THIS week, a dinner was held in the capital to commemorate the Kalasha community’s Suri Jagek tradition being included on Unesco’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the first of its kind from Pakistan. Present at the dinner was Wazir Zada, the only member of the Kalasha community to become a member of the KP parliament. Suri Jagek is a meteorological and astronomical system based on the observation of the sun, moon, stars and shadows with regard to the local topography. It is used to help the community decide seasonal placements for agricultural and harvesting purposes, as well as plan religious ceremonies and festivals. Unesco initiated the list with the stated aim of protecting ‘intangible cultural heritages’ around the world and creating awareness of their significance. Being one of the oldest civilisations in the world, the Kalasha have held on to their indigenous practices and knowledge systems over the centuries, despite the onslaught of religiosity and modernity around them.

Their customs are indeed in need of protection. Last year, the National Commission for Human Rights took notice of incidents of the theft of stone tablets and tombstones containing inscriptions about Kalasha laws and traditions by locals for the purpose of building homes. And in 2014, the Pakistani Taliban released a chilling video calling for an open armed struggle against the minority community. Images of the Kalasha smiling in their brightly coloured attire are almost always used as promotional material for tourism purposes, or when the state and advertisement agencies wish to present the country’s soft face to their desired audiences. But these are shallow and self-serving gestures, given the fact that Kalasha numbers have significantly declined over the years. Many say they live in fear, and there are reports of forced conversions taking place. One hopes that those in other parts of Pakistan, too, recognise the value of their indigenous culture, and are able to see the beauty in preserving the diversity of this land for more than just photographic purposes.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2019