Mayoon
 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (April 2014) |
 | This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. (August 2014) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
Mayoon or Maiun is a group of modern farms by the alpine Hunza-Nagar river in the scenic mountains of northern Pakistan. On Pakistan's west side are Iran and Afghanistan while India and China are on Pakistan's east side. Pakistan's southern border is on the Arabian Sea. Mayoon, Pakistan, is about 218 km from China by the Karakorm Highway. The ancestors of most of the residents of Mayoon came in the early 19th century from the town of Nasirabad, 1556 km to the south in Pakistan's Indus River Valley. Currently, the Mayoon area carries a population of almost 1,000 people. Mayoon's valley is known for its pure water, mulberries, and grapes. The mountainous region also produces other fruits, including apricots, plums, and cherries. Mayoon's major farm crops are corn, wheat, peas, and other assorted vegetables.
Language
Urdu is the national language, spoken throughout Pakistan as the lingua franca. The local languages are Brushuski, Wakhi, Domki and Shina. The Shina spoken at Mayoon is different from the Shina spoken at Gilgit and Nager. Also, English is spoken among the educated and those involved in the tourism industry.
History
Maiun is located 36°14'25"N 74°25'28"E in Pakistan. It is a small community in the Hunza Nagar river valley, Pakistan. People living in the lower Hunza are called Shinaki. Mayoon or Myoo is the former name of a river which flows through Arracan in southwest Burma, now called Myanmar, to the Bay of Bengal. [1] Also, Mayoon is a Pakistani pre-wedding custom when the bride goes into a 7 to 15 day seclusion before the wedding.[2] The seclusion is from the groom until the wedding and is otherwise a party attended by her close friends during which she dresses in yellow.[3]
The culture of the Shinaki tribe derives from social custom and religious practice. The main celebrations are Novroz, Ginani, and Salgirahs. On these occasions, delicious traditional foods are made, especially in Sharbat and Harisa.
Both private and government educational institutions operate in the region. The Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee schools participate actively in civil society.
The Hunza Valley has three main parts, namely "Lower Hunza", "Centre Hunza" and "Upper Hunza". The lower part is composed mainly of four villages: Hussainabad, Mayon, Khanabad and Nasirabad (formerly called Hini- in Shina and Hindi- in Brushiski). Mayon is an active volcano in the Philippines.[4]
Currently, the Hunza Shinaki live in five villages: Nasirabad, Mayoon, Khanabad, Hussainabad and Khizerabad. Among these, Nasirabad and Mayoon are old settlements. These two villages used to be the first bastions of defence for Hunza. People from Nasirabad and Mayoon bore the brunt of the wars and battles of the Hunza with Sikhs, British and other forces in the late 19th century. The famous gorge called ‘Sikh Mara Jung’ is where people of Mayoon wiped out an army of 500 Sikhs in a single night. Colonel Durand was wounded by a gunshot reportedly fired from Mayoon Fort.
Incessant fighting with outside threats kept the Shinaki people in a combative mood. The modern stereotyping of Shinakis as straightforward and aggressive stems from the centuries of this old tradition. Yet, besides warfare, the region of Hunza Shinaki was also famous for its simplicity. The King of Hunza had a special respect for lower Hunza. In the modern era people of these areas are well educated, simple, and financially strong. They contribute their knowledge, wisdom, and skills not only in Hunza, but also in Gilgit-Baltistan (the fifth newly established province of Pakistan).
Transport
Popularly known as the Silk Road, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) runs about 100 km from Gilgit to Hunza. Most people travel by road; it takes between two and three hours to reach Hunza from Gilgit. However, the journey from Islamabad to Hunza can take as long as 24 hours. The main bus stand is on the KKH in Aliabad. Along the KKH, there are booking agents in towns for long-distance buses and jeeps.
From Kashgar (China), a regular international bus service to Hunza via Sost crosses the Khunjerab Pass (about 5000 meters high). Across the river in Hunza, at Sost, there is a village called Khuda Abad. People usually do not stop at Khunjerab Pass on their way to Sost by bus. In Sost, one may trek in the valleys or continue to Hunza-Karimabad (two hours), to the Baltit Fort. The Khunjerab Pass is open from 1 May to 30 December and closed in winter.
The international bus waits until enough people have gathered, which can take days (as of 2012). An alternate option is to take a first bus to Tashkurgan, stay one night, go to immigration for departure approval, then take a second bus to Sost and another to Hunza.
Airport
Gilgit Airport (IATA: GIL) is small and has 45-minute flights to Islamabad on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which offers regular flights on small 42-seat planes between Gilgit and Islamabad. All flights, however, are subject to weather clearance, and in winter flights are often delayed several days.
Transport links
- To China: The bus service (NATCO & PTDC) is scheduled to begin crossing the border from Sost, Gilgit-Baltistan, to Tashkurgan, China, every day at nine o'clock in the summer. In autumn, the bus runs only when full. If passengers are lacking, it can take days to get into China.
- To Islamabad via the Karakoram Highway, many buses leave every day from Aliabad, Hunza and Gilgit.
- To Gilgit via the Karakoram Highway, mini-buses leave for Gilgit every 30 minutes from Aliabad.
Demographics
The fair-skinned and light-eyed Hunzakuts claim to be descendants of soldiers lost from Alexander's army when Alexander invaded India in 326 BC, although genetic studies have disproved the claim. The language, Burushaski, provides linguists an enigma; it is unrelated to any other language known to man.
Most of the people of Hunza are Islamili Muslims, followers of His Highness the Aga Khan.
Geography
Mayoon is in a mountainous region and includes the Rakaposhi (7788 m.), the recently climbed Ultar Peak (7388 m.), and Bublimoting Peak.
Lake disaster
Attabad Lake, also known as Gojal Lake[5], was formed in the Gojal Valley of northern Pakistan in January 2010 by a landslide dam.
References
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=KCZUAAAAYAAJ&dq=Mayoon&pg=PA19#v=onepage&q=Mayoon&f=false
- ^ http://pakistanibridaldesigns.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-is-pakistani-mayoon-ceremony.html
- ^ http://nidalm.com/blog/photoshoots/pakistani-weddings-the-dholki-and-mayoon-2/
- ^ http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Mayon
- ^ http://pamirtimes.net/tag/gojal-lake/