8 kaleidoscopickalash final

Identity

8

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

Identity

Kaleidoscopic Kalash A glance at the uniquely captivating people of Chitral and the circumstances they live under

Photos and Article by Saad Sarfaraz Sheikh 9

Identity

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

The people of Kalash from the Chitral region of North-western Pakistan have been relatively isolated from centralizing and totalizing influence of the Pakistani state which like all nation-states has tried, over the course of its 65-year history, to create a homogenous, national body politic. Indeed even a cursory look at this community affirms that due to their geographical isolation, the Kalash have been spared such a leveling of diversity.

The Kalash are not Muslim but worship ancient gods and deities—remnants of the region’s pre-Islamic past. They also speak an indigenous language linked closely to Greek. Furthermore and most visibly, they have their own distinctive way of dressing which is different from the national dress, the shalwaar kameez.

10

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

Identity

Gulistan treads down the mountain with a baby in her arms. She looks at us in amusement and mutters something excitedly to her husband, Yassir.

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

11

Identity

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

A Kalash woman proudly dons her indigenous garb.

This unique dress is highly ornate and is a melee of different colors, woven into harmony with the all-ubiquitous black, which has landed this people with the title, ‘the black pagans’.

The Kalash headdress which is worn by the women is also heavily decorated with beads which weigh it down significantly. The religion of the Kalash involves rituals of dance and poetry recitals and their pantheon of gods include deities such as Dezalik, the patron goddess of women undergoing menstruation and childbirth. This deity is seldom seen by alien travelers since they are placed in Bashalis which are houses for the confinement of women during menstruation and childbirth. This is when, the Kalash believe, women are in a stage of impurity. Furthermore, it is in these Bashalis that all of the Kalash are born.

12

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

Identity

However, despite its seemingly benign nature, the weather is inclement and has disastrous consequences for the area’s infrastructure.

With bridges knocked out, all villages are disconnected. This imposes serious restrictions on inter-village cooperation and limits human development in the region. For example, teachers from the more prosperous villages are cut-off leading to an abysmal state of education. School classes are till class 5 (primary school) and children seem to have no idea about their future. The village has four teachers. One of them is a BA who earns barely Rs. 3,000 and yearns for a better job somewhere else. Why wouldn’t he? The Kalashi language is taught in some of the schools and it has some elements of their culture/religion. However Kalashi children who wish to sit for the board exams are also required to take the Islamiyat exam rather than studying their own religion. The government, it seems, has not taken the rights and the interests of the people into consideration.

Normally in the modern world, you would see mothers call in their children even before it starts to rain. With the Kalash, it’s quite different. Mothers toughen their kids and let them play in the rain. I saw kids fighting on roofs and then falling to the ground, only to start fighting again!

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

13

Identity

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

As expected in such an isolated location, there is a dearth of health facilities.

A jeep-ride from Rumbur Village in Kalash to Chitral costs Rs. 2500. There is a doctor who comes from another valley, but only does so occasionally. In such a milieu then, villagers depend on traditional/herbal medicine which can have variable results. Indeed, their spirit is worth saluting and their survival in such conditions is commendable.

14

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

Kaleidoscopic Kalash

Identity

Every now and then while photographing the valley, there would come a point where I would put my cameras down and helplessly admire the beautiful landscape that lay ahead of me. None of my cameras could do justice to it. It was sweet surrender.

The valley is so peaceful and you start loving the isolation. I loved how I was away from my phone. I loved how I did not have to worry about discharged electronics. I turned off my phones and forgot who I was. The hustle and bustle of modern life had drained my energy but here I felt replenished. There were some issues though: no warm water, no electricity, no communication and not even a post office. It was very hard scaling almost the entire valley on nothing but an old jalopy. But would I go there again? Absolutely.

Literaty Pakistan | Oct 2012

15