The Kalash are an ancient people, who inhabited the present day Nuristan Province in Afghanistan and the bordering region of north-eastern Chitral in Pakistan. Nuristan was referred to as Kafiristan, ‘The Land of the Infidels', until the Afghan king Abdur Rehman Khan converted the Kalash people in that region into Islam in 1895 and renamed the Province as Nuristan or ‘The Land of the Enlightened'. On the Pakistani side of the border the Kalash people continued with their ancient way of life in the heavily wooded narrow valleys of Brumboret, Birir and Rumbur, an area of about 150-kilometer radius, isolated from and surrounded by Muslim villages and towns. About 3000 Kalash people, who live in these narrow valleys, continue to practice their ancient religion and their unique style of life. But these valleys are no longer as isolated as they once were and the impact of tourism and visitors from the surrounding regions is beginning to show in their lifestyle and religion.
Physical features & complexion
Most Kalash people have a complexion which is between the brown of the sub-continent and white of Europe. They have Aryan features. The men have magnificent physiques; they are lightly built but strong, and carry themselves with a certain degree of grace. The women are lightly built with muscular limbs. As young girls they are very beautiful, but they age very early due to hard work and prolonged exposure to harsh weather. The women are quite outgoing and chirpy.
Religion
The Kalash people worship about two dozen gods and goddesses. Their principal god is Imra, the creator of the heavens and the earth, Moni, the prophet and Gish the god of war. Dezane and Nirmali are two of their important goddesses. They also believe in demons and fairies. There used to be a temple of Imra in virtually every Kalash village, in which images of this god were placed. Shrines to Gish, Nirmali and other gods and goddesses were quite common. The worship consists of obeisance in front of idols of gods, dances, animal sacrifices, mostly of cows and goats, and chanting of hymns.
Customs & Traditions
The Kalash people grow grapes and make wine, which is quite alien to the customs of the people in the surrounding regions. Ceremonies involving communal dancing and wine drinking are very much a part of the life of the Kalash. In some instances these ceremonies may go on for three or four days and incorporate lavish feasting and animal sacrifices. One such ceremony to pray for the departed soul of the deceased involves huge wooden effigies of the deceased. Groups of men and women dance round these effigies, make sacrifices and feast. The duration of such ceremonies and the lavishness of food serving wine drinking and musical accompaniment to the dances depend on the importance and the wealth of the deceased. After the ceremonies the effigies of the deceased are erected at prominent places, where they go through the normal process of gradual deterioration.
Language
The Kalash have their own languages and different dialects are spoken by different tribes inhabiting the valleys.
Dress
The women wear a long black cloak made of homespun wool (called cheo), dozens of necklaces made of beads, and headdress with cowry shells, red beads and trinkets. In some tribes, the women wear double-hat which is quite similar to the kausia worn by ancient Greeks (a number of Indus Greek rulers, e.g. Demetrius, appear wearing this hat on the coins of the Indus Greeks). The men folk these days wear a dress which is very similar that worn by the common Chitralis, comprising of a long shirt (Kameez0, baggy trousers (shalwar) and a turban, which is sometimes mounted with peacock feathers.
Character, Attitudes and Appearance
The Kalash are courageous people, with deep affection for their family members, great desire for freedom and deeply attached to their customs and traditions. They are fond of decoration and wood carving. Until very recently they showed scant respect for cleanliness and personal hygiene. The clothes their average women wear were usually dirty and their hair oily and untidy. Presently through contact with Chitralis who have settled in nearby valleys, and through access to the cities in Chitral, there is some improvement in this respect.
Houses
Kalash houses are fairly spacious compared to houses outside Kalash territory. They are solidly built of logs and stone.
Towns & Villages
Brumbutu is the largest town in Brumboret valley. It has some inns where tourists can put up for a few nights. Important villages in the Brumboret valley include Burungram and Trakal. Bishala is the main town in the Birir Valley and Balenguru in the Rumbur Valley.
Generally the villages and towns are of the fort type and are located on the banks of rivers or streams. They may have about a hundred, two or three story houses round a courtyard. Part of the courtyard is occupied by the outdoor dancing place and a dance hall called grommo.
Living conditions
The bulk of he Kalash people are very poor, uneducated and out of reach of suitable medical facilities.
Resemblances with Ancient Greeks
Because of their very different lifestyle and customs compared to the other people inhabiting the surrounding region, there has been a lot of speculation that these Kalash people may be remnants of Greeks and Macedonians who came with Alexander the Great, when he invaded the northern areas of South Asia around 327 BC. The region where they live is most likely the region through Alexander's army entered the sub-continent. The most important Kalash tribe, the Katirs, assert that their ancestors came from the West.
There are some resemblances such as blood sacrifices, communal dancing, wine making and drinking (which is very rare in this region), and in the shapes of some domestic vessels. Therefore a certain degree of Greek influence in their lifestyle cannot be ruled out.
Physical features & complexion
Most Kalash people have a complexion which is between the brown of the sub-continent and white of Europe. They have Aryan features. The men have magnificent physiques; they are lightly built but strong, and carry themselves with a certain degree of grace. The women are lightly built with muscular limbs. As young girls they are very beautiful, but they age very early due to hard work and prolonged exposure to harsh weather. The women are quite outgoing and chirpy.
Religion
The Kalash people worship about two dozen gods and goddesses. Their principal god is Imra, the creator of the heavens and the earth, Moni, the prophet and Gish the god of war. Dezane and Nirmali are two of their important goddesses. They also believe in demons and fairies. There used to be a temple of Imra in virtually every Kalash village, in which images of this god were placed. Shrines to Gish, Nirmali and other gods and goddesses were quite common. The worship consists of obeisance in front of idols of gods, dances, animal sacrifices, mostly of cows and goats, and chanting of hymns.
Customs & Traditions
The Kalash people grow grapes and make wine, which is quite alien to the customs of the people in the surrounding regions. Ceremonies involving communal dancing and wine drinking are very much a part of the life of the Kalash. In some instances these ceremonies may go on for three or four days and incorporate lavish feasting and animal sacrifices. One such ceremony to pray for the departed soul of the deceased involves huge wooden effigies of the deceased. Groups of men and women dance round these effigies, make sacrifices and feast. The duration of such ceremonies and the lavishness of food serving wine drinking and musical accompaniment to the dances depend on the importance and the wealth of the deceased. After the ceremonies the effigies of the deceased are erected at prominent places, where they go through the normal process of gradual deterioration.
Language
The Kalash have their own languages and different dialects are spoken by different tribes inhabiting the valleys.
Dress
The women wear a long black cloak made of homespun wool (called cheo), dozens of necklaces made of beads, and headdress with cowry shells, red beads and trinkets. In some tribes, the women wear double-hat which is quite similar to the kausia worn by ancient Greeks (a number of Indus Greek rulers, e.g. Demetrius, appear wearing this hat on the coins of the Indus Greeks). The men folk these days wear a dress which is very similar that worn by the common Chitralis, comprising of a long shirt (Kameez0, baggy trousers (shalwar) and a turban, which is sometimes mounted with peacock feathers.
Character, Attitudes and Appearance
The Kalash are courageous people, with deep affection for their family members, great desire for freedom and deeply attached to their customs and traditions. They are fond of decoration and wood carving. Until very recently they showed scant respect for cleanliness and personal hygiene. The clothes their average women wear were usually dirty and their hair oily and untidy. Presently through contact with Chitralis who have settled in nearby valleys, and through access to the cities in Chitral, there is some improvement in this respect.
Houses
Kalash houses are fairly spacious compared to houses outside Kalash territory. They are solidly built of logs and stone.
Towns & Villages
Brumbutu is the largest town in Brumboret valley. It has some inns where tourists can put up for a few nights. Important villages in the Brumboret valley include Burungram and Trakal. Bishala is the main town in the Birir Valley and Balenguru in the Rumbur Valley.
Generally the villages and towns are of the fort type and are located on the banks of rivers or streams. They may have about a hundred, two or three story houses round a courtyard. Part of the courtyard is occupied by the outdoor dancing place and a dance hall called grommo.
Living conditions
The bulk of he Kalash people are very poor, uneducated and out of reach of suitable medical facilities.
Resemblances with Ancient Greeks
Because of their very different lifestyle and customs compared to the other people inhabiting the surrounding region, there has been a lot of speculation that these Kalash people may be remnants of Greeks and Macedonians who came with Alexander the Great, when he invaded the northern areas of South Asia around 327 BC. The region where they live is most likely the region through Alexander's army entered the sub-continent. The most important Kalash tribe, the Katirs, assert that their ancestors came from the West.
There are some resemblances such as blood sacrifices, communal dancing, wine making and drinking (which is very rare in this region), and in the shapes of some domestic vessels. Therefore a certain degree of Greek influence in their lifestyle cannot be ruled out.
(ArticlesBase SC #4294585)
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