Kalasha 2
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The Kalash People
The Kalash (or Kalasha) people are only around 4100 individuals. They live in 3 isolated villages in Chitral in the far north-eastern part of Pakistan (a few kilometers from the Afghan border). The villages are called Bumburet, Rambur and Birir.
Kalasha girl
The high number of pale-skinned and green/blue-eyed members of the Kalasha population has lead to speculation that the Kalasha may be descendants of ancient greek or Middle Eastern populations. Guru village, Birir valley.
Kalasha village
The Kalasha live in densely built villages. Houses are typically built on top of each other up along the slope. This protects them from floods. Traditional houses are two stories built of wood and stone. The ground floor is generally used as a storeroom and a place for cattle, and the people live on the upper floor. Guru village, Birir valley.
Washing clothes
Washing clothes in the Birir river (Birir Gol). Guru village, Birir valley.
Kalasha boy playing
A Kalasha boy plays on the bridge across the Birir river (Birir Gol) just below Guru village. Birir valley.
Kalasha boy
A Kalasha boy on the bridge across the Birir river (Birir Gol) just below Guru village. Birir valley.
On the bridge
A boy on the bridge across the Birir river (Birir Gol) just below Guru village. Birir valley.
Kalasha village - night
Nigth is falling. The Kalasha live in densely built villages. Houses are typically built on top of each other up along the slope. This protects them from floods. Traditional houses are two stories built of wood and stone. The ground floor is generally used as a storeroom and a place for cattle, and the people live on the upper floor. Guru village, Birir valley.
Kalasha village - night
Nigth is falling. The Kalasha live in densely built villages. Houses are typically built on top of each other up along the slope. This protects them from floods. Traditional houses are two stories built of wood and stone. The ground floor is generally used as a storeroom and a place for cattle, and the people live on the upper floor. Guru village, Birir valley.
Walking to school
A Kalasha boy is walking to school in the morning. Guru village, Birir valley.
Headdress
A Kalash lady wearing a "Kupás", the colorful and elaborate headdress, made of cowrie shells and beads, worn by the Kalasha woman on special occasions, like when someone has died in the village. The kupás is attached to the "shushut", a band encircling the head. Grom village, Rumbur valley.
Kalasha lady
A Kalasha lady from a small settlement near Guru village, Birir valley.
Traditional food
A Kalasha mother is making bread with her children. Traditional foods are round flat bread (made of wheat), milk, buttermilk, butter, cheese and walnut. Beans are important source of protein. Meat is eaten only on special occasions. Nowadays bread made of corn, and soup made of tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and boiled vegetables are also eaten. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Traditional food
A Kalasha mother is making bread with her children. Traditional foods are round flat bread (made of wheat), milk, buttermilk, butter, cheese and walnut. Beans are important source of protein. Meat is eaten only on special occasions. Nowadays bread made of corn, and soup made of tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and boiled vegetables are also eaten. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Traditional food
A Kalasha lady is making bread. Traditional foods are round flat bread (made of wheat), milk, buttermilk, butter, cheese and walnut. Beans are important source of protein. Meat is eaten only on special occasions. Nowadays bread made of corn, and soup made of tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and boiled vegetables are also eaten. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Working
Wheat, maize, grapes, apples, apricots and walnuts are among the many foodstuffs grown in the valleys. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Shy girl
A shy girl in Brun village in the Bumburet valley.
Quick wash
A quick wash. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Traditional food
Maize, wheat, grapes, apples, apricots, mulberry and walnuts are among the many foodstuffs grown in the valleys. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Early morning
The first rays of the morning sun in Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Georg Morgenstjerne
Georg Morgenstjerne (Georg Valentin von Munthe af Morgenstierne) was a Norwegien professor of linguistics. During the years 1923 to 1971, Morgenstierne carried out fieldwork in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Iran. He did field work in the Bumburet valley in 1929. He found that Kalasha is an independent language in its own right, despite having similarities with other languages in the area.
At school
Three friends at the primary school in Brun village (Government Kalash Primary School, English Medium), Bumburet valley.
Reading
A Kalasha girl reading at the primary school in Brun village (Government Kalash Primary School, English Medium), Bumburet valley.
At school
Two friends at the primary school in Brun village (Government Kalash Primary School, English Medium), Bumburet valley.
Pupils and teacher
Pupils and teacher at the primary school in Brun village (Government Kalash Primary School, English Medium), Bumburet valley.
Bringing the goats back home
A Kalasha boy brings the goats back home in the evening. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Bringing the goats back home
A Kalasha boy brings the goats back home in the evening. Brun village, Bumburet valley.
Grom village
Grom village in the Rumbur valley. The Kalasha live in densely built villages. Houses are typically built on top of each other up along the slope. This protects them from floods. Traditional houses are two stories built of wood and stone. The ground floor is generally used as a storeroom and a place for cattle, and the people live on the upper floor.
Sheikhanandeh village
Sheikhanandeh village, Rumbur valley. The name Sheikhanandeh means "village of the converted", the residents have converted to Islam. They are the descendants of the Red Kafirs who migrated from Nuristan (former Kafiristan) in Afghanistan in the late 1890s. These villages are situated at the end of all three Kalash valleys Bumboret, Birir and Rumbur.
A Kalasha woman
A Kalasha woman sits outside her home in Balanguru village, Rumbur valley.
Balanguru village
Two Kalasha ladies in their home in Balanguru village. The lady to the left is blind and depends on the other woman for daily assistance.
Grom village
A Kalasha lady in Grom village, Rumbur valley.
Grandmother and grandchild
A Kalasha grandmother with her grandchild in Balanguru village, Rumbur valley.
Kalasha girl
Aisha is an eighth grade student and dreams of beeing able to travel to foreign contries. Balanguru village, Rumbur valley.