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Sherpas, Expert Guides

Tenzing Norgay, who died in 1986, was a Sherpa. The Sherpas are one of about 30 ethnic groups in Nepal. Sherpas, who are mainly farmers and herders, are believed to have trekked to Nepal from Tibet about 500 years ago.

Because many live in the Khumbu Valley at the foot of Everest, Sherpas work as porters and guides for outsiders who come to climb the mountain. On big expeditions, Sherpas may go ahead of official climbers to carry tons of gear to the handful of camps along the way. It's hard to imagine that many foreigners would have made it up Everest without help from Sherpas, who are used to working at high altitudes.

Sherpas follow the Buddhist religion, which holds deep respect for nature as a core belief. They call the mountain Sagarmatha, which means "goddess mother of the world."

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