Wisdom of the Mountains
The Pamiri people of Afghanistan and Tajikistan are among the most isolated communities in the world. They live according to centuries-old traditions. Slowly but surely Western influences enter this remote mountain region.
In this documentary film we travel through the Pamir Mountains with Frederik van Oudenhoven. He is the author of ‘With our own hands’, a book about the traditional dishes and the food and farming culture of the Pamiri people. It is the first written source about their culture that is accessible in their own language. Frederik brings his book back to its source. He speaks with farmers about the struggles they are facing: can the Pamiri people stay true to their old traditions while adapting to a new world?
11 April 2017: Frederik van Oudenhoven presents the documentary film Wisdom of the Mountains in Leiden University
VIDEO and more at:
http://mongolschinaandthesilkroad.blogs ... tains.html
Pamirs, Badakshan, Wakhan area adapt to life
How a music school in Gilgit is keeping indigenous traditions alive
GILGIT: Impeccably dressed in crisp white garb, black waistcoats and neatly-polished black shoes, the students of the indigenous music school Bulbulik in Gojal Valley, Gilgit is making efforts to revive musical traditions that are on the verge of extinction.
There may be little support but that has not discouraged the institution from doing what it loves: playing freestyle/Pamiri music with conventional instruments like Ghazxek, Surnaye, Tutek, Gabi and Sitar. The musicians feel happy when onlookers cheer for them; when they play their soothing lullabies, the native Parmiri find a voice.
More...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1406074/mu ... ons-alive/
GILGIT: Impeccably dressed in crisp white garb, black waistcoats and neatly-polished black shoes, the students of the indigenous music school Bulbulik in Gojal Valley, Gilgit is making efforts to revive musical traditions that are on the verge of extinction.
There may be little support but that has not discouraged the institution from doing what it loves: playing freestyle/Pamiri music with conventional instruments like Ghazxek, Surnaye, Tutek, Gabi and Sitar. The musicians feel happy when onlookers cheer for them; when they play their soothing lullabies, the native Parmiri find a voice.
More...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1406074/mu ... ons-alive/
Pamir: exploring the ‘roof of the world’ in remote Tajikistan
The Pamir — a range of mountains and high-altitude plateaus that stretches through Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan — offers visitors uncompromising terrain, stunning views, unmatched hospitality and distinctive religious traditions. Find out how to get around the New East’s most remote outposts
More..
http://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/ ... tajikistan
The Pamir — a range of mountains and high-altitude plateaus that stretches through Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan — offers visitors uncompromising terrain, stunning views, unmatched hospitality and distinctive religious traditions. Find out how to get around the New East’s most remote outposts
More..
http://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/ ... tajikistan
http://menafn.com/1096717927/14000-tour ... -last-year
14,000 tourists visited Badakhshan last year
Date
4/10/2018 4:44:26 PM
Tweet on Twitter
(MENAFN - Pajhwok Afghan News) FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): At least 14,000 domestic and foreign tourists visited verdant landscapes of northeastern Badakhshan province last year, say government officials. The number of tourists is on the increase
Information and Culture Director Naqibullah Saqib told Pajhwok Afghan News around 136 foreign tourists from the US, Italy and Germany visited different areas of Badakhshan in the solar year 1396.
Dr. Shams Ali Shams, director of the Aga Khan Foundation in Badakhshan, said under an agreement with the Ministry of Information, tourist spots in Wakhan, which were neglected during the war, had been rehabilitated.
The Wakhan areas had been rehabilitated to promote tourism in the province, he said, adding guesthouses and modern bathrooms had been established in different parts of the district.
He added: €œThe Aga Khan Foundation has successfully projected the historical importance of Pamir to the world. Jointly with the Ministry of Culture, we are making efforts to promote tourism in the province.€�
Siddiqui Lalzad, director of information and culture, told Pajhwok the people of Wakhan and Ishkashim districts had earned about $200,000 last year, a crucial step toward the growth of the region€™s economy.
Faiz Mohammad, a resident of Wakhan, said the number of tourists to Pamir had increased. €œThe services we have provided to them have led to a remarkable income.
14,000 tourists visited Badakhshan last year
Date
4/10/2018 4:44:26 PM
Tweet on Twitter
(MENAFN - Pajhwok Afghan News) FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): At least 14,000 domestic and foreign tourists visited verdant landscapes of northeastern Badakhshan province last year, say government officials. The number of tourists is on the increase
Information and Culture Director Naqibullah Saqib told Pajhwok Afghan News around 136 foreign tourists from the US, Italy and Germany visited different areas of Badakhshan in the solar year 1396.
Dr. Shams Ali Shams, director of the Aga Khan Foundation in Badakhshan, said under an agreement with the Ministry of Information, tourist spots in Wakhan, which were neglected during the war, had been rehabilitated.
The Wakhan areas had been rehabilitated to promote tourism in the province, he said, adding guesthouses and modern bathrooms had been established in different parts of the district.
He added: €œThe Aga Khan Foundation has successfully projected the historical importance of Pamir to the world. Jointly with the Ministry of Culture, we are making efforts to promote tourism in the province.€�
Siddiqui Lalzad, director of information and culture, told Pajhwok the people of Wakhan and Ishkashim districts had earned about $200,000 last year, a crucial step toward the growth of the region€™s economy.
Faiz Mohammad, a resident of Wakhan, said the number of tourists to Pamir had increased. €œThe services we have provided to them have led to a remarkable income.
A year in the Pamirs - A traveller's tale
I’ve been in these mountains for nearly a year! That was not something I had planned on.
I first arrived in the Pamirs in August of last year in a 4×4 Jeep bumping along the Pamir Highway from Osh to Dushanbe. And here I am still, nestled in the Pamir mountains of my beloved Badakhshan. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) office, the office of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) governor Mr. Yodgor, and Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have provided invaluable support to me.
The ruins of the legendary Yamchun fortress
Last summer I set out with my bicycle to travel from Moscow to Beijing on the alternative Trans Siberian Express, unfolding my bicycle to explore along the way. My journey was meant to be only three months, but at some point I decided to stop along my route for the winter, intending to continue to Beijing the next spring.
I volunteered as an English teacher in Khorog staying in Tajikistan on a six week tourist visa and leaving the country to explore neighbouring countries at each six week interval in order to re-enter Tajikistan on a new tourist visa. (Make sure to put Afghan Badakhshan— a literal stone’s throw away—on your travel list!).
In my capacity as a volunteer teacher for the Life Skills Program of the Ismaili Jammat Council, I traveled to all of the Districts of GBAO to provide trainings to English teachers in their villages. I’ve come to love the Pamirs and its people.
As fall turned to winter and winter turned to spring, the cherry tree outside the window of my host family’s home beckoned. As I savoured the last jars of cherry jam in the family’s pantry, I didn’t think I would still be here when the cherries ripened, but then COVID-19 become a global pandemic and here I am eating fresh cherries— and apricots, mulberries, and apples— directly from the trees of the garden.
“As I savoured the last jars of cherry jam in the family’s pantry, I didn’t think I would still be here when the cherries ripened, but then COVID-19 become a global pandemic and here I am eating fresh cherries”
From the moment I first stepped into the PECTA office last fall, the staff have been extremely supportive, going out of their way to help me— at times literally, physically accompanying me to government buildings for this registration or that registration and other times picking up my worried phone call at an odd hour. My assistance from the office of the GBAO governor Mr. Yodgor and Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not have been possible without the support of the PECTA team.
PECTA information centre in Khorog
At the height of the quarantine, after the airport and all borders had been closed, the office of the GBAO governor Mr. Yodgor granted me permission to stay in Khorog with my expired tourist visa instead of traveling to the capital to try and resolve the situation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Travel from Khorog – the capital of the GBAO – and Dushanbe is treacherous on a good day, with road closures and landslides always an ever real possibility on the 15-20 hour car ride with seven other passengers (and no seat belts) on mostly unsaved roads. During a global pandemic, where all but essential travel is unadvisable, the journey becomes even more perilous. Being in my host family’s home, surrounded by our garden, during the nearly two month lockdown in the fresh air of the mountains was a gift.
Roads in the Pamirs
Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did eventually announce a reprieve on all expired visas during the lockdown. When the time came for me to travel to Dushanbe this month to get my visa into order, the entire process – typically two weeks – only took one day thanks to the assistance of Mr. Jobiri. The expedited process allowed me to swiftly return back to my home in the Pamirs.
Wool spinners in the Pamirs
The airport is slowly re-opening and it will be time for me to leave the Pamirs soon. These mountains have become home to see so it wont be goodbye, but see you soon because I know I’ll be back before I know it. Have you been to the Pamirs before? Maybe you’re dreaming of your first trip or maybe just longing to return. Your first stop should be the PECTA office. As the Pamirs have grown in popularity, there are many blogs sharing personal travel accounts. These blogs can be great starting points, but the PECTA office can provide up-to-date information and in the ever changing landscape of these mountains the most up-to-date information is the most important.
“Travel blogs can be great starting points, but the PECTA office can provide up-to-date information and in the ever changing landscape of these mountains the most up-to-date information is the most important.”
Perhaps what I appreciate most about the staff at the PECTA office is that they’ve encouraged me. The PECTA office is staffed by people who love their home and want to share the Pamirs with you. The Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association encourages you to explore both the nature and culture of the Pamirs because they are inseparable here in these mountains. So before you rush through Khorog – as I did on my first 4×4 Jeep tour of the Pamir Highway – spend a day or two in Khorog and linger in the Khorog City park where the PECTA office is located. Sit on a park bench snacking on fresh apricots and admire the beauty of the Jammat Khana Ismaili Center as you people watch. Or better yet, take public transportation from Dushanbe (or Osh!) to Khorog and figure out your plan once you’re here. Because these mountains are inspiring and the PECTA office is here to help.
Blog author Jennifer Charlotta Suzdak in the Pamirs
The Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) was established in 2008 with the support of the Aga Khan Foundation. Its overall objective is to help alleviate poverty in the Pamir region in Tajikistan through tourism focused activities. It does so by promoting the region as a tourism destination and by supporting local people in the remote mountain villages of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) to develop skill sets that build the tourism sector. Currently, PECTA has 22 members: 14 tour operators and 8 service providers. Additionally, PECTA is working with other tour operators, service providers, home-stays owners, drivers, guides, porters and other relevant sectors in GBAO. PECTA closely supports the home stays in the region with organising trainings and capacity building events. Currently PECTA cooperates with more than 173 home stays all around GBAO and 90% of the owners are women which is a great support for women as business people.
In addition to destination marketing and product development, PECTA works on preserving the historical heritage of the Pamirs, including protection of natural resources: support of the Tajik National Park – a UNESCO nature heritage site – is among its protection of natural resources initiatives.
Since 2018, in cooperation with Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan and University of Central Asia (UCA), PECTA began promoting tourism in the northern parts of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan and to develop cross-border tourism. Since the start of this collaboration, PECTA began printing a brochure about cross-border tourism opportunities and produced promotional videos.
By Jennifer Charlotta Suzdak
3 September 2020
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-year-in-the-pa ... 25c8c5fc8d
I’ve been in these mountains for nearly a year! That was not something I had planned on.
I first arrived in the Pamirs in August of last year in a 4×4 Jeep bumping along the Pamir Highway from Osh to Dushanbe. And here I am still, nestled in the Pamir mountains of my beloved Badakhshan. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) office, the office of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) governor Mr. Yodgor, and Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have provided invaluable support to me.
The ruins of the legendary Yamchun fortress
Last summer I set out with my bicycle to travel from Moscow to Beijing on the alternative Trans Siberian Express, unfolding my bicycle to explore along the way. My journey was meant to be only three months, but at some point I decided to stop along my route for the winter, intending to continue to Beijing the next spring.
I volunteered as an English teacher in Khorog staying in Tajikistan on a six week tourist visa and leaving the country to explore neighbouring countries at each six week interval in order to re-enter Tajikistan on a new tourist visa. (Make sure to put Afghan Badakhshan— a literal stone’s throw away—on your travel list!).
In my capacity as a volunteer teacher for the Life Skills Program of the Ismaili Jammat Council, I traveled to all of the Districts of GBAO to provide trainings to English teachers in their villages. I’ve come to love the Pamirs and its people.
As fall turned to winter and winter turned to spring, the cherry tree outside the window of my host family’s home beckoned. As I savoured the last jars of cherry jam in the family’s pantry, I didn’t think I would still be here when the cherries ripened, but then COVID-19 become a global pandemic and here I am eating fresh cherries— and apricots, mulberries, and apples— directly from the trees of the garden.
“As I savoured the last jars of cherry jam in the family’s pantry, I didn’t think I would still be here when the cherries ripened, but then COVID-19 become a global pandemic and here I am eating fresh cherries”
From the moment I first stepped into the PECTA office last fall, the staff have been extremely supportive, going out of their way to help me— at times literally, physically accompanying me to government buildings for this registration or that registration and other times picking up my worried phone call at an odd hour. My assistance from the office of the GBAO governor Mr. Yodgor and Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not have been possible without the support of the PECTA team.
PECTA information centre in Khorog
At the height of the quarantine, after the airport and all borders had been closed, the office of the GBAO governor Mr. Yodgor granted me permission to stay in Khorog with my expired tourist visa instead of traveling to the capital to try and resolve the situation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Travel from Khorog – the capital of the GBAO – and Dushanbe is treacherous on a good day, with road closures and landslides always an ever real possibility on the 15-20 hour car ride with seven other passengers (and no seat belts) on mostly unsaved roads. During a global pandemic, where all but essential travel is unadvisable, the journey becomes even more perilous. Being in my host family’s home, surrounded by our garden, during the nearly two month lockdown in the fresh air of the mountains was a gift.
Roads in the Pamirs
Mr. Jobiri and his team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did eventually announce a reprieve on all expired visas during the lockdown. When the time came for me to travel to Dushanbe this month to get my visa into order, the entire process – typically two weeks – only took one day thanks to the assistance of Mr. Jobiri. The expedited process allowed me to swiftly return back to my home in the Pamirs.
Wool spinners in the Pamirs
The airport is slowly re-opening and it will be time for me to leave the Pamirs soon. These mountains have become home to see so it wont be goodbye, but see you soon because I know I’ll be back before I know it. Have you been to the Pamirs before? Maybe you’re dreaming of your first trip or maybe just longing to return. Your first stop should be the PECTA office. As the Pamirs have grown in popularity, there are many blogs sharing personal travel accounts. These blogs can be great starting points, but the PECTA office can provide up-to-date information and in the ever changing landscape of these mountains the most up-to-date information is the most important.
“Travel blogs can be great starting points, but the PECTA office can provide up-to-date information and in the ever changing landscape of these mountains the most up-to-date information is the most important.”
Perhaps what I appreciate most about the staff at the PECTA office is that they’ve encouraged me. The PECTA office is staffed by people who love their home and want to share the Pamirs with you. The Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association encourages you to explore both the nature and culture of the Pamirs because they are inseparable here in these mountains. So before you rush through Khorog – as I did on my first 4×4 Jeep tour of the Pamir Highway – spend a day or two in Khorog and linger in the Khorog City park where the PECTA office is located. Sit on a park bench snacking on fresh apricots and admire the beauty of the Jammat Khana Ismaili Center as you people watch. Or better yet, take public transportation from Dushanbe (or Osh!) to Khorog and figure out your plan once you’re here. Because these mountains are inspiring and the PECTA office is here to help.
Blog author Jennifer Charlotta Suzdak in the Pamirs
The Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) was established in 2008 with the support of the Aga Khan Foundation. Its overall objective is to help alleviate poverty in the Pamir region in Tajikistan through tourism focused activities. It does so by promoting the region as a tourism destination and by supporting local people in the remote mountain villages of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) to develop skill sets that build the tourism sector. Currently, PECTA has 22 members: 14 tour operators and 8 service providers. Additionally, PECTA is working with other tour operators, service providers, home-stays owners, drivers, guides, porters and other relevant sectors in GBAO. PECTA closely supports the home stays in the region with organising trainings and capacity building events. Currently PECTA cooperates with more than 173 home stays all around GBAO and 90% of the owners are women which is a great support for women as business people.
In addition to destination marketing and product development, PECTA works on preserving the historical heritage of the Pamirs, including protection of natural resources: support of the Tajik National Park – a UNESCO nature heritage site – is among its protection of natural resources initiatives.
Since 2018, in cooperation with Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan and University of Central Asia (UCA), PECTA began promoting tourism in the northern parts of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan and to develop cross-border tourism. Since the start of this collaboration, PECTA began printing a brochure about cross-border tourism opportunities and produced promotional videos.
By Jennifer Charlotta Suzdak
3 September 2020
Photos at:
https://www.akf.org.uk/a-year-in-the-pa ... 25c8c5fc8d
Ismaili Islam in Shugnan
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2021/0 ... fghanistan
June 01, 2021
Ishmaeli Islam, is it Better For Women in Shughnan, Afghanistan?
In Shughnan, rural Afganistan, inhabitants have a different style of traditional life as they follow Ishmaeli Islam. Women are frequently seen without the Burka and socializing with male friends.
Johanna HiggsMay 29, 2021 3:54 p.m.
Rabat - “In general life in Afghanistan is very hard for women,” said a young English teacher in the small town of Shughnan, Afghanistan, famous for its religious identity of Ishmaeli Islam.
We were sat in a small English school, nestled on the banks of a shallow river that marked the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Enormous majestic mountains rose above an emerald-colored river that snaked through the towering mountains.
I was in Afghanistan as part of my work on raising awareness about violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world. A mission that has taken me to many corners of the earth to speak with men and women about this problem.
This time I had decided to visit Afghanistan, which has long been considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women.
Dangerous because of the deeply patriarchal and aggressive cultural values that deem women to have less value than men and permit men to engage in violence without repercussions. It is a country where women live in a context of extreme inequality, underdevelopment, and high levels of illiteracy.
According to Human Rights Watch, women and girls face numerous forms of discrimination, including authorities denying women the right to be recognized on their children’s identification and making children exclusively the property of the father.
Barriers to education and employment also remain a significant problem, especially for women living in rural areas of the country. According to UNICEF, 3.7 million Afghan girls still do not attend school.
Violence from families is a tremendous issue and a significant number of women across Afghanistan believe that it is acceptable for their husbands to abuse them. Discriminatory laws fail to protect women and girls from violence and give perpetrators free rein.
“But in Shughnan it is different,” explains one of the English teachers. “Here we’re are allowed to do what we want, we are allowed to study, we are allowed to go abroad, we are allowed to wear different clothes. In other parts of Afghanistan women can’t travel, they can’t study, they have to wear the Burka, it is forced on them.”
He attributed the better situation for women in Shughnan, to their more liberal interpretation of Islam called Ismalilism.
What is Ismaili Islam?
The Shia Ismaili Muslims live in more than 25 countries around the world. Their leader is Prince Karim Aga Khan, known by the Ismailis as Mawlana Hazar Imam, and is commonly referred to as the Aga Khan. Followers consider him to be the 49th hereditary Imam or spiritual leader, and the direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to Ismaili Islam, women are not required to wear the hijab and covering the head or face is discouraged. The Aga Khan has publicly stated that the hijab and the veil has nothing to do with Islam and that they are only cultural practices.
“The veil for women is a tradition which precedes Islam and was introduced as a sign of respect of women and not of submission for example, against the concept that woman is an object of the society of men,” he said.
Life in Shughnan
When walking around the small town of Shughnan, at least on appearance, women do seem to have more freedom. Women are more visible on the streets and while they are wearing scarves over their hair, they are not wearing the Burka.
A 19-year-old high school student also agreed that the situation for women and girls was better in Shughnan than other parts of Afghanistan. We sat in the small classroom alone together and while she had covered her hair and wore long clothing, she was not required to cover her face.
“Shughnan is the best place for women. They don’t pressure women and they can do everything that they want. Girls and boys can study together and girls can participate in all the parties and festivals and no one is wearing the Burka.
“They can study and do the same thing as men, they can work in offices, they are school leaders, they are teachers and they are working in foundations. They can dance with boys in parties. The families let them do everything.” she explained.
“Last night we had a party and men and women danced together.”
However, while the situation may be better for women and girls in Shughnan, the situation is far from perfect. The student continued:
“When I say free, women are more free than other provinces. But not as free as in other places because we are backwards and we are always in war. We are stuck like Taliban, ISIS and Al-Qaeda and there are other groups who don’t let women be free.
“In the bazar for example, it’s shameful for women to take off the scarf. Because there are some strange people from other parts of Afghanistan so they can’t take off their scarfs.”
Another 17-year-old student from the same school also said:
“In Shughnan it’s good for women because they can study and they have permission to go to other areas and other countries. But in other areas of Afghanistan, they can’t travel or go places,” she explained. “In some places women are not allowed to use phones or watch TV.
“I can use my phone and Facebook but some other families say that if she has a phone then maybe she has a boyfriend and so she’s not allowed to have one. She’s not allowed to be in love,” she added.
A male teacher at the local English schools said, “there is a big difference between different places in Afghanistan. The majority of the people here are literate.
“We can separate the good from the bad. But when you go to other provinces then there is a big difference. They say that they are following Islamic rules but these are not Islamic rules.”
He points to a picture of a woman with her nose cut off that he has brought to show me from another part of Afghanistan.
“They say that this is Islam,” he says. “But it’s not. We are more open minded and free here. There might be some people who will come here from Kandahar and they will see men and women walking together and they will say because of this we are not Islamic, but we are.”
The words of the Aga Khan portray the desire for freedom, in particular women’s freedom.
“I appeal to you not to plunge people into whimsical matters, denying women human values.... From now on, do not hide and cover women; educate them, do not pressure them and do not marry except one wife, the same as I only have one,” said Aga Khan.
“I have always sought to encourage the emancipation and education of women. In my grandfather’s and my father’s time the Ismailis were far ahead of any other Muslim sect in the matter of the abolition of the strict veil even in extremely conservative countries,” Expanding on this, Aga Khan said.
“I have absolutely abolished it, nowdays you will never find an Ismaili woman wearing the veil. Everywhere I have always encouraged girl’s schools, even in regions where otherwise they were completely unknown. I say with pride that my Ismaili followers are, in this matter of social welfare, far in advance of any other Muslim sect.”
In addition, the Aga Khan said that if a family is having economic problems and they have to choose between supporting the girl or the boy, then they should support the girl.
People can learn much from the Ishameli version of Islam and the Aga Khan’s promotion of women’s rights. It is a lesson to teach us that regardless of where we are in the world be it Africa, Asia, or the Middle East, that the very blatant forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls should never be excused by culture and religion.
Perhaps there is much to be learned by all around the world, that we can always make choices about what we find acceptable and what we do not. We can also always choose what we will accept in our lives and what we will not.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission
June 01, 2021
Ishmaeli Islam, is it Better For Women in Shughnan, Afghanistan?
In Shughnan, rural Afganistan, inhabitants have a different style of traditional life as they follow Ishmaeli Islam. Women are frequently seen without the Burka and socializing with male friends.
Johanna HiggsMay 29, 2021 3:54 p.m.
Rabat - “In general life in Afghanistan is very hard for women,” said a young English teacher in the small town of Shughnan, Afghanistan, famous for its religious identity of Ishmaeli Islam.
We were sat in a small English school, nestled on the banks of a shallow river that marked the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Enormous majestic mountains rose above an emerald-colored river that snaked through the towering mountains.
I was in Afghanistan as part of my work on raising awareness about violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world. A mission that has taken me to many corners of the earth to speak with men and women about this problem.
This time I had decided to visit Afghanistan, which has long been considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women.
Dangerous because of the deeply patriarchal and aggressive cultural values that deem women to have less value than men and permit men to engage in violence without repercussions. It is a country where women live in a context of extreme inequality, underdevelopment, and high levels of illiteracy.
According to Human Rights Watch, women and girls face numerous forms of discrimination, including authorities denying women the right to be recognized on their children’s identification and making children exclusively the property of the father.
Barriers to education and employment also remain a significant problem, especially for women living in rural areas of the country. According to UNICEF, 3.7 million Afghan girls still do not attend school.
Violence from families is a tremendous issue and a significant number of women across Afghanistan believe that it is acceptable for their husbands to abuse them. Discriminatory laws fail to protect women and girls from violence and give perpetrators free rein.
“But in Shughnan it is different,” explains one of the English teachers. “Here we’re are allowed to do what we want, we are allowed to study, we are allowed to go abroad, we are allowed to wear different clothes. In other parts of Afghanistan women can’t travel, they can’t study, they have to wear the Burka, it is forced on them.”
He attributed the better situation for women in Shughnan, to their more liberal interpretation of Islam called Ismalilism.
What is Ismaili Islam?
The Shia Ismaili Muslims live in more than 25 countries around the world. Their leader is Prince Karim Aga Khan, known by the Ismailis as Mawlana Hazar Imam, and is commonly referred to as the Aga Khan. Followers consider him to be the 49th hereditary Imam or spiritual leader, and the direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to Ismaili Islam, women are not required to wear the hijab and covering the head or face is discouraged. The Aga Khan has publicly stated that the hijab and the veil has nothing to do with Islam and that they are only cultural practices.
“The veil for women is a tradition which precedes Islam and was introduced as a sign of respect of women and not of submission for example, against the concept that woman is an object of the society of men,” he said.
Life in Shughnan
When walking around the small town of Shughnan, at least on appearance, women do seem to have more freedom. Women are more visible on the streets and while they are wearing scarves over their hair, they are not wearing the Burka.
A 19-year-old high school student also agreed that the situation for women and girls was better in Shughnan than other parts of Afghanistan. We sat in the small classroom alone together and while she had covered her hair and wore long clothing, she was not required to cover her face.
“Shughnan is the best place for women. They don’t pressure women and they can do everything that they want. Girls and boys can study together and girls can participate in all the parties and festivals and no one is wearing the Burka.
“They can study and do the same thing as men, they can work in offices, they are school leaders, they are teachers and they are working in foundations. They can dance with boys in parties. The families let them do everything.” she explained.
“Last night we had a party and men and women danced together.”
However, while the situation may be better for women and girls in Shughnan, the situation is far from perfect. The student continued:
“When I say free, women are more free than other provinces. But not as free as in other places because we are backwards and we are always in war. We are stuck like Taliban, ISIS and Al-Qaeda and there are other groups who don’t let women be free.
“In the bazar for example, it’s shameful for women to take off the scarf. Because there are some strange people from other parts of Afghanistan so they can’t take off their scarfs.”
Another 17-year-old student from the same school also said:
“In Shughnan it’s good for women because they can study and they have permission to go to other areas and other countries. But in other areas of Afghanistan, they can’t travel or go places,” she explained. “In some places women are not allowed to use phones or watch TV.
“I can use my phone and Facebook but some other families say that if she has a phone then maybe she has a boyfriend and so she’s not allowed to have one. She’s not allowed to be in love,” she added.
A male teacher at the local English schools said, “there is a big difference between different places in Afghanistan. The majority of the people here are literate.
“We can separate the good from the bad. But when you go to other provinces then there is a big difference. They say that they are following Islamic rules but these are not Islamic rules.”
He points to a picture of a woman with her nose cut off that he has brought to show me from another part of Afghanistan.
“They say that this is Islam,” he says. “But it’s not. We are more open minded and free here. There might be some people who will come here from Kandahar and they will see men and women walking together and they will say because of this we are not Islamic, but we are.”
The words of the Aga Khan portray the desire for freedom, in particular women’s freedom.
“I appeal to you not to plunge people into whimsical matters, denying women human values.... From now on, do not hide and cover women; educate them, do not pressure them and do not marry except one wife, the same as I only have one,” said Aga Khan.
“I have always sought to encourage the emancipation and education of women. In my grandfather’s and my father’s time the Ismailis were far ahead of any other Muslim sect in the matter of the abolition of the strict veil even in extremely conservative countries,” Expanding on this, Aga Khan said.
“I have absolutely abolished it, nowdays you will never find an Ismaili woman wearing the veil. Everywhere I have always encouraged girl’s schools, even in regions where otherwise they were completely unknown. I say with pride that my Ismaili followers are, in this matter of social welfare, far in advance of any other Muslim sect.”
In addition, the Aga Khan said that if a family is having economic problems and they have to choose between supporting the girl or the boy, then they should support the girl.
People can learn much from the Ishameli version of Islam and the Aga Khan’s promotion of women’s rights. It is a lesson to teach us that regardless of where we are in the world be it Africa, Asia, or the Middle East, that the very blatant forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls should never be excused by culture and religion.
Perhaps there is much to be learned by all around the world, that we can always make choices about what we find acceptable and what we do not. We can also always choose what we will accept in our lives and what we will not.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission
Photo story: local life on a journey through Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains
In the heart of Central Asia lie the dramatic Pamir Mountains; while the topography of this lofty region poses unique challenges to daily life, new initiatives have helped to bring fresh opportunities to some of Tajikistan’s remotest communities.
BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
PUBLISHED 3 APR 2022, 06:07 BST
At over 11,800ft above sea level, very little grows in the Pamir Mountains, in the easternmost reaches of Tajikistan. The landscape of this Central Asian country is almost lunar in its vast emptiness — the mountains glowing a faint pink and blue in the bright, high-altitude sun.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Few people live in this remote region, which borders Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan. But that’s not to say travellers won’t encounter warm hospitality; along this stretch of the M41 road — known as the Pamir Highway — some locals will offer those passing through a hot meal and place to spend the night.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
The skulls of Marco Polo sheep stacked on a stone wall. The robust breed is named after the 13th-century Venetian explorer, who came through these parts on his route to China and chronicled the sheep in his writings.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
A semi-nomadic Kyrgyz man in the town of Murghab, Tajikistan’s most easterly and remote outpost. He’s identifiable as Kyrgyz from the distinctive kalpak hat, commonly worn by Tajikistan’s northerly citizens.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
In the town of Murghab, a woman works on a loom to produce handicrafts that are sold to passing travellers with the support of the not-for-profit Aga Khan Foundation (valuable income in a region with limited economic opportunities and challenging geography).
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
A yak stands in a pasture near the village of Bulunkul. With their long shaggy hair, yaks are a stolid symbol of Central Asia; hardy beasts that can endure temperatures as low as -40C during the winter months.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
In the stark, yawning landscapes of the country’s far east, the Aksu River has become a reservoir. The waterway is used to power a hydroelectric station, which lies just out of shot, in the furrows of a valley. Nearby Murghab was without electricity until the station opened in 2018, and the township now runs on a reliably clean and affordable source of energy.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
To make a living in the Pamir Mountains, many women harvest Cashgora wool from local breeds of goat. It’s then gathered into yarns and exported, or used locally in the production of fabrics and handicrafts.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
The dusty Pamir Highway twists through rugged terrain and is one of the world’s highest, wildest and remotest roads. It’s not advised to travel in anything other than a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Traditional Tajik clothing offers a splash of colour in a landscape of muted browns and greys, and many locals don their finest garb for special occasions — in this case, the opening of a new tourism centre in Bulunkul. Here, travellers can arrange tours and guides for hiking, mountaineering or mountain biking.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
One of the main towns in eastern Tajikistan, Khorugh is home to the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre, a place of worship and social gathering for the predominantly Ismaili Muslim population.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Also in Khorugh is the University of Central Asia, co-established by the governments of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in 2017 to provide an education to the region’s remote mountainous communities.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Strictly speaking, the term ‘pamir’ refers to the region’s high grasslands, although the landscape is dominated by deep river valleys and rocky peaks, most of which were formed hundreds of millions of years ago. The highest summits in the region are found in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, to the country’s east.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/ph ... jikistanhr
BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
PUBLISHED 3 APR 2022, 06:07 BST
At over 11,800ft above sea level, very little grows in the Pamir Mountains, in the easternmost reaches of Tajikistan. The landscape of this Central Asian country is almost lunar in its vast emptiness — the mountains glowing a faint pink and blue in the bright, high-altitude sun.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Few people live in this remote region, which borders Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan. But that’s not to say travellers won’t encounter warm hospitality; along this stretch of the M41 road — known as the Pamir Highway — some locals will offer those passing through a hot meal and place to spend the night.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
The skulls of Marco Polo sheep stacked on a stone wall. The robust breed is named after the 13th-century Venetian explorer, who came through these parts on his route to China and chronicled the sheep in his writings.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
A semi-nomadic Kyrgyz man in the town of Murghab, Tajikistan’s most easterly and remote outpost. He’s identifiable as Kyrgyz from the distinctive kalpak hat, commonly worn by Tajikistan’s northerly citizens.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
In the town of Murghab, a woman works on a loom to produce handicrafts that are sold to passing travellers with the support of the not-for-profit Aga Khan Foundation (valuable income in a region with limited economic opportunities and challenging geography).
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
A yak stands in a pasture near the village of Bulunkul. With their long shaggy hair, yaks are a stolid symbol of Central Asia; hardy beasts that can endure temperatures as low as -40C during the winter months.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
In the stark, yawning landscapes of the country’s far east, the Aksu River has become a reservoir. The waterway is used to power a hydroelectric station, which lies just out of shot, in the furrows of a valley. Nearby Murghab was without electricity until the station opened in 2018, and the township now runs on a reliably clean and affordable source of energy.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
To make a living in the Pamir Mountains, many women harvest Cashgora wool from local breeds of goat. It’s then gathered into yarns and exported, or used locally in the production of fabrics and handicrafts.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
The dusty Pamir Highway twists through rugged terrain and is one of the world’s highest, wildest and remotest roads. It’s not advised to travel in anything other than a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Traditional Tajik clothing offers a splash of colour in a landscape of muted browns and greys, and many locals don their finest garb for special occasions — in this case, the opening of a new tourism centre in Bulunkul. Here, travellers can arrange tours and guides for hiking, mountaineering or mountain biking.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
One of the main towns in eastern Tajikistan, Khorugh is home to the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre, a place of worship and social gathering for the predominantly Ismaili Muslim population.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Also in Khorugh is the University of Central Asia, co-established by the governments of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in 2017 to provide an education to the region’s remote mountainous communities.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
Strictly speaking, the term ‘pamir’ refers to the region’s high grasslands, although the landscape is dominated by deep river valleys and rocky peaks, most of which were formed hundreds of millions of years ago. The highest summits in the region are found in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, to the country’s east.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER WILTON-STEER
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/ph ... jikistanhr