Mount Everest Ethnic Culture
Mount Everest (Qomolangma) is the main peak of Himalayas, which is located in the boundary between China and Nepal with its north slope in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its south slope in Nepal. In Tibetan language, ‘Qomo’ means nymph and ‘Langma’ means the third because there are four peaks around Mount Everest and it ranked the third. As the highest peak in the world, the height of Mount Everest is 8844.43 meters according to the measurement of China’s state bureau of surveying and mapping.
Ethnic Groups Around Mount Everest
The ethnic groups in Tingri County are Tibetan, Han, Hui, Tujia, Sherpa and Nepalese, and Kachart (mixed-blood of Tibetan and Nepalese). Among them, the main populations is the Tibetans. More than 1,000 Sherpa people in Tibet are mainly concentrated around Mount Everest.
Ethnic Festivals Around Mount Everest
1. Tibetan New Year
Tibetan New Year is the Tibetan people’s traditional festival, and the most solemn festival. Shigatse not only celebrates the Farmers’ Year on December 1 in Tibetan Calendar, but also the Tibetan New Year on January 1 in Tibetan calendar.
2. Siyang Festival
During the Siyang Festival, Tibetans hold various activities including horse racing, banquet, singing and dancing, and so forth, to express their wish for good harvest. The Siyang Festival comes every year before the planting season of highland barley.
3. Qomolangma Hiking Festival
Themed “walk across the Himalayas, enjoy sports tourism”, the Qomolangma hiking festival is held in Mt. Qomolangma Scenic Spot around Mount Everest, Tibet Autonomous Region. The trekking line lies in Karma Valley, the east slope of Mt. Qomolangma and the most classical hiking lines.
4. Qomolangma Cultural Tourism Festival
There are a series of interesting, interactive, and artistic events about cultural tourism that revolve around Shigatse’s culture and history. At the opening ceremony, people will be able to appreciate traditional ethnic Tibetan fine arts as well as special song and dance performances.
