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Gilgit Baltistan-Culture Thread

This is a brilliant video. Woodcraft is certainly still alive in GB, one can find many shops in Hunza too.
The story of Mayun Shah: A Woodcraft Artisan
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@anant_s ,@Arsalan ,@shimshali ,@unleashed ...
 
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Thought it was worth sharing here. The culture has to do a lot with all these achievements...Good information...
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This Remote Pakistani Village Is Nothing Like You’d Expect
Photos and story by Matthieu Paley
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Over the years, a mountainous region in Pakistan has become my second home. I’ve seen firsthand how global events have hurt locals’ livelihoods and how technology has challenged the meaning of tradition.



Above the village of Passu, a teenager checks his Facebook. Many residents here are Ismaili, followers of a moderate branch of Islam. A sign on the mountain slope commemorates the time in 1987, when the Ismaili imam, the Aga Khan, visited the remote region.


PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

PASSU, Pakistan—Sajid Alvi is excited. He just got a grant to study in Sweden.

“My Ph.D. is about friction in turbo jet engines,” Alvi says. “I will work on developing new aerospace materials—real geeky stuff!”

Alvi’s relatives have come to bid him farewell as he prepares to leave his mountain village and study in a new country, some 3,000 miles away.

“We will see you again,” one of them says as they hang out in the potato field in front of Alvi’s house. “You know you won’t get far with a long beard like that. You look like Taliban!”

Alvi, dressed in low-hanging shorts and a Yankees cap, is far from a fundamentalist: He’s Wakhi, part of an ethnic group with Persian origins. And like everyone else here, he is Ismaili—a follower of a moderate branch of Islam whose imam is the Aga Khan, currently residing in France. There are 15 million Ismailis around the world, and 20,000 live here in the Gojal region of northern Pakistan.

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Girls play a game of cricket during school break. In the distance, a high-altitude trail leads into Afghanistan’s Pamir Mountains.

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At a school assembly in the Zood Khun village, the boys' class discusses an upcoming excursion to the edge of Chapursan Valley.

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Education is a cornerstone of Ismaili culture, especially for girls.



I’ve been visiting Gojal for 17 years, and I’ve watched as lives like Alvi’s have become more common here. Surrounded by the mighty Karakoram Range, the Ismailis here have long been relatively isolated, seeing tourists but little else of global events. But now, an improved highway and the arrival of mobile phones have let the outside world in, bringing new lifestyles and opportunities: Children grow up and head off to university, fashions change, and technology reshapes tradition. Gojal has adjusted to all of this, surprising me every time I return by showing me just how adaptable traditions can be.


With these photos, I hope to add nuance to our understanding of Pakistan, a country many Westerners associate with terrorism or violence. People have suffered from this reputation, and many feel helpless in trying to change it. The Pakistan I’ve seen is different from that popular perception. I returned there this summer with my family and focused my attention on a young and forward-thinking community in Gojal, a place I know well.

I first came here in the summer of 1999. I was 25 and my girlfriend and I bought one-way tickets to Pakistan. We were looking for inspiring treks (the Karakoram Range has the highest concentration of peaks taller than 8,000 meters). Back then, we were among the roughly 100,000 foreign tourists to visit northern Pakistan each year.

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A boy plays on the wall of the family’s mud house in Kermin village, in the Chapursan Valley.

We stayed for months, opening new passes, learning the language, and exploring the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Pamir. I kept returning, but over the years, I saw the number of fellow hikers plunge. The tourism department now records only a few thousand foreign visitors each year.

“Following the terrible September 11th attacks, anyone involved in tourism had to sell their jeeps or hotels; no tourists dared to come here anymore,” says Karim Jan, a local tour guide.

With each return visit, I noticed other changes. While outsiders were rare, the improved Karakoram Highway, now able to host vehicles other than Jeeps and 4x4s, brought in local tourists from south Pakistan, and southern cities became more accessible to the Wakhi.

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Shah Bul Masoom practices songs on his Rubab, a traditional instrument similar to a lute. He is a student of the Bulbulik music school in Gulmit village, and he’s working on mixing traditional Wakhi music with modern influences

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Years ago, marriages in the area were arranged by the bride and groom’s parents. Now, most couples tell their parents whom they should pick for a partner.

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Robina, in scarf, tries her cousin’s motorcycle. She wants to learn how to ride, so she can be more independent.


To be continued....







 
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A man from the Hussaini village returns home after playing a cricket game. On his forearm, he wears a sleeve that doubles as sunburn protection and fashion accessory

Young men and women began leaving to study in these cities, and they came back for summer holiday dressed in new, hip fashions. Shops multiplied along the road, selling new spices, sugary snacks, and sodas. Biryani rice, a favorite dish from Punjab, now often replaces the traditional turnip soup or buckwheat pancakes during celebrations.

But despite what I’ve seen change on the surface, the spirit of Gojal is very much the same.

“In these remote parts, our relationship to our honored guests has never changed,” Jan says. “You know, our kids go away to the cities, but deep down we are just mountain farmers living off the land. Sometimes we feel sadness for the way the Western world thinks of us, but we would rather joke about it than be bothered by it.”

The day after Alvi’s going-away party, we climb a nearby hill where young people are gathering. In the distance, we see the peak of Tupopdan—which means "sun-drenched mountain" in Wakhi—as it towers above a green oasis and the Passu village. A road winds through a barren valley—a branch of the old Silk Road. Beyond these peaks are the deserts and plains of Central Asia, China, and Afghanistan.

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A full moon rises over the Passu village and its glacier, and the Karakoram Highway snakes its way through the landscape.

Some of the young men on the hill sport designer t-shirts, jeans, styled beards, and ponytails (hipsters know no boundary). Others wear the traditional white pants and long shirt. Four young men bring up a huge speaker and blast a mix of dancehall and traditional music.

As we dance, a group of girls watches us, laughing. Others ignore us, focusing instead on a game of volleyball. Alvi points to them.

“They are all going to school and most of them speak at least four languages,” he says, as our conversation switches between English, Wakhi, and Urdu. “We have a famous saying: If you have two children, a boy and a girl, but you can afford to educate only one, you must give the education to the girl.”




Ismaili Scouts return home after a day’s excursion to a nearby village.


A few days later, Esar Ali, dressed in a suit and ready for a family wedding, climbs a boulder, away from the crowd. “The recent changes,” he says, discussing village life, “they come a lot from our education. Nowadays we go to universities outside of our villages, in the cities or abroad.”

“But they also come from this,” he adds, pointing to his phone. Smartphones and mobile data networks have changed how the people here relate to the outside world, and to their neighbors.

“I first saw Shayna in a town near my village,” Ali says. “There is a decent 2G reception there."

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Young Wakhis dance after celebrating Imamat Day, which marks the anniversary of the day their present (or Hazar) imam succeeded his predecessor. These young men study in big cities away from the mountains, and for them, this celebration is a time to reconnect with their homeland.
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A Wakhi home sports an embroidery of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the current imam of Ismaili Muslims. He has an estimated 15 million followers in more than 25 countries, including 20,000 in Gojal.

“We started messaging, agreeing on a time to talk when no one is at home," he says. "In our tradition, to be with someone is something sacred. So while we slowly establish our relationship, we never want to offend our elders. Phone or no phone, we have to keep our customs alive.”

Ali is now married to Shayna. This courtship would’ve been much different 10 years ago, but not because he wouldn’t have had a mobile phone. Back then, “our parents would pick the bride or groom,” he says. “But now it’s practically all love marriages, or rather arranged lovemarriages. We simply suggest to our parents the boy or girl we want to marry.”

There are two long lines in front of the wedding house; men on one side, women on the other. An elderly lady, her white veil flowing on top of an embroidered skullcap, welcomes me. She takes my right hand and kisses the top of it. I kiss hers in return; it’s the Wakhi way of greeting each other. I walk down the line, asking the traditional “How is your health, my sweet mother?” to each of the ladies.

It’s a typical mud house, and inside, young men are standing next to a gigantic pot of food; Ali steps up and says he hopes I’m hungry. “They are making bat for over 200 people,” he says, referring to the porridge-like food in the pot. “We will eat that with boiled sheep meat and lots of chai.”



"We first met on social media, and we slowly fell in love," say Esar Ali and Shayna, who married 11 months ago.

My wife and two young sons are outside somewhere playing cricket. When I look for them, I see my wife being pulled into a group selfie with the young bride and her friends. They ask me to join in.

Here, there is no such a thing as an uninvited guest. We’re joined by our friends Emmanuelle and Julien from Paris, and they’ve brought their two daughters. “With the current world situation, people thought we were joking when we were telling them that we were going on holiday to Pakistan,” Emmanuelle says. “We got worried too and almost called off the trip.”

But Emmanuelle says she’s glad she didn’t cancel. The scene is nothing like what she assumed.

“I mean, if you ask someone back home to imagine life in a remote mountain region in Pakistan, do you think they will picture this? This place is really doing something to me; it’s making my soul grow.”

Coming here again and again, this tight community always humbles me. Now, as external changes increasingly permeate daily life and relationships, Gojal has planted a foot in the modern world while retaining its traditions and ability to inspire. Traveling in places that we only know little about—or hold wrong ideas about—puts life into perspective. I hope the grace of this place will touch many more people.
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to be continued...







Shortly before reaching Passu village, a trekker walks along a hanging bridge across the Hunza River.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/gojali-pakistan-islam/

@Levina ,@Taygibay , @Arsalan ...

 
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Back then, “our parents would pick the bride or groom,” he says. “But now it’s practically all love marriages, or rather arranged lovemarriages. We simply suggest to our parents the boy or girl we want to marry.

Interesting!
But this contradicts what my Pakistani friend told me.
Are love marriages common in Pak? Is it okay to be in a relationship before marriage?
 
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Are love marriages common in Pak? Is it okay to be in a relationship before marriage?
It's certainly becoming a norm now, especially among the liberal-middle class. People don't mind love marriages, i have seen many marriages in Karachi which were love. It's certainly moving in the right direction in my opinion.
I don't know much about the rest of Pakistan, but say in areas like Ghizer, Yasin and Hunza and Gilgiti, marriages are usually in the families. Love marriages are tolerated. For example i had a cousin on my mother side who recently got married, it was a love marriage. Surprisingly in the family. Families are massive in my area. Relationships, i'd say it's becoming a thing too. The world is moving forward.
But this contradicts what my Pakistani friend told me.
They would be right in their cases. But i have seen things going into the positive direction, at least it is done with proper consultation now.
 
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Top 12 photographs of the historic Baltit Fort, Hunza
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Baltit Fort is a more than 700 years old historical building located in the Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan. The Baltit Fort used to be the seat of governance for the chieftains, locally called Mirs, who ruled the now defunct state for thousands of years. Before moving to the Baltit Fort, the rulers of Hunza used to live in the Altit Fort, located within 5 kilometers.

In 1954 the Mirs of the Hunza state abandoned the Baltit Fort and moved to their modern palace constructed in the vicinity. Over a period of almost half of a century, the Baltit Fort lost its glory and its condition had started deteriorating. However, the Baltit Fort was restored to its present glory by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture through a painstaking process of restoration work spread over several years.

Today it stands as a symbol of the region’s history and is one of the major tourist attractions in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

These 12 photographs, in our opinion, are the best photographs of the fort available publicly.

These have been taken from the internet and posted here under the principle of Creative Commons. Their ownership rights are reserved with the original photographers.

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The Baltit Fort has been constructed at a strategic point, overlooking the entire Hunza-Nagar Valley. This provided the rulers with a vintage point from which they could keep an eye on the enemies. Photo: Imran Schah
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The Baltit Fort, as the name suggests, has strong links with the Balti architecture. It was constructed by Balti artisans who traveled to Hunza along with a Balti bride of the then ruler of Hunza
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The Baltit Fort is a contender for the World Heritage Sites

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Illuminated at night with natural evening light glowing in the background

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Covered in clouds on a rainy day

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Standing atop the Hunza valley covered in snow during the harsh winters

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A rare aerial view of the fort captured by a para-glider
 
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Baltit-Fort-6.jpg

Set in a picturesque backdrop, the Baltit Fort attracts thousands of local, national and international tourists every year


Baltit-Fort-8.jpg

The grandeur of the fort is unmatched


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In low light


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Having many dungeons and prisons, the fort was once a symbol of oppression and terror for the dissident voices in Hunza. Now it stands as a representation of the region’s collective past

http://pamirtimes.net/2015/03/10/top-12-photographs-of-the-historic-baltit-fort-hunza/
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Have so many relatives in Karimabad, @shimshali . I can literally point out some of the house in the last image, lol. Anyways brilliant fort, brilliant location. Very steeps hills though...
@Joe Shearer ,@Arsalan ...
 
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Baltit-Fort-6.jpg

Set in a picturesque backdrop, the Baltit Fort attracts thousands of local, national and international tourists every year


Baltit-Fort-8.jpg

The grandeur of the fort is unmatched


Baltit-Fort-9.jpg


In low light


Baltit-Fort-11.jpg

Having many dungeons and prisons, the fort was once a symbol of oppression and terror for the dissident voices in Hunza. Now it stands as a representation of the region’s collective past

http://pamirtimes.net/2015/03/10/top-12-photographs-of-the-historic-baltit-fort-hunza/
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Have so many relatives in Karimabad, @shimshali . I can literally point out some of the house in the last image, lol. Anyways brilliant fort, brilliant location. Very steeps hills though...
@Joe Shearer ,@Arsalan ...

both altit and baltit fort have been preserved such nicely with the community too.
 
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both altit and baltit fort have been preserved such nicely with the community too.
I hope I am kept alive long enough to see these places for myself. How fortunate those who are from these parts!
Me personal images...
Don't know how, but they have copied it. Posted here first:
https://defence.pk/threads/pakistani-corner.387330/page-4#post-7420551
Lol, Pamir times stealing my images...:lol:
Baltit-Fort-6.jpg

Set in a picturesque backdrop, the Baltit Fort attracts thousands of local, national and international tourists every year
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file1124-jpg.240170


file1140-jpg.240175
 
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@WAJsal

Just shows one of our members is a Pamir Times staffer. Or that Pamir Times logs into PDF when it is not busy keeping local citizens up to date on world affairs!! :D
 
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With Our Own Hands: Uncovering a rich culinary tradition on the “Roof of the World”
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October 12, 2016 – The Pamir Mountains, at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges are among the highest mountains in the world. To the uninitiated, the landscape can seem wild, barren, even hostile. But the region is actually a centre of origin for many crops that we see on dinner tables around the world today, such as rye, and certain varieties of apples, walnuts, and apricots. To the Pamiris however, this is simply home.

“Does this land know that we, people from the Pamirs, feel lost when we are without it? Is it because it knows this, that it seems always to make us come back? There is something here in the land that calls to us.” –Excerpt from With Our Own Hands

With Our Own Hands tells, for the first time, the cultural and agricultural history of the Afghan and Tajik Pamirs, one of the world’s least known and most isolated civilizations. Through the lens of local recipes, one hundred in total, and accompanied by the work of three award-winning photographers, it describes Pamiri food and its origins, people’s daily lives, their struggles and celebrations. In a context where poverty, conflict and political upheaval have made it difficult for people to express and define their identity, food provides a powerful sense of connection and belonging.

The book uses food as a lens to discover the cultural and biological history of the Pamir Mountains. The voluminous book is full of beautiful photographs of the region, to match the incredibly rich and diverse stories and culture of the Pamiri people.

With Our Own Hands is the culmination of the joint efforts of Dutch ethno-botanist Frederik Van Oudenhoven and PhD student and AKFC Youth Fellow Jamila Haider. Having met over a bowl of apricot soup during a workshop on agricultural biodiversity in the Pamirs, Frederik and Jamila were fascinated by the unique culture and food in the region. In 2011, the pair trekked the mountains to visit communities, asking people to cook something for them while collecting their recipes and stories.
Lengthy years of editing, designing, and translating the cookbook soon followed. For Frederik and Jamila, it was important that the book was accessible to the communities they had interviewed. They relied heavily on a local translator, a gifted poet, who wrote everything out by hand and had it typed by his students. The translation alone took over two years to complete.

“The book was written by and for Pamiri people,” said Jamila. It was finally published in Tajik, Dari, and English in 2015. The pair travelled back to the Pamirs and distributed 1,700 copies to every single community in the region.

Anyone interested in travel to this remote and isolated part of the world; or in food, culture, and the interrelationship between humans and landscapes would be interested in this book. With Our Own Handswas honoured as the Best Cookbook of the Year in 2016 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Award.

Find the book: Amazon
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@shimshali ,@Joe Shearer ...
 
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With Our Own Hands: Uncovering a rich culinary tradition on the “Roof of the World”
20161012_Pamir_Cookbook_002.jpg


October 12, 2016 – The Pamir Mountains, at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges are among the highest mountains in the world. To the uninitiated, the landscape can seem wild, barren, even hostile. But the region is actually a centre of origin for many crops that we see on dinner tables around the world today, such as rye, and certain varieties of apples, walnuts, and apricots. To the Pamiris however, this is simply home.

“Does this land know that we, people from the Pamirs, feel lost when we are without it? Is it because it knows this, that it seems always to make us come back? There is something here in the land that calls to us.” –Excerpt from With Our Own Hands

With Our Own Hands tells, for the first time, the cultural and agricultural history of the Afghan and Tajik Pamirs, one of the world’s least known and most isolated civilizations. Through the lens of local recipes, one hundred in total, and accompanied by the work of three award-winning photographers, it describes Pamiri food and its origins, people’s daily lives, their struggles and celebrations. In a context where poverty, conflict and political upheaval have made it difficult for people to express and define their identity, food provides a powerful sense of connection and belonging.

The book uses food as a lens to discover the cultural and biological history of the Pamir Mountains. The voluminous book is full of beautiful photographs of the region, to match the incredibly rich and diverse stories and culture of the Pamiri people.

With Our Own Hands is the culmination of the joint efforts of Dutch ethno-botanist Frederik Van Oudenhoven and PhD student and AKFC Youth Fellow Jamila Haider. Having met over a bowl of apricot soup during a workshop on agricultural biodiversity in the Pamirs, Frederik and Jamila were fascinated by the unique culture and food in the region. In 2011, the pair trekked the mountains to visit communities, asking people to cook something for them while collecting their recipes and stories.
Lengthy years of editing, designing, and translating the cookbook soon followed. For Frederik and Jamila, it was important that the book was accessible to the communities they had interviewed. They relied heavily on a local translator, a gifted poet, who wrote everything out by hand and had it typed by his students. The translation alone took over two years to complete.

“The book was written by and for Pamiri people,” said Jamila. It was finally published in Tajik, Dari, and English in 2015. The pair travelled back to the Pamirs and distributed 1,700 copies to every single community in the region.

Anyone interested in travel to this remote and isolated part of the world; or in food, culture, and the interrelationship between humans and landscapes would be interested in this book. With Our Own Handswas honoured as the Best Cookbook of the Year in 2016 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Award.

Find the book: Amazon
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@shimshali ,@Joe Shearer ...

actually the most comprehensive book about the wakhi people and the pamiri people is the PAMIRIAN CROSSROADS written by hermann kreutzmann it is a result of 30 years of research of the wakhi and pamiri people..

i also found something interesting in the book which states that some wakhi origin people speaking the similar language also live in India..
 
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