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Comment by xorgar831 | Hacker News Reader

A good friend of mine is Sherpa too, and used to do assist Everest mountaineers, he now lives in California. Kindest man you'll ever meet. He said he would carry gear all day long, and without shoes. I asked him once why no shoes? He said the mounters wouldn't buy them for him, so he didn't have any. Not sure how common that is, or all of the circumstances, but it did not sound like the mountaineers regarded him as more than a donkey in human form.

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>> He said the mounters wouldn't buy them for him, so he didn't have any.

Somewhat tangent, but don't they get paid?

Not sure how common that is, or all of the circumstances, but it did not sound like the mountaineers regarded him as more than a donkey in human form.

Looks like helping climbers and carrying stuff is their job.

However, this sherpa thing seems like cheating, you have others carry stuff for you, lay ropes and what not. Maybe since everyone uses them, all climbers are in the same position but still.

He was not paid enough to afford shoes. This is Nepal remember, not Palo Alto.

The Sherpa are an ethnic group known for being skilled mountaineers, and it is also a way some of them make a living. It's not like they're a climber helping cast.

It's not like they're a climber helping cast.

So why do they carry bags and act as "helping cast" for what you say are low wages? Is someone forcing them?

Yes, the economics of the region. It's a 3rd world country, not to be trite, but if you've never been to a 3rd world country before or read anything about those places, the realities are very different than in the 1st world.

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