The Kalash - A Case Study on Protection and Conservation of an Endangered
Minority in the Hindukush Mountain Belt of Chitral, Northern Pakistan.
By
Aziz Ali, District Manager, IUCN Chitral, Northern Pakistan
Introduction
The “Kalash” the most unique ethnic and religious minority of Pakistan has an outstanding
universal value. Owing to this value, Kalash culture has been listed by UNESCO for consideration
as World Heritage and efforts are being made to carry out a detailed study on mapping cultural
assets of the Kalash Community during the year 2007-09, as UNESCO has signed an agreement
with the Government of Norway for mapping of cultural assets in NWFP Pakistan, which includes
the Chitral District and the Kalash valleys.
a) Description of the Site
The site of Kalash territory is called “Kalashgoom” in local parlance and it is termed as “Kalash
Valleys” in English. The site is located in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, on the border
of Afghanistan. This is administrative part of District Chitral, 376 Km from Peshawar and
approximately 500 KM from Gilgit. First account on the Kalash culture was published by J.
Biddulph in “Tribes of the Hindukush” in 1880. G. Robertson’s work on Kalash”Kafirs of the
Hindukush” was published in 1898. During the past 13 decades, numerous scholars,
(anthropologists, linguists) have published their works on Kalash – the tribe, their religion, their
culture and their language. The traditional Kalash robes, embroideries and foods are changing
with each passing day. The rich tradition of Kalash folklore, epics, love songs and idioms
demonstrating a high standard of indigenous wisdom and human experience is believed to be
vanishing. The gist of literature on Kalash suggests that this community is one of the most
outstanding and unique communities of the world. It has traces of 3000 years old religion and
culture.
The Kalash community is described as Indo Aryan in origin and it is further characterized as Dard
group. As an ethnic and religious minority in Pakistan, the population of Kalash is decreasing
after every decade and their cultural norms or values are seen to be on the decline. Their
language “The Kalasha” has been declared and enlisted as an endangered language on the
globe. The Kalash were once the dominant people in the area but in later stages there were mass
conversion. Kalash places of worship, graveyards, Jastakhan, Bashali and other cultural
monuments are also considered as threatened. Topographic and demographic information on
Kalash shows that their abode “the Kalash valleys” are stretched approximately over an area of
300 square kilometers, and out of the population of 8300 souls, the Kalash population is
estimated to be 4000. The rest are converted or migrated Muslims.
The narrow valleys, overshadowed by snow clad mountain peaks are rich in natural resources
and biodiversity. The valleys are home to many endangered flora and fauna. Among the flora
Indian cedar, yew trees, holy oak, wild pistachio, wild almond and olive, junipers and a number of
medicinal and aromatic plants are important species. Among fauna snow leopard, Kashmir
markhor, black bear/brown bear, himalayan ibex, himalayan lynx and musk deer and a number of
indigenous pheasants and migratory birds are found. However, due to various environmental and
socio-economic reasons the fragile eco-system is also being threatened. Development in
education and infrastructure is going to demolish the age-old cultural traits of the Kalash.
b) Current Management System
At present the Kalash protection and conservation matters are being managed by the District
Government of Chitral through its Tehsil Municipal Administration and respective Union Council.
The District has the support of the cultural department in Provincial Government of NWFP and
the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the Federal Government of Pakistan. Our management
practices are restricted to the arrangements for cultural festivals, tourist information and
facilitation systems and environmental protection measures. Under the current system financial
resources are used by the public sector line departments in consultation with the elders and
representatives of Kalash community.
Kalash houses and monuments depict that the community has a rich background of skills in
various arts and crafts, especially woodwork and woolen products. The effigies and paintings of
human and animal figures in Kalash monuments are a testimony to their skills but the traditional
artistic culture of the Kalash is dying and at the verge of extinction mainly because of negligence
on the part of government as well as civil society organizations in the area. Charsu, Malosh and
other religious centers are lacking the basic facilities necessary for offering religious rituals.
Kalash children are compelled to study in schools with the Muslims with compulsory course of
Islamic teachings leading the conversion of Kalash into Muslims. Young generations of Kalash
are becoming alienated with their religion, culture customs and traditions and there is no religious
or cultural education for Kalash community, thus high rate of conversion is going on under
existing management systems.
c) Suggestions for project
In the current scenario, protection and conservation of Kalash culture needs holistic approach,
involving all segments of the heritage. The District government is in the process of carrying out
conservation work in Kalash valleys in the field of religion and culture. For this purpose we are
proposing to coordinate with UNESCO in the following three projects:
1. Cultural mapping
2. Conserving religious sites, monuments and practices
3. Conserving material and non-material culture
For this purpose the District Government is embarking on series of workshops at national level.
The workshops will result in formulating a strategy for the conservation of Kalash minority with all
the stakeholders onboard. The following issues will be focused on during the workshops:
• How the religious and sacred places of Kalash (Charsu, Malosh etc) should be improved
and provided with the requisite facilities
• How Kalash schools should be established in all valleys and Kalash teachers should be
trained and inducted in Kalash schools
• What type of incentives should be given to Kalash children to study Kalash religion and
culture.
• How to provide facilities to Kalash religious and sacred places (Jestakhan, malosh,
madokjal etc) and encourage Kalash community to perform and practice their traditions,
culture and religious rituals in peaceful environment.
• Explore ways and means to declare Kalash Valleys (Bumboret, Rumbur and Birir) “World
Heritage Site” through the good offices of Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO,
Islamabad.
Minority in the Hindukush Mountain Belt of Chitral, Northern Pakistan.
By
Aziz Ali, District Manager, IUCN Chitral, Northern Pakistan
Introduction
The “Kalash” the most unique ethnic and religious minority of Pakistan has an outstanding
universal value. Owing to this value, Kalash culture has been listed by UNESCO for consideration
as World Heritage and efforts are being made to carry out a detailed study on mapping cultural
assets of the Kalash Community during the year 2007-09, as UNESCO has signed an agreement
with the Government of Norway for mapping of cultural assets in NWFP Pakistan, which includes
the Chitral District and the Kalash valleys.
a) Description of the Site
The site of Kalash territory is called “Kalashgoom” in local parlance and it is termed as “Kalash
Valleys” in English. The site is located in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, on the border
of Afghanistan. This is administrative part of District Chitral, 376 Km from Peshawar and
approximately 500 KM from Gilgit. First account on the Kalash culture was published by J.
Biddulph in “Tribes of the Hindukush” in 1880. G. Robertson’s work on Kalash”Kafirs of the
Hindukush” was published in 1898. During the past 13 decades, numerous scholars,
(anthropologists, linguists) have published their works on Kalash – the tribe, their religion, their
culture and their language. The traditional Kalash robes, embroideries and foods are changing
with each passing day. The rich tradition of Kalash folklore, epics, love songs and idioms
demonstrating a high standard of indigenous wisdom and human experience is believed to be
vanishing. The gist of literature on Kalash suggests that this community is one of the most
outstanding and unique communities of the world. It has traces of 3000 years old religion and
culture.
The Kalash community is described as Indo Aryan in origin and it is further characterized as Dard
group. As an ethnic and religious minority in Pakistan, the population of Kalash is decreasing
after every decade and their cultural norms or values are seen to be on the decline. Their
language “The Kalasha” has been declared and enlisted as an endangered language on the
globe. The Kalash were once the dominant people in the area but in later stages there were mass
conversion. Kalash places of worship, graveyards, Jastakhan, Bashali and other cultural
monuments are also considered as threatened. Topographic and demographic information on
Kalash shows that their abode “the Kalash valleys” are stretched approximately over an area of
300 square kilometers, and out of the population of 8300 souls, the Kalash population is
estimated to be 4000. The rest are converted or migrated Muslims.
The narrow valleys, overshadowed by snow clad mountain peaks are rich in natural resources
and biodiversity. The valleys are home to many endangered flora and fauna. Among the flora
Indian cedar, yew trees, holy oak, wild pistachio, wild almond and olive, junipers and a number of
medicinal and aromatic plants are important species. Among fauna snow leopard, Kashmir
markhor, black bear/brown bear, himalayan ibex, himalayan lynx and musk deer and a number of
indigenous pheasants and migratory birds are found. However, due to various environmental and
socio-economic reasons the fragile eco-system is also being threatened. Development in
education and infrastructure is going to demolish the age-old cultural traits of the Kalash.
b) Current Management System
At present the Kalash protection and conservation matters are being managed by the District
Government of Chitral through its Tehsil Municipal Administration and respective Union Council.
The District has the support of the cultural department in Provincial Government of NWFP and
the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the Federal Government of Pakistan. Our management
practices are restricted to the arrangements for cultural festivals, tourist information and
facilitation systems and environmental protection measures. Under the current system financial
resources are used by the public sector line departments in consultation with the elders and
representatives of Kalash community.
Kalash houses and monuments depict that the community has a rich background of skills in
various arts and crafts, especially woodwork and woolen products. The effigies and paintings of
human and animal figures in Kalash monuments are a testimony to their skills but the traditional
artistic culture of the Kalash is dying and at the verge of extinction mainly because of negligence
on the part of government as well as civil society organizations in the area. Charsu, Malosh and
other religious centers are lacking the basic facilities necessary for offering religious rituals.
Kalash children are compelled to study in schools with the Muslims with compulsory course of
Islamic teachings leading the conversion of Kalash into Muslims. Young generations of Kalash
are becoming alienated with their religion, culture customs and traditions and there is no religious
or cultural education for Kalash community, thus high rate of conversion is going on under
existing management systems.
c) Suggestions for project
In the current scenario, protection and conservation of Kalash culture needs holistic approach,
involving all segments of the heritage. The District government is in the process of carrying out
conservation work in Kalash valleys in the field of religion and culture. For this purpose we are
proposing to coordinate with UNESCO in the following three projects:
1. Cultural mapping
2. Conserving religious sites, monuments and practices
3. Conserving material and non-material culture
For this purpose the District Government is embarking on series of workshops at national level.
The workshops will result in formulating a strategy for the conservation of Kalash minority with all
the stakeholders onboard. The following issues will be focused on during the workshops:
• How the religious and sacred places of Kalash (Charsu, Malosh etc) should be improved
and provided with the requisite facilities
• How Kalash schools should be established in all valleys and Kalash teachers should be
trained and inducted in Kalash schools
• What type of incentives should be given to Kalash children to study Kalash religion and
culture.
• How to provide facilities to Kalash religious and sacred places (Jestakhan, malosh,
madokjal etc) and encourage Kalash community to perform and practice their traditions,
culture and religious rituals in peaceful environment.
• Explore ways and means to declare Kalash Valleys (Bumboret, Rumbur and Birir) “World
Heritage Site” through the good offices of Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO,
Islamabad.
Glimpses from Kalash Valleys Chitral, Northern Pakistan....
