Kalash Tribe of Hindu Kush Part-02
- 8 years ago
The Kalash are the last surviving animists in Central Asia. They live in three valleys, high up in the Hindu Kush mountains on the border with Afghanistan.
The Kalash religion is especially significant because it is probably a survivor, along with Zoroastrianism and Hinduism, of a very ancient Indo European faith. Although the Kalash are often referred to as ‘polytheist’, most Kalash claim that they are monotheist, worshiping one creator god, ‘desau’ and that the other figures in the Kalash pantheon are not gods but Desau’s messengers . The Kalash faith can also be described as animist since the Kalash believe that trees, stones and streams all have souls.
Rumored to be the descendants of Alexander the Great, the Kalash people have in fact inhabited northern Pakistan's Chitral valley since long before the legendary conqueror came to the region. They uphold a rich cultural heritage, with polytheistic beliefs, seasonal festivals, and a variety of other traditions that are at odds with Pakistan's dominant Islam. Today, even as the the majestic peaks of the Hindu Kush mountains shield the Kalasha from the region's worst violence, their culture faces a variety of pressures: poverty, tourism, and Islamism are all contributing to the erosion of Kalash identity. Still, a dedicated group of Kalash advocates are fighting to keep their culture alive.
In May 2013, director Iara Lee traveled to the Chitral valley to document the Kalash spring festival, Joshi. The Kalasha and the Crescent uses the festival as an entry point into this vibrant community and the tough questions facing it. What does conversion to Islam—whether forced or spontaneous—mean for Kalash identity? Can Kalash traditions withstand the challenges brought by globalization on the one hand and by religious tensions on the other? Join members of the Kalash community and observers from around the world as they reckon with these questions.
Directed by Iara Lee
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The Kalash religion is especially significant because it is probably a survivor, along with Zoroastrianism and Hinduism, of a very ancient Indo European faith. Although the Kalash are often referred to as ‘polytheist’, most Kalash claim that they are monotheist, worshiping one creator god, ‘desau’ and that the other figures in the Kalash pantheon are not gods but Desau’s messengers . The Kalash faith can also be described as animist since the Kalash believe that trees, stones and streams all have souls.
Rumored to be the descendants of Alexander the Great, the Kalash people have in fact inhabited northern Pakistan's Chitral valley since long before the legendary conqueror came to the region. They uphold a rich cultural heritage, with polytheistic beliefs, seasonal festivals, and a variety of other traditions that are at odds with Pakistan's dominant Islam. Today, even as the the majestic peaks of the Hindu Kush mountains shield the Kalasha from the region's worst violence, their culture faces a variety of pressures: poverty, tourism, and Islamism are all contributing to the erosion of Kalash identity. Still, a dedicated group of Kalash advocates are fighting to keep their culture alive.
In May 2013, director Iara Lee traveled to the Chitral valley to document the Kalash spring festival, Joshi. The Kalasha and the Crescent uses the festival as an entry point into this vibrant community and the tough questions facing it. What does conversion to Islam—whether forced or spontaneous—mean for Kalash identity? Can Kalash traditions withstand the challenges brought by globalization on the one hand and by religious tensions on the other? Join members of the Kalash community and observers from around the world as they reckon with these questions.
Directed by Iara Lee
Northern Areas Of Pakistan is your destination for daily Exploring with fresh videos every day.
Follow my social media accounts for daily mind-blowing Destinations.
Subscribe us on YouTube -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzOkZEcKBRPK949JLZuxLg
Follow us on Dailymotion -
http://www.dailymotion.com/northernareasofpakistan
Follow us on Twitter -
https://twitter.com/NorthernAOP
Like us on Facebook -
https://www.facebook.com/northernareasofpakistan
Follow us on Instagram -
https://www.instagram.com/northernaop
Follow us on Pinterest -
https://www.pinterest.com/NorthernAOP
If you have any copyright issues then please contact me directly on -
northernareasofpakistans@gmail.com
Thanks for taking the time to view Northern Areas Of Pakistan Videos.