Pasrur

Annual spring festival takes in Hindu Kush

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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1. Wide of the Chitral valley, off which the Kalash valley spurs 2. Wide of mountain road into Kalash valley 3. Various of the Kalashi people on their way to participate in Spring Festival "Chelum Josh" 4. Tilt up of a Kalashi woman 5. Mid of Kalashi people 6. Close up of a Kalashi girl 7. Various of the Kalashi women and girls singing and dancing during the festival 8. Old man dancing 9. Kalashi women during their traditional welcome to each other 10. Kalashi people watching other Kalashi's during festival 11. SOUNDBITE: (Kalashi) Samardana, Kalash villager: "We are celebrating the happy event of Chelam Josh in which we sacrifice animals and serve food and drinks." 12. Various of Kalashi people 13. Wide of the Kalashi holy gathering, people dancing with walnut leaves to bring luck and a good harvest 14. Various of Kalashi people 15. Wide of men gathered at festival 16. Various of a mosque in the Kalash valley 17. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Syed Ali Shah, muslim villager living in Kalash Valley: "Throughout the world nobody would like that a dead body is at their home, and they make singing and dancing celebrating his death." 18. Set up of Muslim cleric 19. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Afsar Khan, Muslim cleric: "Before there were only a few muslims here but now day by day the number is growing and with the help of God, not only in this place but throughout the world it'll increase." 20. Various of Kalashi people celebrating festival 21. SOUNDBITE (Kalashi) Anwaza, Kalashi Child : "Why should we be converted to Islam as we are happy with our way of life. I am Kalashi and I need not to be converted to Islam. I love my language and I don't like Muslims. I like my own people." 21. Various of Kalashi people celebrating festival 22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nicolai, French tourist: "So here it is very different from the rest of Pakistan and I hope this culture will keep on like this for a long time." 23. Various of the Kalashi woman and girls during daily life 24. Various landscapes of Kalash valley LEAD IN : Pakistan's smallest minority, the Kalash, have been celebrating their Spring festival. Once half a million-strong, these people are thought to have descended from Alexander the Great have dwindled to a population of just 3000. But, a strong sense of their unique identity may be this fragile culture's last defence against centuries of conversions to Islam, and the newer external influences of mass communications and tourism. STORYLINE : The Kalash celebrate Joshi, the Spring festival, with rituals of purification and worship which they hope will protect them in the coming year. Although a cash economy is new to the Kalash, their three lush valleys have always provided rich resources of water, grazing and fruit and nut trees. As polytheistic animists, the Kalash people believe in many gods and goddesses, fairies and spirits found in all living things. Dancing is an intrinsic part of the festivities, celebrating the end of the harsh mountain winters. Their valleys are isolated for three months of the year by snows and the dangerous roads. The three valleys have no doctor, no access to the nearest city for a quarter of the year. Dancing also attracts the fairies the Kalash believe will accompany the herders and their goats as they leave for higher pastures. The Kalash move from one village to the next, gathering a growing crowd of dancers as they go. Many travel between the three valleys, meeting relatives and friends in this closely woven society. Everyone waves walnut leaves which have a special significance here, symbolising the bounty of nature and bringing good fortune to the area. Islam the predominant religion of Pakistan has also been making inroads into the valley over the years. Keyword-wacky You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/547adb7adb6edfb523741909fefa244b Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork