CHITRAL: The USAID has helped preserve and promote the indigenous Kho culture in the northern Pakistan.

This was stated by the project leader Dr Inayatullah Faizi while addressing the closing ceremony of the project ‘Preservation and Promotion of Indigenous Kho Culture in Northern Pakistan’ here. He said the project revived the components of both material and immaterial culture which has long been consigned to oblivion.

He said with the participation of local community, the project concentrated its interventions in eleven union councils having distinct cultural traits and made elaborate arrangements for holding the forgotten festivals, including phindik, bi-nisik, ghari-nisik and pathak dik.

“The project also revived 12 handicrafts, 22 items of local cuisines and 18 folk sports with the help of 26 local organisations,” he maintained.

Mr Faizi said competition of cooking and folk sports were also held while training was imparted to people in the old handicrafts with special focus on silk works which has been practiced in the area since long.

The main achievement of the project, he said, was the development of linkage between the local artisans and folk artists affiliated with the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide them with opportunities of taking part in the festivals and exhibitions at national and provincial levels.

Mr Faizi said that under the project launched in July last year, 118 persons were imparted with extensive training on art and culture.

Professor Rahmat Karim Baig, chief guest of the function, said the culture of Chitral, if properly advertised, had great potential to lure the tourists to the area. — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play