Nuristani people

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Nuristani people
Total population

ca. 150,000-300,000
Regions with significant populations
Nuristan and Laghman Province
Languages
Nuristani languages
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Kalash, Iranian peoples

The Nuristani people are an ethnic group in Nurestan Province of Afghanistan who speak one of several Nuristani languages. They are sometimes called Kalasha people, though they are not directly related to the Kalash of neighbouring Chitral District in Pakistan. The Nuristanis are a muslim people whose ancestors practiced what was apparently an ancient Indo-European polytheistic religion, until they were forcibly converted to Islam around the year 1895. Non-Muslim religious practices endure today to some degree as folk customs. Like certain other groups in the region, they sometimes exhibit European-like physical characteristic of light hair, eyes, and skin. These physical features have variously been held to be a preservation of characteristics from the initial migration of Indo-Iranian peoples into the region (likely in the 2nd Millennium B.C.), or characteristics introduced or reinforced by later migrations into the region such as the Greek-Macedonian armies of Alexander the Great (3rd Century B.C.) and the Kushan people (1st Century A.D.).

The Nuristani were formerly classified into "Siah-Posh (black-robed) Kafirs" and "Safed-Posh (white robed)/Lall-Posh (Red-Robed) Kafirs" (The Gates of India, p 270, Sir Thomas Hungerford Holdich). Timur fought with and was humbled by the Siah-Posh Kafirs (Ref: Tuzak-i-Timuri, pp 401-08; The History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol VI, 1977, p 117, Dr Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Achut Dattatraya Pusalker, Asoke Kumar Majumdar). Babur advised not to tangle with them. Genghis Khan passed by them. In fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great also encountered them and reduced them after stubborn fight.

The word Kafir means "non-believer" in the Islamic tradition, and the Nurestan province was known as Kafiristan, before the majority were converted to Islam during Abdur Rahman Khan's rule around 1895. They are now known as Nuristani. However, they have retained some of their old customs and traces of their previous beliefs.

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[edit] Nuristanis and the Soviet invasion

Nuristan, in light green
Nuristan, in light green

General Issa Nuristani was second in command following the King during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Before his assassination, General Issa called the Nuristani people in a "Jihad" against the Soviet Army. The Nuristani people were among the first in Afghanistan to rise against the Soviet invasion. They played an improtent role in the conquer of some province like Kunar,Nengrahar,Badakhshan and Panshir at the end after the success of the holey jehad the Mawlavy Ghulam Rabani was decleared as governer of the Kunar Province. Nuristani People gave many murtiereds in the holy jihad of this country Like Commander Mamur Mir Ali who was the residence of the Arance village and he was the well-known and famous commander over the three provinces Nuristan, Kunar, Nengrahar and he was trained in all weapons and militory techniques,and he left one son whose name is Muhammad Sabir; Mamur safar, Abdullah, Akhtar Muhammad and so on.

Most of the former Hindukush Kafir people are considered the ancestors of the Nuristanis. Today, the Nuristanis are very devout Muslims. Led by the Koms tribe, the Nuristani were the first citizens of Afghanistan to successfully revolt against the communist overthrow of their government in 1978. Thereafter, Nuristan remained a scene of some of the bloodiest guerrilla fighting with the Soviet forces from 1979 through 1989. The Nuristanis inspired others to fight and contributed to the demise of the Afghan communist regime in 1992 [1].

[edit] Nuristani tribes

  • Kata
  • Kom
  • Mumo
  • Jench (of Arnce village)
  • Kshto
  • Dungulio
  • Kalasha (of Nuristan) (not to be confused with the Dardic Kalash of Pakistan)
  • Tregami
  • Vasi
  • Askunu
  • Sanu
  • Gramsana

[edit] External links

[edit] See also