Sherpa is the name of Sonam, it is also that of his ethnic group. Because the Sherpas are not only porters, guides as is often believed. They are first of all one of the 105 ethnic groups that populate the foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas, above the town of Lukla, gateway to the Everest trails. It was there, in Pangom, perched at 2,800 meters, that he was born in a stone house, with a wooden shingle roof, without running water or electricity.