ICYMI: Still our mindset?

Silicon Valley is no stranger to cultural appropriation. In the tech industry, there are official job titles that use the words “guru,” “ninja,” “samurai,” and now, Sherpa. 

While there’s a long history of “C++ ninjas” and “MySQL Rockstars,” “Sherpa” is a newer one. This borrowing of Eastern culture is nothing new for the tech industry, but in the last decade a growing number of companies have incorporated the term “Sherpa” into their names, or have even blatantly used it in their marketing. What is the reason for the rise of the Sherpa?

In the West, the term “sherpa” is associated with the broader idea of a “guide.” That’s because historically, Sherpas have helped travelers navigate the treacherous mountain terrain of the Himalayas. Edmund Hillary, regarded as the first person to ascend Mt. Everest, was only able to make his trek because of the assistance of his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay.

The term “Sherpa” doesn’t literally mean “guide.” The Sherpas are an ethnic minority group living primarily in Eastern Nepal, closest to the Himalayas. Having genetic adaptations to life at higher elevations, the Sherpa people are known in the West for their climbing and navigation skills. The Western obsession with the word, and the many business contexts it has been used in, presents complicated issues in relationship to cultural appropriation.