing hot coffee and tea
first thing on a chilly morning)
We had camped overnight near the village of Kumjung, close to Namche Bazaar and not far from Mount Everest. It was a cold frosty night. At dawn we woke to a cacophony of music filling our valley — flutes, horns, drums, all played with enthusiasm but without any evident coordination. A parade of a few dozen young Buddhist monks was the source of the noise and we watched and listened to them for at least five minutes. One of the trekkers in our group enticed these four musicians into our camp with promises of pens and pencils. We were happy to provide these, but not before they posed for a few photos!
I wonder just how ancient their wind instruments are…..
