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Culture of Afghanistan

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Afghanistan, March 2002 - Girls sing at a celebration of International Women's Day, March 8. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which USAID helped rehabilitate.

The culture of the region known today as Afghanistan has been around for millennia and is - since the Arab-Muslim conquest - largely influenced by Islam. Different regions of the country have their own unique traditions, reflecting the multi-cultural and multi-lingual character of the nation. For example: the Pashtuns practice Pashtunwali, which is a pre-Islamic cultural tradition.[1] There are traces of other traditions, most of all by religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, though Islamic norms and mannerisms appear prevalent. Afghanistan has been the main crossroads for Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East, and has influenced its culture.

Art and entertainment

Local art has spanned many centuries. One of the most famous kinds is the Gandhara art between the 1st and 7th century based on Greco-Buddhist art. Since the 1900s Afghanistan began to use Western techniques in art. Afghanistan's art was originally almost entirely done by men but recently in theater arts women have begun to take center stage.[2] Art is largely centered at the Kabul Museum. Other well known forms of art in Afghanistan are Music and Poetry. The art of making carpets has been prominent for centuries. Afghanistan is known for making beautiful oriental rugs. The Afghan carpet has certain prints that make them unique to Afghanistan.

Music

Main article: Music of Afghanistan

Since the 1980s, Afghanistan has been constantly witnessing a never ending civil unrest in the country. As such, music has been suppressed and recording for outsiders minimal. During the 1990s, the Taliban government banned instrumental music and much public music-making. Many musicians and singers continued to ply their trade in the cities of other countries. Pakistani cities such as Peshawar, Karachi and Islamabad are important centers for the distribution of Afghan music. Kabul has long been the regional cultural capital, but outsiders have tended to focus on the city of Herat, which is more closely related to Iranian music. Lyrics across the country are typically in both Pashto and Persian languages. Hindi songs from Bollywood films are also very popular in Afghanistan.[3]

Poetry

Main article: Poetry of Afghanistan

Rumi is considered the greatest Afghan poet. His works are still studied today in Afghanistan as well as surrounding countries.

Architecture

The region has made major contributions to the world architecture. UNESCO has acknowledged Afghanistan's role by declaring the Minaret of Jam and the Valley of Bamiyan, home of the famous Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban, World Heritage Sites.

Other examples of universally important contributions to architecture may be found in Herat, Mazari Sharif and Ghazni.[4]

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Afghanistan
Variety of Afghani food
File:Popular Afghani Dish.jpg
Palau is a popular dish in Afghanistan.
Afghani lamb kebab with yellow rice.

Afghanistan has a wide varying landscape allowing for many different crops. Afghani food is largely based upon cereals like wheat, maize, barley and rice which are the nation's chief crops. Afghanistan is well known for its grapes.[5]

Some Afghani cuisine:

Clothing

Young boys and girls dressed-up in the nation's traditional clothes.

The country's traditional male clothing usually includes a Lungee (turban), Pakol (hat), and a Chapan (coat). Traditional Afghan clothes vary by regions and sometimes ethnicities as well as tribes. Most traditional Afghan attire for women consists of a long colorful dress with round skirt, not to be mistaken with a "shalwar kameez."

Afghan style of dress is completely all its own. The pants are loose; however, at the ends they are clasped close to the ankles. Many combinations of colors can be used. Often, the colors of the flag will be used. The national traditional Afghan dress for women is called Kuchi or Maldari.

Sports

Most official sports in the country are run by the Afghan Sports Federation which promotes soccer, basketball, volleyball, track, bowling and chess. Afghanistan fields 7 players at FIDE with its highest rated being Saifudin Ayyoubi with a rating of 2178. A popular and ancient sport in Afghanistan and other Central Asian nations is Buzkashi.

Education

Main article: Education in Afghanistan
Typical classroom in Afghanistan.

Education in Afghanistan has recently been revitalized after the fall of the Taliban. Primary education lasts about six years. If the students do well on the entrance exam they are then admitted into secondary education, which is divided into 7-9 and 10-12. A new structure that allows eight years of primary and four years of secondary education will probably be considered in the near future. There are approximately 10,000 schools in the country but some of them are in need of renovation.

Higher education

Higher education is provided by about 18 universities in the country, which includes Kabul University, the American University of Afghanistan, Nangarhar University, Balk University, Herat University, Kandahar University and others. There is also one military college, located in Kabul. Recently with help from UNESCO over 1,000 women have taken the university entrance exam.

Language

There are two official languages in Afghanistan, Dari and Pashto. People in the northern areas of the country usually speak Dari, while those living in the south and southeast speak Pashto. Several other languages are spoken in their own regions, which includes Hazaragi, Uzbeki, Turkmen and Balochi. Also to note that about 10% of the population (Afghan refugees living in Pakistan) are also able to speak and understand Urdu, which is the national language of Pakistan.

  • Bilingualism is common.

Religion

The Blue Mosque in Mazari Sharif.

The overwhelming majority of Afghans (about 99 percent or more) are Muslims, very conservative and strict followers of Islam. Approximately 80% of the population is Sunni, while 19% is Shia. An important figure in Muslim life in Afghanistan is the mullah, who is a local Islamic cleric or mosque leader. Any male Muslim that can recite the Quran (the sacred scripture of Islam) from memory may qualify to be a mullah.[6]

Besides Muslims, there are 15,000 to 30,000 Hindus and Sikhs living in the country. They are usually found in big cities such as Kabul, Kandahar, and Jalalabad.

Housing

Houses in Afghanistan are traditionally made of a series of rooms located around a private rectangular courtyard where women and children play, cook and socialize. Married sons share the same house as their parents, although they have separate quarters. Some Afghan houses contain a special room where men socialize with each other. In the cities many Afghans live in apartments. There are many new modern designed houses available in all the major cities of the country. The nomadic population of Afghanistan lives in large tents because they are constantly on the move.[7]

Holidays

Holidays in Afghanistan are celebrated according to the lunar calendar while other secular holidays are celebrated based on the solar calendar.

National

National festivals include:

Religious

For more information see:Islamic Holidays

Afghanistan's religious holidays are nearly the same as Islamic holidays. Some of the most important include Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Ashura, and Mawlid. [8] Religious minorities of Afghanistan, such as the Hindus and Sikhs, celebrate holidays unique to their respective religion.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ US Library of Congress: Afghanistan - Ethnic Groups (Pashtun)
  2. ^ The Christian Science Monitor: Risky revival of Afghan theater puts women center stage
  3. ^ [http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/05/09/stories/2005050900561400.htm The Hindu Business Line: It's Bollywood all the way in Afghanistan.
  4. ^ SPACH: Society for the Preservation of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage
  5. ^ In Mama's Kitchen: Afghan Food and Cookery
  6. ^ Afghanistan's Web Site: Religion
  7. ^ Cultural Profiles Project: Afghanistan Family Life
  8. ^ [http://www.afghan-web.com/culture/holidays.html Afghanistan Online: Culture - Important holidays/occasions/festivities celebrated in Afghanistan]
  9. ^ Afghan Hindus and Sikhs 
 10. ^Giorgio V. Brandolini 2007. Afghanistan cultural heritage. Orizzonte terra, Bergamo. 64 pages.

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