The Kalash of the forlorn Kafiristan valleys in Chitral district are celebrating the summer harvest festival which they call 'Uchal' culminating on 22 August. The festival started early August with sporadic dancing and merry making and thanking nature for granting them the wheat harvest season. Hectic shopping activity by the Kalash was monitored in Chitral town in the last couple of days in preparation of the climaxing day of the festival on Saturday.Coutesy: Chitral News
Dear All,Please visit the following website link to watch an interview of the Kalash cultural group in one of Pakistan's famous TV channels:http://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/watch?v=o4GPNISsuXMThe member of the groups are:1) Fatima2) Mir Azam3) Balawoosht4) Faizi Khan5) Kirn6) Tufan Gul7) Shams Uddin Those shown in the interview are:1) Fatima2) Shams Uddin3) Mir AzamMr Mir Azam, the known pature flutists in the Kalash valleys, is playing flute, the melody of which directly links one's soul to nature!The objective of these activities is:1) To highlight the colouful but threatened culture of the Kalash communities2) To make the culture a source of income for the Kalash communities so that they will feel the importance of the culture, which in turn, bolster our determination to protect it.Hope you will enjoy it.Thanks!
If you’ve ever been witness to a LooLu (Lookers Lucky to live), you know how badly humans can behave around wild animals. Is it because more and more of us live in big cities? Do we watch too much reality shows? Regardless, it is amazing the lengths people will go for that perfect shot. A few weeks ago, a young child was sent to hospital after his parents placed him on the back of an elk for a photograph. When the elk lifted his antlers, probably wondering what had landed on his back, he cracked the ribs of his uninvited passenger.I thought people had learned how to behave in the woods, but I may be wrong. As I mention in my latest newsletter story titled Little Bears and Little Sense at www.kalahari-online.com/summer09.pdf , there is no end to the antics people get up to when watching wildlife badly. Send us your stories of wildlife viewing gone wrong to
Reputed British paper Guardian, has written a detailed account of Shandur Polo, played at the world’s highest ground, and appreciated people’s resolve to hold the festival despite militancy threat. “Despite fears of a Taliban attack, high in Pakistan’s Hindu Kush, a historic sporting tournament carried on regardless,” Guardian’s noted writer Declan Walsh wrote.But this epic spectacle, which unfolded in Pakistan’s North West Frontier province this week, was a matter of sport, not war. And despite threats of dire violence, there wasn’t a Taliban fighter in sight, he wrote in his dispatch from Shandur.Every summer polo teams from the mountain districts of Chitral and Gilgit converge on the Shandur Pass, a spectacular natural stadium surrounded by snow-sprinkled peaks which, at an altitude of over 12,000 ft, is the world’s highest polo ground.He wrote that this year the tournament was nearly cancelled as the district mayor called on the government to scrap the festival, arguing it was disrespectful to the soldiers who lost their lives at the hands of Taliban.Walsh goes on to add that at a public rally days later, district mayor’s supporters issued a more sinister warning: that there could be a Taliban suicide attack.“After intense backroom talks, and the deployment...
Lonely Planet terms it ‘Chaghbibi—Gokhshal—Chimirsan—Rumbor Trek’. I would rather describe it ‘Trekking through the Nomads’ Land’ given the frequency with which one comes across the nomads in the course of his/her trek illustrated by scenic beauties—dense forests of pine, cedar and oak, milky streams, pure icy springs, colorful flowers and most noticeably an aura of pastoral life. Day 1:We start trekking from the Chitral town with quite heavy supplies—food items, utensils, clothes and sleeping bags—up to the Chaghbini Hut (2925m) of the Chitral Gol Natural Park and get here in about 7 hours. The watchers on duty here are hospitable, friendly and easy going people, who welcome us into the compound of the hut with low boundary walls located in the forest overlooking the Terich Mir and Booni Zom to the North and Broz village of Chitral to the south. Near the sunset as the golden rays hit the landscape here it is transformed into a picturesque scene that prompts us to do some nice photography. We also scan the forest with binoculars to find markhor and see many of them whilst grazing far bellow the ravine. Take dinner early and go to sleep in anticipation of an arduous trek the...
PESHAWAR, 18 June 09: : "Shandur Polo Festival 2009 will be held this year according to plans and this year’s event would be dedicated to the martyred soldiers of the ongoing operation in Malakand Divison, particularly those belonging to Chitral and Gilgit areas. The event would honour the families of those courageous soldiers who sacrificed their lives so there can be peace and stability in the rest of the country” This was stated by Minister for Sports, Tourism, Culture Syed Aqil Shah while chairing a preliminary meeting to discuss arrangements for the upcoming event.“Shandur Polo is a traditional festive game which is played annually between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit since many years. It is played on the roof of the world and the game tests the bravery and courage of the players to the limit. We need to raise the morale of the public. Let us as a nation, draw inspiration from the spirit of this sport and remain undeterred and face the current challenges faced by our country with determination” he added.The meeting was also attended by Minister of Population Welfare Saleem Khan, Secretary Sports and Culture Sahibzada Fazle Amin, MD STC Muhammad Azam Khan, Col Kiyani of...
The Mediterranean, sunny climate gives plenty of opportunity for a philosophical mood, especially in the early part of a summer afternoon, after a glass of vino, which as we all know contains veritas - particularly the red variety. So, I was thinking...how difficult would it be for a municipality to create, own and operate free hotels? Imagine that there would not be any private hotels and that the laws of 'free competition' and the sort, would not forbid it. Accommodation would be free, as long as guests spent a minimum amount of time in the village, and purchased a minimum amount of traditional, locally-made products (rather than tacky imported souvenirs) dined in restaurants, again all owned and cooperatively operated by the municipality. The municipality would determine, each year, through direct democratic procedures, the number of visitors they would like to host, so that they would not overrun the village. You would end up with a successful, community-owned, low-impact, democratically decided tourism. Scary, totalitarian or ultra democratic? Practical or utopian? At least in remote places where tourism has not yet arrived, may be it is worth trying this recipe, even as a diversion from the usual neoliberal recipes which aim to 'introduce...
District Polo Cup Tournament starts in Chitral town today e.g. on June 14 in the afternoon. as many as 40 polo teams from the remote valleys of the Chitral district have come to participate in the mega event of the free style polo. The event is intended to build the capacity and ensure the fitness of the players of Chitral polo team before the Shandur polo event commencing from July 7 to 9.
World Environment Day June 5th, 2009 was celebrated through the facilitation of Rehmat Capacity Building Centre and CAMAT [Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism] in Chitral town, Pakistan with objective to keep Chitral clean, green and tidy. Broader community representatives, NGO heads, political leadership and students attended the seminar. The participants were stressed to come forward for the protection of Chitral’s natural environment and ecology they way they take care of their own families. Earth is like mother taking all of us in its cradle. The whole community has the responsibility to keep its health clean and tidy so that it can improve the standard of their own health and life standard. The speakers also emphasized the need to make the environmental education as integral part of the curriculum right from the primary class.Prince Siraj Ulmulk presided over the session and impressed upon the participants to take much care of the beauty and natural environment of Hindukush region.Please visit the following website link to know more about the Chitral enviroment dayhttp://www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/conte...sia_pacific.asp
I find the environmental news overwhelming at times. It is balm to my soul to retreat to nature and witness one of its greatest spectacles.This footage was taken at my cabin in the Kootenay mountains. Early each May we see this kind of competition by the hummingbirds for food. I think it occurs as the birds have just finished a long migration, the weather is still cool with few bugs or flowers, and they are HUNGRY!Check it out athttp://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/watch?v=iwg92ocHCXMCarol
