K2 & The Invisible Footmen

This is a pretty good documentary. It is refreshing to get the perspective from people other than the western climbers, and other than the sherpas as far as that goes, since this follows porters from Pakistan rather than the higher paid sherpas of Tibet. So it involves trekking rather than the climbing itself.

So we hear about the inequities of the porters employment, the lower pay scales as I already mentioned, the sometimes unfair expectation that they carry much more weight than what is considered standard without any increase in pay, and of course the danger inherent in their occupation. It is so hazardous that it actually affects the life expectancy of the male population.

This documentary also highlights the humor and wit of some of the porters in discussing their plight, so that the show is not a downer to watch. There was a bit of repetition in their conversations, and some comments by climbers themselves sometimes seemed to be off the point being made, sort of more about them than about the subject matter. Maybe that was the point of including it.

It is an interesting look at workers who have practically no voice of their own in the scheme of things. Perhaps the countries who issue the permits to the climbers employing the porters need to put more guarantees and safeguards in place for their citizens taking on this hazardous, low paying work. I believe that was done to some extent for the sherpas.