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Page 3
“...engagement
with them. The narratives present critical social
responses to the process of relief and recovery
and illustrate Sherpa resilience.
'Resilience' as an analytical lens, also reveals
the residents' ambivalent attitudes about the
situation. Although the community was highly
aware of devastation and post-earthquake
recovery needs, 'external' discussions of
these topics were subdued. This article then
addresses how'internal'Sherpa discussions
arose as a response to external portrayals
of the Everest region, a populartourism
destination, as a 'non-affected' or 'less-affected'
earthquake zone. Interactions and discussions
that took place 'externally' were unidirectional
and top-down, wherein the villagers were at the
receiving end, and often absent. While internal
discussions strengthened the community's
ability to rebuild itself, external discussions
were instrumental in diverting large-scale relief
and rebuilding assistance, not only from the
region, but from the entire Solukhumbu district...”
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Page 4
“...temporary socio-economic and demographic situation of
the region, and the availability or lack thereof of resources
as well as the interplay between durable social networks
and this concept of resilience.
I begin with an exploration of how different communities
of the Mount Everest region documented loss, coordinated
relief, and engaged in rebuilding homes, community struc-
tures, and the local economy. The cases presented here are
based on my direct experience and communication with
community members. In other words, this article does not
introduce every relief and rebuilding effort that took place
in the region. I then present critical community responses
to the process of relief and recovery. The two themes—
sense of community and resilience—appear throughout my
discussion, as I reflect on how they emerged and trans-
formed over time.
104 HIMALAYA Fall2017...”
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Page 5
“...Kathmandu,
Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, and at the same level with
Palpa, Tanahu, and Mustang. According to UNDP, HDI
is a “summary measure of average achievement in key
dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life,
being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living”
(UNDP 2016).
Documenting Loss
One week after the devastating earthquake of April
25, the #Khumbuearthquakerelief page was created on
Facebook to try to create a comprehensive survey of loss,
and to support coordination of relief efforts in the region.
Prior to creating this page, residents and travelers were
sharing pictures and stories on their personal Facebook
pages. Reports from Chaurikharka and the Thame vil-
lages, accompanied with pictures, showed that most of the
houses had been flattened in the earthquake. Residents
of villages like Jorsalle and Benkar, on the other hand,
were silent. For those learning about the situation solely
from Facebook, in the first several days it appeared that
only two villages were...”
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Page 6
“...standing after the first earthquake is
now gone.”
The Greater Himalayas Foundation (GHF) also reported
on their website that the second earthquake had caused
more destruction causing them to note that the report of
damaged homes submitted by the Khumjung and Khunde
Earthquake Relief Group (KKERG) based on Ken Noguchi’s
numbers had to be revised. Honoring the legacy of the late
Mingma Norbu Sherpa, a leading conservationist from
Khumbu, the GHF is one of the organizations supporting
education in the region. The GHF actively followed earth-
quake impacts in Khumbu, and provided regular updates
on their website about the situation on the ground. They
also shared updates about their efforts at delivering
emergency relief, and communicating their vision of long-
term rebuilding through community consultation. They
reported that after the second major earthquake of 7.3
magnitude on May 12, 2015, the epicenter of which was 25
miles from Namche Bazaar, a Khumbu village, many more
houses and schools...”
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Page 9
“...quake reality halted the SSS’s progress on these previously
set goals. The earthquake, however, also opened space on
the Web to be critical of how the community reacted to the
distribution of emergency relief goods. On May 4, 2015, SSS
wrote on their Facebook page:
Ten days passed since the disastrous earthquake.
Observation in one remote mountain village
revealed that villagers demonstrated incredible
level[s] of resourcefulness, courage, and coopera-
tion initially. Those who have access for food and
drinks shared with others. They helped each other
and worked in a cooperative manner.
The community spirit gradually began to falter
once the photographers and relief materials began
to arrive. Instead of working on their houses,
people began to [chase] noises of helicopters and
rumors of relief distribution. They began [to] com-
pete for limited handouts instead of sharing. Signs
of tension emerged.
People are grateful to anyone who come[s] for-
ward with support. Your gift is invaluable and...”
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Page 10
“...high-risk area, and there has been
very little media coverage regarding it. Because of
these reasons, the relief support provided by the
government has not reach[ed] Khumbu Region yet.
Fortunately, a number of individuals and organiza-
tions providing relief support and funding in this
region have emerged. However, proper need assess-
ment and stratification has to be done so that all
the affected people receive support based on their
needs. Similarly, the donors should also be aware of
different relief materials and support being provid-
ed so that duplication is prevented. The goal of this
page is to provide information on local assessment,
stratification of needs, relief materials, donor infor-
mation and updates. The information provided will
hopefully be able to improve coordination between
various individuals, local groups, NGOs and foreign
donors so that the immediate relief works and fur-
ther rebuilding process can progress smoothly and
eliminate any misunderstandings and communica-...”
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Page 11
“...recovery needs, their engagement in ‘external’ discussions
of devastation and post-earthquake recovery needs were
subdued. In order to return to a ‘new normal,’ the Sherpas
needed to ensure a vibrant tourism economy, which is
the main source of livelihood for virtually everyone in
the region. The Miyamoto report was instrumental to this
end, and was therefore welcomed—at least not protested
publicly—by the residents of the Everest region even at
the cost of diverting attention, and large-scale relief and
rebuilding assistance away from not only the Everest
region but from the entire Solukhumbu district.
Conclusion
I conclude that community discussions were open—not
closed—but they only became ‘internal’ and culturally
contained due to the contact with exclusionary external
discussions that were unidirectional, and top-down, where
the villagers were at the receiving end. It was the internal
discussions that recognized the extent of the devastation,
and uneven individual needs. It was also...”
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Page 12
“...Development Committee/
Municipality).
(accessed on May 22, 2017).
The Greater Himalayas Foundation. Earthquake. (accessed on May 9, 2017).
Gusfield, J. R. 1975. Community: A Critical Response. New
York: Harper & Row.
Himalayan Trust Nepal. About Schools Rebuild Project
(REDSS).
(accessed on May 22, 2017).
#Khumbu Earthquake Relief Facebook Page. About.
(accessed on May 14, 2017).
McFarlane, A. and F. Norris. 2006. Definitions and Concepts
in Disaster Research. In Methods for Disaster Mental Health
Research, edited by Fran H. Norris, Sandro Galea, Matthew
J. Friedman, and Patricia J. Watson, 3-19. New York:
Guilford Press.
McMillan, David W. and David M. Chavis. 1986. Sense of
Community: A Definition and Theory. Journal of Community
Psychology 14: 6-23...”
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