Climbing=White Person's Sport?

by **TimmyC** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:16 am

JHH60 wrote:I hear there may have been one or two OK climbers from central Asia. Called Sherpas or something like that. Probably never climbed anything serious though.

I think JHH60 wins this thread.

by **rmick25** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:30 am

This is from the same site rhyang mentioned before.

While I don't quite agree with it. It's somewhat humorous just the same.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/08/14/128-camping/

by **atavist** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:09 pm

I remember bumping into a thru-hiker on the AT a few years ago. He adopted the handle 'Blackpacker'. Of course, if he weren't the only nigga* on the trail it wouldn't have been as funny.

*I have a black friend so it's cool if I use the vernacular. :roll:

by **MoapaPk** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:39 pm

About 5.5 years ago, I knocked myself out on a lunge move, and fell about 25' at Red Rock. After I woke up, I was able to downclimb and walk out, but went to nearby Summerlin Hospital to have a CT scan.

I was asked several times to explain the accident, and at first all the listeners responded with indifference. Finally I was asked again by the radiologist, a Black woman, and she responded, "Hon, don't rock climb; it makes no sense."

by **phydeux** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:28 pm

HandjamMasterC wrote:I asked a black guy I worked with once why more blacks didn't climb. He said " we're not crazy enought to go in the woods with some white guys with a rope ............. "

Similarly, a black co-worker, on finding out I spent four days/three nights on a peakbgging trip, responded with " . . . I got enough of that backpacking shit in the Marines."

by **haivanhuynh** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:07 pm

JHH60 wrote:I hear there may have been one or two OK climbers from central Asia. Called Sherpas or something like that. Probably never climbed anything serious though.

Your point is well taken, however, in respects to the title of the thread, this only supports that mountaineering is indeed a white man's sport.

Would they have ever bothered to climb/desecrate their holy mountains as porters without the insistence of the Europeans and Englishmen who invented the sport?

by **haivanhuynh** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:10 pm

MoapaPk wrote:About 5.5 years ago, I knocked myself out on a lunge move, and fell about 25' at Red Rock. After I woke up, I was able to downclimb and walk out, but went to nearby Summerlin Hospital to have a CT scan.

I was asked several times to explain the accident, and at first all the listeners responded with indifference. Finally I was asked again by the radiologist, a Black woman, and she responded, "Hon, don't rock climb; it makes no sense."

rofl.

by **haivanhuynh** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:48 pm

1000Pks wrote:
Would they have ever bothered to climb/desecrate their holy mountains as porters without the insistence of the Europeans and Englishmen who invented the sport?

Well, here in the Pacific West, we have many indications that Native Americans climbed the peaks, with even living structures up to 11,000 feet. Sadly even the NPS promotes a hateful slight to them, being that Lassen Peak firsts were credited to "white" people, as I suppose Native American claims are ignored or disregarded.

I thought I read similar about Mt. Fuji in Japan. I think Japanese lore states that it had been climbed, many times in ancient times, there's nothing that hard about that. In the style of the 1850's, it was to be credited to others, or something like that.

Sounds like more racial arrogance that many claims even in the Sierra have been made, to firsts, as Native Americans are simply not in the picture. While the Himalayas are a different story, as the Moon and other recent technology enabled events, there has been some claims or even evidence that Asians were the first to CA and the West Coast, by adrift fishing boats and even Chinese junks. Some in the MLC SC refute even that there was a Christopher Columbus and all, that white people were here first and always here, making them the original inhabitants and therefore not immigrants, just more of their hate science.

You can speak with these people, directly if you choose, the SC knows who they are. Disturbing that some of them are high ranked government, and well known even to higher ranking people, with apparent full approval!

Very fascinating.

As far as Native Americans, there are some tribes that have no qualms climbing their high peaks to conduct their rituals and ceremonies. Their unsung mountaineering status would make perfect sense then. Likewise with Japan and primarily their trinity of holy mountains.

The mindset in the in the Himalayas is different, however. Some Tibetans (not necessarily more northerly sherpa people) still disapprove/forbid climbing certain peaks (e.g. Kailash). Likewise with the natives around Monument Valley, who most likely never even considered climbing the desert towers since they appeared unclimbable until the advent of modern rock climbing.

by **kheegster** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:48 pm

Really dumb question, but what's the MLC SC?

by **haivanhuynh** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:04 pm

kheegster wrote:Really dumb question, but what's the MLC SC?

Sierra Club.

by **MoapaPk** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:14 pm

1000Pks wrote:I thought I read similar about Mt. Fuji in Japan. I think Japanese lore states that it had been climbed, many times in ancient times, there's nothing that hard about that. In the style of the 1850's, it was to be credited to others, or something like that.

I've heard that the name "Fujiyama" is actually a corruption the Ainu phrase Huchi Kamui. The Ainu were the aboriginal original race of Japan; I wonder if they climbed the mountain first?

by **kiwiw** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:14 pm

I see a lot of couples at the crags, in their mid 20's, a white guy, and a asian woman. the women usally lead harder as well. apparently they make really good ropeguns...

by **Grampahawk** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 11:05 pm

Are Sherpas considered "white"? I've climbed with Asians, Indians, and Pakistanis.

by **McCannster** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:48 am

Good points, all. I was just chatting about this on the way back from the crag today. I agree with the fact that Sherpas would not have been climbing in the Himalayas if the Brits didn't come along and offer to pay them to climb. I wish there was demographic data on this, like the breakup of climbers' race. My friends and I came to the conclusion that it would probably be about 95% white, maybe 4 % Asian, and 1% "All Other Races". That's not based on any factual evidence, just some numbers we came up with.

Of course, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter at all what your race is. Just get out there and climb!

Climbing=White Person's Sport?

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