Sherpas

Sherpas
Author: James F. Fisher
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 248
Release: 1990-05-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0520909941

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.

Tibet, Past and Present: Religion and secular culture in Tibet

Tibet, Past and Present: Religion and secular culture in Tibet
Author: International Association for Tibetan Studies. Seminar
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 488
Release: 2002-01-01
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 9789004127760

The proceedings of the seminars of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) have developed into the most representative world-wide cross-section of Tibetan Studies. They are an indispensable reference-work for anyone interested in Tibet and capture the cutting edge of Tibet-related research.This volume is the second of three volumes of general proceedings of the Ninth Seminar of the IATS. It presents a careful selection of scholarly and academic articles on Tibetan Buddhist and Bon religious culture, including a sizeable section of anthropological contributions. The complete series covers ten volumes. The other seven volumes are the outcome of expert panels. Of special interest to readers of this book are the edited volumes by Katia Buffetrille & Hildegard Diemberger (anthropology: territory and identity), Helmut Eimer & David Germano (Buddhist canon), Toni Huber (anthropology: Amdo cultural revival), Christiaan Klieger (anthropology: presentation of self & identity), and Deborah Klimburg-Salter and Eva Allinger (art history).

Gaiety of Spirit

Gaiety of Spirit
Author: Frances Klatzel
Publisher: Rocky Mountain Books Ltd
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2011-11-29
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1926855914

Since the birth of modern mountaineering, the term Sherpa has been used to refer to Himalayan men working as guides on expeditions in and around the area of Mount Everest. Known mostly for their remarkable mountaineering skills and expertise, Sherpas are much more than mere high-altitude porters. The Sherpas are an extraordinary ethnic people who settled the remote valleys in the Himalayas about 500 years ago and whose culture is steeped in the rich philosophical traditions of Himalayan Buddhism. As distinguished British Himalayan mountaineer Eric Shipton wrote: “ . . . the temperament and character of the Sherpas . . . have won them a large place in the hearts of the Western travellers. Their most enduring characteristic is their extraordinary gaiety of spirit.” For three decades, writer and naturalist Frances Klatzel has lived and worked with Sherpas near Mount Everest. During this time, she has gained intimate access and a profound knowledge of the people, helping to create the Sherpa Cultural Centre at Tengboche, the largest Buddhist monastery in the region. Infused with the author’s own reflections and experiences, and complete with colour photos highlighting Sherpa life from the metaphysical to the everyday, Gaiety of Spirit will take the reader on a magnificent journey toward a richer level of understanding of Sherpa culture, traditions, symbols, belief and history.

The Sunuwar of Nepal and their Sense of Communication

The Sunuwar of Nepal and their Sense of Communication
Author: Werner M. Egli
Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster
Total Pages: 540
Release: 2014
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 3643801890

This detailed study on the Sunuwar people, one of the many indigenous peoples of Nepal, is based on more than twenty years of ethnographic research. The book starts with an account of the Sunuwar's indigenous notion of culture (mukdum) as expressed in social practice. With reference to specific social fields, a model of the Sunuwar person, mainly used to grasp deviations from the ideal way of life, is analyzed from the perspective of cultural psychology and the anthropology of the senses. The study concludes with an analysis of healing rituals, showing that their effect simultaneously results from the ancestral atmosphere produced by the shaman and a kind of domination-free discussion among the ritual participants mainly taking place in the pauses of the ritual. Thus, the shamanic ritual is interpreted as a kind of mediation. (Series: LIT Studies on Asia / Asien: Forschung und Wissenschaft - Vol. 6) [Subject: Asian Studies, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Psychology, Religious Studies]

Nevārīgītīmañjarī

Nevārīgītīmañjarī
Author: Siegfried Lienhard
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
Total Pages: 244
Release: 1992
Genre: Literature
ISBN: 9788120809635

A productive and highly important branch of Nevari literature is poetry. The songs reflect the thought of the Nevars, their way of life, religious belief, their history and folklore. The greatest possible variety of genres and styles have been included in the present anthology. Most of the songs included, religious hymns as well as folksongs and ballads, are still very popular among Nevars. In order to facilitate reading and consultation, the whole corpus of the songs collected has been grouped into four principle sections, namely Religious Poetry, Songs about Love and Marriage, Epic Poetry, Didactic and Enigmatic Verses. The book contains two appendices. While the first lists the talas and ragas, as they are given in the various anthologies published in Nepal, the Second makes an attempt to transpose two songs into the European system of music. The translations are quite faithful and every effort has been made to preserve the spirit and flavour of the original. Contents Preface, Introduction, Translation, I. Religious Poetry: 1. Buddha Descends to Lumbini, Buddha Sakyamuni, Siddhartha Gautama Address Yasodhara, Yasodhara, The Tathagata, Svayambhu, Buddha, Matsyendranatha, Lokanatha, Gorakhanatha and Lokanatha, Manjusri, Narayana, Krsna and Sudaman, Siva, Kali, Guhyakali, Bhavani, Bhimasena, Ganesa, Sarada, Cobhara-Lokesvara, krsna, II. Songs about love and marriage 26-39 Songs Sung by Men, 40-64 Songs Sung by Women, 65-76 Krsna-Songs, III. Epic Poetry, 77-83 Songs Inspired by Jatakas and Avadanas, 84-94 Ballads and Rice-Transplantation Songs, 95-96 Songs Describing Historical Events, Indrayatra, IV. Didactic and Enigmatic Verses, 98 A Stricture upon Women, 99-100 Enigmatic Poems, Notes to the Translation, The Nevari Text, Appendixes, 1. List of Ragas and Talas, 2.Musical Notation of Songs 1 and 81, Select Bibliography.

The Tibetans

The Tibetans
Author: Matthew T. Kapstein
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 390
Release: 2013-06-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1118725379

This book provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to Tibet, its culture and history. A clear and comprehensive overview of Tibet, its culture and history. Responds to current interest in Tibet due to continuing publicity about Chinese rule and growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. Explains recent events within the context of Tibetan history. Situates Tibet in relation to other Asian civilizations through the ages. Draws on the most recent scholarly and archaeological research. Introduces Tibetan culture – particularly social institutions, religious and political traditions, the arts and medical lore. An epilogue considers the fragile position of Tibetan civilization in the modern world.

Proceedings of the Ninth Seminar of the IATS, 2000. Volume 2: Religion and Secular Culture in Tibet

Proceedings of the Ninth Seminar of the IATS, 2000. Volume 2: Religion and Secular Culture in Tibet
Author: Henk Blezer
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2021-10-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 900448308X

The proceedings of the seminars of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) have developed into the most representative world-wide cross-section of Tibetan Studies. They are an indispensable reference-work for anyone interested in Tibet and capture the cutting edge of Tibet-related research. This volume is the second of three volumes of general proceedings of the Ninth Seminar of the IATS. It presents a careful selection of scholarly and academic articles on Tibetan Buddhist and Bon religious culture, including a sizeable section of anthropological contributions. The complete series covers ten volumes. The other seven volumes are the outcome of expert panels. Of special interest to readers of this book are the edited volumes by Katia Buffetrille & Hildegard Diemberger (anthropology: territory and identity), Helmut Eimer & David Germano (Buddhist canon), Toni Huber (anthropology: Amdo cultural revival), Christiaan Klieger (anthropology: presentation of self & identity), and Deborah Klimburg-Salter and Eva Allinger (art history).

Landscape, Ritual and Identity among the Hyolmo of Nepal

Landscape, Ritual and Identity among the Hyolmo of Nepal
Author: Davide Torri
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2020-03-20
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1317108159

This book analyses the social, political and religious life of the Hyolmo people of Nepal. Highlighting patterns of change and adaptation, it addresses the Shamanic-Buddhist interface that exists in the animated landscape of the Himalayas. Opening with an analysis of the ethnic revival of Nepal, the book first considers the Himalayan religious landscape and its people. Specific attention is then given to Helambu, home of the Hyolmo people, within the framework of Tibetan Buddhism. The discussion then turns to the persisting shamanic tradition of the region and the ritual dynamics of Hyolmo culture. The book concludes by considering broader questions of Hyolmo identity in the Nepalese context, as well as reflecting on the interconnection of landscape, ritual and identity. Offering a unique insight into a fascinating Himalayan culture and its formation, this book will be of great interest to scholars of indigenous peoples and religion across religious studies, Buddhist studies, cultural anthropology and South Asian studies.