The Sherpa people are primarily Buddhist and they were originally from Tibet, the homeland of Buddhism. In fact, according to some traditions, the migration out of Tibet was in search of the fabled Shangri-La. The form of Buddhism that the Sherpa follow is one that believes in some shamanic elements. The Sherpa believe in the Buddhist deities but they also believe in several deities and demons who live in the caves, mountains, and rivers in the world. These deities and demons must be appeased through different rituals. Mt. Everest is known as the "Mother of the World" to the Sherpa and they must respect it. This is why they never climbed the mountain until outsiders from the West came in and climbed it. Each clan in the areas respect a certain peak and its deities.
In individual villages, they have lamas who run the Buddhist and ceremonial practices in the town and they also have shamans and soothsayers who deal with the supernatural.
The gompa is a very important part of the Sherpa's religion. A gompa is a Buddhist monastery which is inhabited by a community of lams, monks, and nuns. These people are sworn or celibacy and are very respected and supported by the Sherpa community. Here's a picture of a gompa:
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