KALASH: SAY ISHPATA TO A COLORFUL

LAND
The Kalash or the Kalasha are the only pagan
minority residing in the Chitral district of the
province of Khyber Pakhtunkhua. They form
the smallest minority community in the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Though the
people of Kalash were once in a large number,
around 200,000, the number has dwindled so
much so that only a handful of Kalashas
remain— about 3000 to 4000. The striking
decrease in the population of Kalashas
pertains to the forceful conversion of these
pagans to Islam. Even in the current day
scenario, smallest pagan minority is hardly
given any rights and is not recognized as a
separate entity. Only a handful of foreign
NGOs are working towards the development
and progress of this area and tribe.
The Kalashas live in three valleys of Chitral namely, Rumbur, Brumbret and Birir. The
Rumbur and Brumbret form a single culture due to their very similar cultural
practices, while Birir being the most traditional one forms a separate culture.
The people of Kalash differ
from the people of the
surrounding areas in a
number of ways. There is no
separation between males and
females in Kalash and are
allowed to keep contact and
communicate without any
fingers being raised at them.
Moreover, the females of
Kalash are sent to live in a
bashaleni when they are
considered to be impure for
e.g. during the child birth
period and other occasions.
These women are only able to
live this place after they
regain their purity and have
undergone the ritual of
restoring purity.
 
 The women of Kalash wear long black loose
robes with colorful embroideries and cowries
shells. These women are also found wearing
colorful beads and necklaces that further
distinguish them from the other women of
the Chitral region. They accessorize their
black robes by making use of colorful long
braided head wears. The males of the Kalash
on the contrary have adopted the Pakistani
national dress i.e. the shalwar kameez and are
often found wearing waistcoats over them.
They also wear hats common to the northern
area of Pakistan.
 FESTIVALS:
The inhabitants of the Kalash valley
celebrate a number of festivals all
year round. The three predominant
festivals are as follows:
Joshi
Uchau
Caumus
KALASH WOMEN
HEAD DRESS:
The headdress, known as a shushut,
is a band of hand-woven woolen
cloth that fits over the head with a
wide decorative streamer hanging
down the back. The shushut is
normal, everyday wear for all Kalash
women and girls. A more elaborate
ceremonial headdress called a kupas
is worn, when occasion demands,
over the shushut.

This Kalash woman's headdress or

shushut has been donated to the
collection by a long-serving
Powerhouse Museum volunteer. The
donor acquired the shushut on a
visit to the Bumburet Valley in
Northwest Pakistan in 1995.
WHAT INSPIRED ME?
While browsing on internet for my final thesis project
I came across with KALASH culture. Now if you ask
what part of Kalash culture possess interest in me, it
would be the colors they wore on daily basis.
The most eye catching and divine sight of this entire
culture for me was the detailing of women clothes.
The beautiful black garment and the colorful
ornamentation was the thing which provokes me to
go deep in this particular topic and the more I get to
know about this culture, more I felt respected and fell
in love with this culture.
The most highlighted part was when I got to know
that the women in Kalash have the right to choose
their groom and even they have a right to divorce. In
the era where we women struggle to have our own
rights, where we have to ask for permission for
literally everything, it was pleasant to know about this.
The idea from their garments gave me the inspiration
for my final project, it just clicks in my mind that how
I can play and manipulate with detailing.