| Yaghnob Valley (Дараи Яғноб, Яғнобдара) | |
| Valley | |
| Country | Tajikistan |
|---|---|
| Region | Sughd |
| Population | 492 |
Yaghnob Valley North West Tajikistan, is situated between the southern slope of the Zarafshan Range and the northern slope of the Gissar Range. The valley is formed by the Yaghnob River and belongs to the Zarafshan basin. It is between 2,500 and 3,000 metres above sea level and virtually inaccessible for six months of the year.
Yaghnob Valley is home to the Yaghnobi people, a people directly descended from the ancient Sogdian civilization of Central Asia. Due to its natural isolation and limited accessibility, the people of Yaghnob Valley have been able to preserve their distinct lifestyle, culture and language, Yaghnobi, which is closely related to ancient Sogdian. One can also find that pre-Islamic beliefs and customs are still alive in the valley today. The valley contains approximately ten settlements, each housing between three and eight families.[1]
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Topographers and Russian military expeditions have been visiting the valley since the 1820s. In the 1870s General Abramov of Russia led the first scientific expedition to Yaghnob Valley. The so called “Mystery of Yaghnob” was introduced to the world by German scientist G. Capus in 1883 in his article Yaghnob Valley and its People, published in the European Journal of Geography. The author highlighted the unique nature of this valley, the language of its people and the need for further research.
However, the valley has only become the focus of public attention in the last 17 years, with a number of expeditions, as well as national and international publications dedicated to Yaghnob Valley. In 1990, after Glasnost, reforms made it possible for the Tajik Cultural Fund to organize expeditions, and historian Oleg Panfilov published articles on the valley. The subsequent period of Civil war in Tajikistan put any further field research by international researchers on hold. Nevertheless, some Russian scientists continued their research. In the early 90s, the Mountain Geo-system Research Lab of the Institute of Geography at the Russian Academy of Science, with support from private sector, the Soros Foundation and Tajik Social and Ecological Union, were actively engaged in field research in the valley. In 2001 Alexei Gunya presented the findings in his book,Yagnob Valley – nature, history, and chances of a mountain community development in Tajikistan – which presents the most complete history of the valley, its agricultural practices and topography.[2]
The valley first became inhabited in the 8th century. The population was made up of Sogdians, fleeing the armies of the Arab Caliphate, who swept through Central Asia. The ancient Sogdians, and their direct descendants, the Yaghnobi, continued to live in their isolated valley home for centuries, surviving the successive waves of invaders that destroyed surrounding areas.[3][4]
Yaghnob Valley faced major challenges in the 1970s, when its entire population was forcibly removed and resettled in the Zafarabad region. However, links to the valley were not entirely cut - some Yaghnobi farmers continued to graze their herds in the valley, and maintain their cemeteries and sacred places.
A slow renaissance of the valley began at the end of the 1980s when some Yaghnobi families returned to their ancestral homes. In 1990, Leninabad Provincial Executive Committee issued a decree which authorized limited government assistance to the returning Yaghnobis. Some state funds were allocated, and a new road was built between Margib and Khishortob.
During the time of Perestroika, Yaghnobi people had an opportunity to return to their native land. However, it is disappointing to see that up until now the government has not turned its attention to this issue and has not made enough effort to provide all the necessary social-economic conditions for life in the valley. At the same time, the Tajik authorities and society have been striving to discover the roots of their magnificent past in other ancient civilizations, whilst overlooking the fact that the Yaghnob Valley, its people and its language, hold direct links to their past.[5]
The residents of Yaghnob Valley pooled their own resources, and built a road up to Bedef village. However, this road is deteriorating as there is no more funding for maintenance work. The valley is still effectively isolated for more than six months of the year and people are deprived of access to the outside world, and most importantly, to emergency health services.[6]
Recently a new road leading to the very heart of the valley was built. It has brought mixed blessings to the Yaghnobis: On one hand, they have increased access to the outside world, but on the other hand, more and more outsiders are tempted to use the valley for economic activities.
The current population of the valley is about 492 people (82 families) according to 2008 census[7], but the number of population changes depending on the season, but younger people have been less eager to settle there due to the lack of health and educational facilities available to them.[8]
In 1991 a team led by Anvar J. Buzurukov, Head of Protected Areas Department of Ministry of Environment and Tajik Social&Ecological Union (TSEU), with support from Ayni district authorities began development of a technical proposal to develop a natural and ethnographical park in Yaghnob Valley. Unfortunately, the civil war of 1992-97 put these plans on hold.
In 2007, TSEU, Ayni Development Committee, UNDP-Ayni Regional Office, the UK government and independent researchers renewed these initiatives to save and protect the valley, and the lifestyles and language of its people. They prepared a report entitled, Brief scientific feasibility study and proposed pre-project activities for establishing the Yaghnob Natural Ethnography park (YNEP).
Advocates have been long calling for a special status to be given to the valley and the Yaghnobi language. One way of doing this would be to create the YNEP - the first in the northern region of Tajikistan. It would protect the valley from increased environmentally damaging activities such as overgrazing, and would encourage sustainable and responsible tourism.
Plans for the YNEP were discussed and approved in the first international scientific conference on the environmental and developmental issues in Yaghnob Valley, Ancient Sogdiana: Past, Present and Future (conducted on 18–19 October 2007 in Dushanbe , Tajikistan.
The conference delegates have produced an appeal to the government and citizens of Tajikistan, and to international organizations, for support in the establishment of the Yaghnob Natural Ethnography Park and for help in sustainably and responsibly developing the Yaghnob Valley and improving its infrastructure.
The conference concluded that the main task is to improve living conditions for Yaghnobi people and enhance their lives. The Yaghnobi community, for its part, should play a more active role and be involved in all subsequent actions, designing and implementing their own development projects.[9]
Yaghnobi villages were divided into 3 dictricts (Yaghnobi sada):
Lower Dictrict: Khishortob‡, Farkow†, Pushoytamen†, Worsowut†;
Middle District: Marghtumayn, Mushtif†, Alowmayn†, Waghinzoy, Shakhsara†, Showeta†, Dumzoy†, Khisoki Darv†, Nomitkon, Chukkat†, Bidew, Kashi, Pulla Rowut, Tag-i Chanor, Pitip†;
Upper District: Upper Gharmen, Lower Gharmen, Simich†, Sokan, Dahana†, Qul, Piskon, Padipast†, Nodmayn†, Dehbaland, Witikhon†, Tagob†, Kansi†, Kiryonti‡, Dehkalon†‡, Navobod†‡.
Note: † marks abbandoned village; ‡ marks Tajik-speaking village.