RU  UK  EN
Статьи  >  Imagine  >  Kalash: Amazing people in the mountains of Pakistan

Kalash: Amazing people in the mountains of Pakistan

Автор: 03.05.2021 | traditions, Pakistan
While watching Discovery or other popular science shows it seems that our planet has been explored and examined length and breadth long ago. However some phenomena that we come across in our lives literally knock us down. Like, for instance, the fact that in Hindu Kush Mountains mysterious and blonde Kalash people live in isolation...

... and surrounded with Islamic states; and even modern science is unable to solve the riddle of its origins.

Up high in Hindu Kush Mountains where borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan meet, in remote Chitral District, amazing and cheerful Kalashs people live – and they even look uncommon for the area. Several villages of this pagan settlements account for about six thousand dwellers and most of them have never been outside their territories. This is courtesy of both self-sufficient way of life and the fact that some sort of resemblance of a road to the “big land” appeared merely twenty years ago due to efforts of … the Greeks. It is this fantastic, even in geographical terms, connection of highlanders and citizens of Hellas that has laid foundation to a romantic legend based on a failed “Indian” crusade of Alexander the Great.zdfbghdafg.jpgPhoto en.wikipedia.org

According to the theory, warriors of the famous emperor, two men and two women, were so exhausted by fights and wearisome mountain passages that they, either being weakened or having committed desertion, stayed in those lands. When they cured their wounds and settled in, former soldiers took to things common for men and women – creation of future generations - which resulted in emergence of Kalash people. The story is beautiful and it sounds more convincing than the other two because according to one of then dwellers of Chitral are forefathers of the Slavs and according to another they are true Aryans that Hitler was so persistently looking for all over the world. Some also mention their alien origins but that’s one bold idea….

Even today scientists keep arguing about how things really were because while resembling Muslims, who live everywhere around, as little as possible, “on the inside” – meaning such indicators as DNA, pigmentation and blood count - the Kalashs are similar to Pakistanis and the Afghans of all peoples. This is probably why population of their villages decreases – many convert to Islam and leave. Still, when talking to locals you can but be astonished not just by their pristine minds (for instance, majority of them have no idea what tourists do when the latter ones take pictures) but also by the fact that they don’t know any other countries but Greece.Kalash_women_traditional_clothing.jpgPhoto ru.wikipedia.org

In addition to the road, Greek organizations have built several schools there and got electrification going though it works every other time in the mountains. But the Kalashs pay no attention to lack of civilization because their way of life with foraging, hunting, fishing and endless ceremonial feasts doesn’t really require anything else. Despite what seems like “wild life” at first glance, true democracy reigns in their settlements, thus, for instance, women have a right to choose a husband and can easily get a divorce. Their opinion is taken into account in family as well as whole-village matters, it isn’t rare that it is them who are trusted with the title of the senior of a village. Equality of sexes is observed in every sphere but work – representatives of the gentle sex are engaged in domestic chores while men not only bring kill home but also manage to grow wheat among stones.

Regardless of the fact that almost none of the Kalashs speak English, they are very sociable and open to the world. They respect their guests and invite them to participate in feasts and rituals, major of them are Joshi - feast of sowing, Uchau - feast of harvest and Chawmos - general pre-winter celebration in hopes that the season will be mild. During each of them all citizens dance nearby sacred place called Jashtak, painted with patterns, Greek style ones, by the way. Birthdays and funerals are celebtated in the greatest manner and during latter ones one cannot cry at all. Everyting is accompanied by drinking wine which is also completely uncommon for the region. And should one have enouh powers left, it is possible to play gul afterwards. It is hard to describe this kind of spot otherwise than a mix of lapta, golf and baseball. Everyone play it, from children to old folk; when asked, how old they are, threy most often answer "I don't know, I simply opened my eyes in this valley once and have lived ever since".a3982062-8db4-11e9-b2aa-5ba392ab87ab_image_hires_133633.jpgPhoto scmp.com

Among the Kalashs thre are own celebrities, for instance, Lakshan Bibi, a brave woman who's made a career of a pilot and created an international organization in support of her people. Knowledge and fame never changed her national features - she is still open, just as her fellow nationals, and she still lives among them, in Rumbur village. Another "star" is a Japanese Akiko Wada who has married a local dweller. She is an expart in small peoples, she says she came to the mountains to study the Kalashs but ultimately stayed for good. Nowadays other Japanese, her friends and relatives, visit them. From time to time scientists and researchers with their minds haunted with the mystery of the Kalashs, come there; and in number of tourists the British are in the lead because they of all other people, as former colonists of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, know the area very well and realize that there one can truly enjoy nature and such unusual people who remind that happiness is about simple things.

Cover photo factroom.ru

Вам это будет интересно:
Mould your hobby. History of pottery
In a local history museum in every country you visit, you will certainly notice similar archaeological finds - fragments of clay products. Pottery, born millennia ago, but “living” even today, can rightfully be considered one of the most tenacious one. The uniqueness of clay was noticed by our distant ancestors who lived in caves ...
Tasty Japan: Give the country a try
Ice cream with a taste of horse meat, pickled insects, fish with deadly venom, etc – Japanese cuisine has things to surprise, amaze and shock you with. And truth be told, enumeration of these dishes doesn’t help my appetite at all. But we are not after exotic stuff. True culinary tourism is an attempt to comprehend mindset and feel national distinctive color through traditional cuisine – not try most exotic dishes.
Amazons from tribe mosuo​: Conservation of feminism in the shadow of Himalayas
Composers of antiutopias predict hundreds of sorrows to the people of the future who are from times to times forbidden to celebrate weddings, however, it seems, everything is not so terrible. In Chinese province Yun Nan near the foot of Himalayas the matriarch tribe mosuo resides that is not familiar with the concept of marriage at all.
Yodel - Music of the Austrian mountains
Austrian tour operators launched an unusual touristic tourdesigned for fans of singing style called yodel. Hikers wander through the Ziller Valley, a broad trail narrows opening the way for only the most avid travellers, then track leads upwards. Tourists look into the interactive station shaped as a giantsonorous walk-in cowbell, then they go around thelargest alpine horn and head to place...
Your breakfast, Sir! How people start their day around the world
A mini toast, a slice of cheese and a sip of strong coffee. "That is not a buffet!" a waiter will pronounce indignantly, looking at the disgruntled tourist’s face. The generous Ukrainian soul cannot understand how locals manage to eat their full with that. Therefore, before going to a new country, you need to know exactly whether in the evening you should prepare a couple of sandwiches to indulge them in the morning,...
Malanka and Vasyl winter fun: Carnival in Ukrainian style
The New Year in Ukraine did not always start with a Christmas tree, and instead of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, guests were waiting fora minx girl - Malanka and motor-boy Vasyl accompanied by the retinue. All the follies were out of hand: the ridiculed riddles carried a sacred content, dictated by the logic of the myth of the duel of spring and winter.
Christmas Eve and What’s to Follow
Christmas arrives with a warm overjacket on its shoulders. At night it brings warm light of the first evening star and in the morning it wakes you up with shine of white but warm sun. If my great-grandmonther’s grandmother had been asked about her Christmas feelings, I believe, her words would have been identical to mine. Because together with a bowl of kutia,...
Mulled wine: Yummy way to keep warm
Vitamins, development of resistance to cold, correct day regimen... That's all good and useful, especially when the winter weather swirls in, but sometimes we all have to pamper ourselves and at the same time to be protected against germs and colds. And the best way to do it is to sip some mulled wine.
Eskimo igloo: It is easy as a pie to build castles in ...snow
A little son came to his father and suggested to run away from mom and granny to the North Pole? Now, do not indulge into tragic speeches of severe frosts, pitch darkness of the polar night and hungry polar bears! Give a conspiracy wink to a little brave one, and give him a real man's job for his school winter holidays that is to learn how to build an igloo, night shelter in ever-frost lands.
Handicraft: persian carpets
In those days when the Persian soldiers were second to none, and both the Roman Empire and the Arabian Peninsula were conquered by their power, skilful fingers of winner nation craftswomen created their first masterpiece. The carpet called The Springtime passed into history as the most precious of all time. It symbolized powerful rule of the Persians, and its beauty told about the divine origin of the king Khosrow I.
Don’t break the tongue: The hardest languages in the world
It is said, the easier it is, the better we feel, however, is it always like that? We know that not all the nations follow this principle. OUTLOOK has found out the strangest, toughest and hard in articulation international languages and would like to share it with the readers.
What do they eat: Rome’s cuisine
OUTLOOK often tells about the kitchens of the peoples around the world, but when it comes to Italy, writing about the country should be a crime. Each of its twenty regions has its own culinary world with the subtleties and specialties. Let the title of gastronomic capital of Italy be Bologna, its official capital - Rome, too, has something to boast about. We are telling you what is remarkable about Roman cuisine...
Kabuki: thorny path of flower
Traditional Japanese kabuki theatre has always been a mystery to the European mentality: only an expert on the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun can understand a play without guide’s tips. The word kabuki is sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing". Why not an operetta? The essence of performance is not confined to musical presentation only...
Sacred animals of the Incas
Our "Peruvian cycle" is replenished with the story of the most revered animals in Peru. Being the link between the present and the past, they play an important role in the life of this nation. Wise ancestors of the modern Peruvians, the ancient Incas, were living in harmony with all life that surrounded them.
On the Move. Street food from around the world. Part 2
Do you happen to get hungry? That is great as we go on with our story about the most popular street food from around the world. It’s freshly cooked - fall to, you guys! Let's start with the South Asian countries, namely Singapore - seafood-rich in vitamins and minerals occupy a key place in the diet of residents ...
On the Move. Street food from around the world
Experienced tourists believe that one of the best sure-fire ways to quickly tune into the beat of another culture is to try local food. In order not to be at a loss when choosing dishes and save precious time for spiritual food, OUTLOOK gives you selective advice on street gastronomy from seven spots of the globe.
Happiness moves in mysterious way: Places to make wishes in Latvia
Trip to Latvia breaks the chain of mundanity, awakes secret fantasies which usually remain dormant in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Wandering between the centuries-old pine trees, fresh Baltic breeze languidly runs over strings in wait for off-beat adventure. Dreams do come true – you just need to know a right place to make a wish.
Road to Asia is paved with carpets
Carpets hang on walls as a symbol of wealth, lay on floors to create coziness and are presented as expensive gifts. Studying fancy pictures in the shapes of diamonds and stars on them attempting to figure out their meaning is a fairly amusing thing to do. Globally spread carpeting traditions were borrowed from eastern peoples who were the first to learn how to make yarn and fabric out of fibrous materials.
Women's adornments in India: Sacred meaning
Upon hearing word combination “Hindu woman” an image of a beautiful woman wearing sari and definitely with numerous adornments and pictures on her body emerges in our imagination. Where does passion for body decoration come from in national traditions of this people?
Fight like a woman. The fight club of flying cholit
The free fight has not feminine face. The good girl could smile in a pretty way and care colorful dress but not strike out wildly. But in the fierce Ands such gentle flowers do not grow. The true Bolivian cholit will be quick on the uptake, and it is able to fill in if necessary. But on Sunday, having gathered the starched skirts, she will desperately go to fight
Закрыть
Outlook facebook page