The existence of Pakistan is intrinsically tied to Islam.
In 1956, less than a decade after the country gained independence from India, Pakistan became
the first official “Islamic Republic”, and today more than 96 percent of its population
identify as Muslim.
But in a small, secluded region in northeast Pakistan, there is a unique group who are
light-skinned and do not associate with any major religion, known as the Kalash KAH-lash
people.
So, what is life really like for this mysterious community?
Well, the Kalash people are an indigenous population living in a lush, 1000-square mile
valley in rural Pakistan.
It is comprised of roughly four thousand people, who have their own language and religion.
Nature plays a significant role in their rituals and everyday lives.
Most adults manage crops or livestock, and their major cultural celebrations revolve
around the farming season.
Kalash people worship their ancestors, as well as multiple gods and goddesses, and one
“creator deity”.
To communicate with them, the tribe offers a sacrifice, usually a goat, at one of its
many shrines and altars throughout the valley.
What’s interesting is that no one really knows where the Kalash people came from.
However, most scholars and historians understand them as descendants of Alexander the Great
and his Macedonian army, which conquered much of East Asia around 300 BC.
This theory was further legitimized in 2014, when a study of Kalash people’s DNA showed
evidence of European descent.
This would also explain their skin tone, which is uncharacteristically fair for native East
Asians.
The Kalash people not only look different than their neighbors, they also have different
values and traditions.
For instance, the Kalash do not place very much emphasis on modesty or sexual repression.
Adults freely date, choose their spouses and divorce when things don’t work out.
Men and women even dance and drink wine together at the tribe’s frequent festivals.
But at the same time, purity is paramount.
According to the Kalash faith, things that are ‘pure’ exist in the in-between.
That is, the periods of time in between festivals, men who are in-between youth and adulthood,
as well as women in-between menstrual cycles.
In fact during their periods and during childbirth, Kalash women are quarantined.
Perhaps because of their relative seclusion and unusual pastimes, many Kalash people reportedly
feel threatened by neighboring communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The tribe has even been victim to attacks by the Taliban, and many Kalash people have
reported assaults, robberies and forced conversions by local Muslims.
In one high profile incident in 2016, a 15-year-old Kalash girl wandered into an Islamic Seminary
and converted to Islam.
When her parents found her and attempted to bring her home, a violent battle broke out
between hundreds of Kalash villagers and nearby muslims, who argued that, under Islam, she
should not be allowed to apostate.
Although instances like this are rare, many Kalasha youth are voluntarily converting to
Islam, as they are taught Muslim traditions in school.
As a result, many Kalash people fear that their culture is under threat, and have sought
protection from the Pakistani government and designation as a UNESCO world heritage sight.
But negotiations remain at a standstill, and there are currently no plans to preserve this
ancient, dwindling tribe.
The Kalash are some of the most peaceful in the region, but Pakistan is also home to a
number of non-peaceful groups.
After being ousted from Afghanistan, the Taliban have been appearing more and more frequently
in Pakistan, so what exactly do they want and why are they there?