Kuchis
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Kuchis are a tribe of Baluchi, Dari and Pashto speaking nomads in Afghanistan. They represent an estimated six million of Afghanistan's 25 million people. They can also be called Koochee or Koochi, depending on location. The group is singled out by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan as one of the largest vulnerable populations in the country. Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai is their ethnic leader.
Provisions are written into the Afghanistan Constitution (Article 14) aimed at improving the welfare of Kuchis, including provisions for housing, representation and education.
Kuchi means nomad in the Afghan Dari language.
[edit] Nomadic links to Turkestan and ancient Kushan territories:
Ku-chih: "From Yenk'i we went south-west above 200 li, crossing a hill and two large rivers west to a plain, and after traveling above 700 li from that, we came to the Ku-chih country. This country was above 1000 li from east to west and 600 li from north to south: its capital being 17 or 18 li in circuit...Their king is a Kuchih man, he has few intellectual resources, and is under the sway of powerful statesmen" - Hsien-Tsang [1].
Qiuci (Kuqa): A city state (Yancheng) located at the silkroad, modern name Kuche, after the Turkish name Kuča (Kuca, Kutcha, Kucha; also called Qiuci or Quci, Quzhi, Kuxian, Quxian, Kushi).
Gumo (Aksu): Capital city Nancheng , modern Aksu (Asu or Moman). Swallowed by Qiuci in the 6th century. Gumo was an important crossway to the north into the ara of the Wusun tribes and southwards to Yutian along the Yutian River.
Source: Chinese History - The citystates along the Silkroad [2]
