Hillary opts for company of Sherpas

By TIM WATKIN in Kathmandu

While New Zealanders yesterday celebrated the achievements of Sir Edmund Hillary, the man himself preferred to talk in Nepal of the Sherpas who have become his friends.

For Sir Edmund the Everest anniversary celebrations in Nepal are special for one thing - a chance to enjoy a party with close to 400 Sherpa friends.

Sir Edmund had been invited to dine with the Queen and the other surviving 1953 expedition members in London, but instead chose to come to Kathmandu.

"June and I have spent so many years in the mountains and with the people of Nepal and the Sherpas have done so much for expeditions, that we really felt that the place we wanted to be on May 29 was here in Kathmandu."

Last night Prime Minister Helen Clark marked the 50th anniversary by announcing an increase in the annual grant to Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust.

The payment from the agency for international development is to increase to $290,000 a year.

The Government has generally contributed $40,000 annually, though this amount has sometimes been higher.

Helen Clark said it was important to not only recognise the life and work of Sir Edmund Hillary, but also to ensure that the work of the Himalayan Trust could continue.

The trust was set up in 1965 to assist the Nepalese with the building and maintenance of schools and hospitals.

Sir Edmund described the grant as a "fantastic sum".

"That will overcome virtually any problems that we might have had as far as financing our projects was concerned."

Before the party, held overnight New Zealand time, he said the week's activities had been absolutely marvellous.

"It has been a great experience for us, too, for out of the hills have streamed hundreds of our Sherpa friends - Sherpas who we have worked with, Sherpas who have climbed in the mountains.

"These are all people we admire and respect, Nepalese citizens who are a special breed of people."

Fifty years after the ascent of Everest, one of his strongest memories remains the Sherpas' deep-throated laughter when one of them cracked a good joke.

"They'd laugh about it and repeat it again and again. Lying in our tents we listened to the laughter and it was a marvellous feeling."

Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who was with Sir Edmund when they reached the summit of Everest, died 17 years ago, but Hillary constantly mentioned his climbing partner throughout the celebrations.

After their 15 minutes atop the 8850m summit on May 29, 1953, neither man had any desire to return.

"Tenzing used to say, 'We have done it. We have done it first. Why should we bother doing it again?"' recalled Sir Edmund.

Ang Rita Sherpa, chairman of Sir Edmund's Himalayan Trust, said the anniversary was particularly special for the Sherpa people, and the party was their chance to pay tribute to Sir Edmund.

"Without the ascent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary the Sherpa people would never be what they are now. The Sherpas would be 50-60 years behind what we have achieved in all fields."

He said thousands of Sherpas would have come if room permitted, but nearly 400 would share a meal together at Kathmandu's Hyatt hotel.

There would be a 35kg Mt Everest cake escorted into the party by yaks and dancers. Sherpa friends from 50 years ago would do a traditional Sherpa dance. Nepal's King Gyanendra and Queen Komal were also to host a tea party honouring Sir Edmund.

- additional reporting: NZPA