Insensitivity of tourists ‘affecting Kalash culture’
Myra Imran
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The insensitivity of tourists towards Kalash social set-up is
one of the main reasons behind changing culture of Kalash Valley
The concern was shared with ‘The News’ by Sayed Gul, the first archaeologist from Kalash Valley and second woman in the region who was able to get a master’s degree, while she was attending an international archaeology conference organised in the capital. She said that tourists from other parts of the country fail to respect the privacy of Kalashi women. “The majority of tourists are young. They enter any place without permission and start taking pictures. Sometimes, they harass them by giving remarks or singing songs and laughing every time they spot Kalashi women,” she said.
A resident of Bombort
Valley
Kalash is one of the most famous tourist sites of
The women in Kalash wear vibrant coloured embroidered dresses and beaded headdresses and have always been the centre of attraction of the rich Kalash culture. Young archaeologist from this valley, Gul is determined to preserve and promote the Kalash tradition. She said that brochures are available for the tourists mentioning ‘do’s and don’ts’ while visiting the valley but hardly anyone follow them. “It will be a great help to our culture if these instructions are followed,” she said
The brochure she shared with ‘The News’ strictly forbids tourists to take photographs of Kalasha women without permission. “Do not give payment for photographs. Do not photograph women washing their hair in the river. In bad light or at night be sparing with your flashguns,” mentions the brochure.
It instructs not to distribute medicine or money or other
things including unwashed second-hand clothes to women. It also forbids those
visiting the place from walking into people’s houses and temples uninvited or
park their jeeps in the fields.
Other instructions direct tourists not to disturb the Kalasha working in the fields or harass their women in any way. It also instructs them not to preach any religion or seek to convert. It even asks them not disturb or dance at Kalasha funerals and festivals.
The brochure also informs tourists about a movement among the Kalasha people to ban all paid dances. It restricts tourists to invade the premises of the Bashali (female) Houses built especially for women where they can stay during the days of their special needs.
She said that though Kalashas once numbered in tens of thousands, the current population of Kalash is only 3,000 and not much has been done to preserve the culture. “It is the religious extremism in the adjoining areas, uncontrolled tourism and influence of the media that is responsible for these changes,” said Gul. She agreed to the media reports that Kalashi religion is also under threat due to religious extremism and activities of missionaries in this area.
“Just recently, the historical horse-shaped effigies that
enjoy religious significance for Kalash people were axed and destroyed by
unidentified people,” she said. She said that it is unfortunate that Kalashi
religion is not recognised in the country. It does not make part of the list of
religions when you apply for identity cards and passports. “We have no choice
other than selecting Buddhism whereas these are two completely separate
religions,” she said.
Another request she made was that Islamiyat should not make
compulsory subject in Kalash schools as a vast majority is non-Muslim. She said
that there are almost no health facilities available in the valley. “There is
one hospital but there is never any doctor in that facility.”
