GESCH
GROUP OF STUDY AND PROTECTION OF THE CULTURES OF
HINDU KUSH
Association law 1901.
" A community is a group living in connection with its environment. " Jordi Magraner
The purpose of GESCH was not of course to substitute itself for the Afghan or Pakistani authorities, but to contribute at best to assure on-the-spot preservation of the populations in a minimum living wage of development. And especially to prepare these populations, in the still "archaic" lifestyle, in the inevitable opening on the outside world while respecting the main part of their peculiarities, that is their culture.
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" As all the ethnic minorities with which the "civilization" is strongly filled by the spiritual aspect of the life and with which the everyday life is marked by a complex immaterial world, which invites in the humility and the tolerance, kalash is not only moved with regard to the technologically modern world,But also threatened by conquering ideologies, that they are religious or economic." Jordi Magraner |
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Only Kalashs communities ( 3000 persons) and Katis ( 2300 persons) were concerned by the project of GESCH. Chitralis, main ethnic group in Chitral, had no urgent need for help, because they are practically the only beneficiaries of the governmental or private helps, granted in this district. However Chitralis living in Valleys Kalashs benefited indirectly from realized programs.
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These populations are close us, it is about linguistically Indo-European communities having conveyed until our days the memory of our common origins. They constitute an alive memory of our past, already sufficient to justify their interest, and rich in teachings on the values of democracy, freedom, tolerance and ethics.
Kalashs has their own religion, they are polytheistes. This religion is a primitive pantheism, comparable to the paganism of the former European (as the Celts or the Slavs). Their polytheism has nothing to do with the Indian polytheism, what makes Kalashs the last people of European type who is still heathen.
Chitral
Valley |
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These 300 km of mountains in Hindu Kush, is a place fascinating of beauty and sizes. Accessible by air of the historic city of Peshawar (1518 meters).
Climate:
Population : Approximately 1,60,200. The majority of people are Muslim. The only non-Muslim ethnic groups in the valley of Chitral are Kalash Kafir. They are approximately 2500 in 3000, they live to Birir, Bumburet and Rambur valley in the South of Chitral. Their lifestyle is characterized by their former own culture and religion.
Language: The local dialect is " Khowar " ( Chitrali). Urdu is included by a wide part of the population. Suits: The women wear "Shalwar-Kameez" and "Dupattas". In winter the men wear "Shuga". The head is covered by "the Pakol".
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The recent human population boom and the attempts of modernization of these zones, as to Chitral, let glimpse grave social and ecological imbalance, due to the confrontation between a traditional lifestyle and an opening to the modern world. So that this transition is the most harmonious and with least possible social and ecological disorganization, a rational development of these zones was to wish.In this optics the education in the broad sense, that is school, professional and sanitary, held the major role to end in it.
The Chain GESCH of the Friendship
See here more details of the people Kalash on the official documents of GESCH :
See the article in the magazine "Grand Reportage Aout 2002" clic on the picture :
FIN
D'après les extraits des comptes rendu et photos des Assemblées Générales de l'Association Troglodytes et GESCH
Isabel.R.M./Claire.G./Jordi.M./Marie-Anne.M./Andrès.M./Espérance.M.
