AFGHANISTAN: MUSIC, ARTS, AND LITERATURE

Here’s one of my favorite things: ethnomusicology.  I actually have a degree in music from Indiana State University, and world music was one of my favorite classes.  Although I knew that every country has its own music, there were parts that were somewhat “outside the box” of the Western music that we are more familiar with. It really opened my eyes to what music really is.

MUSIC:  When it comes to Afghan music, there are many similarities to the music of India and of Persia. The Afghans have taken certain musical styles and instruments and made it their own by making some subtle changes. One instrument that is popular in Afghan music is a drum called the tabla.  There are two drums played together, similar to bongos, where the smaller one is usually tuned to a pitch (usually tonic, dominant or subdominant) and the larger one has more of resonating bass tones.  

The rubab is a small stringed instrument that is similar to a lute. Now, I’m not a string person (yes, I know the piano has strings, but I normally can’t see them, so it doesn’t count), so I’m reaching beyond my scope of knowledge here. But there are a ton of strings on the rubab: three melody strings, three drone strings and 11 or 12 resonance strings that are plucked. Beyond that, it’s a mystery. But I love the sound.

One of the traditional dances is called the attan. It has its roots in Zoroastrian culture, and started out as a folk dance, but was adapted into the Islamic culture of Afghanistan. It’s danced to the music of drums, usually a dhol (a traditional double-headed drum), during times of celebration. Different areas have their own versions of the dance.

They do have their own pop music that became popular starting in the 1950s. And in some multi-cultural areas, like in Kabul, you’ll even find Afghan hip-hop. It’s not too bad if you’ve got an open mind. I even liked some of the songs I’ve heard. Too bad I can’t find it anywhere in the US. At least not where I’ve looked yet.

ART:  If you look at architecture in Afghanistan, you’ll find remnants of several cultures and peoples that have lived or occupied the area at one point in time or another, mainly Persian, Arab, Indian, and Buddhist architectural styles across the country. Unfortunately, years of war have destroyed a lot of historical buildings and sculptures. The Afghans are also known for their jewelry, especially pieces made from gold. Because of its location along the Silk Road, the Afghans also learned how to develop ceramics from the Chinese, and you’ll find ceramic tile art as well as pottery. Afghan blankets are also popular and can be seen all over the world along with Afghan rugs.  

 

LITERATURE: Most early literature and poetry had been passed down verbally in the traditional sense because many people at that time could not read or write. (Literacy still happens to be a problem today in Afghanistan.)  There are several poets who are listed as being influential, including Khushal Khan Khattak who is often thought of as a national hero. Folktales are a popular form of teaching history, beliefs and life lessons. During the their many times of war, most poetry and literature tends to center around Islam and freedom and bringing the people together as Afghans. There are a few modern authors who have become popular, namely Khaled Hosseini, whose book “The Kite Runner” was a best-seller and motion picture. I’ve not read it yet, but it’s been on my list for a while now.

The arts show a sense of the soul of the nation and who has influenced it. Although this is a country that struggles and has struggled in the past, it knows who it is at the heart of it all. You can sense that struggle and the effects of occupations and wars in its literature; you can sense the influence of their neighbors and friendships in their music and rich history through their art.

 

Next up, it’s time to eat.

Resources:

Wikipedia articles: “Khaled Hosseini,” “Music of Afghanistan,” “Tabla,” “Rubab,” “Attan”

Afghanistan’s Web Site – Literature: http://www.afghanistans.com/information/people/Literature.htm

Afghanistan’s Web Site – Art and Architecture: http://www.afghanistans.com/information/people/ArtArchitecture.htm

AFGHANISTAN: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

I’m always interested in holidays and celebrations. To me, this is the heart of the people: what makes them happy, what is important enough to stop working for. And who doesn’t like a holiday?  Ebenezer Scrooge, perhaps. There are a few public holidays I’ll mention, although there are probably a lot of other local festivals and celebrations of course, but these are some of the main ones for the nation as a whole.

MAWLID: It’s basically celebrating the birth of the prophet Muhammad. In many places, there are large street parades and festivals, and many people decorate their homes and mosques for Mawlid. It’s also a time for charity and especially sharing food, reading stories and reciting poems about the prophet.

NOWRUZ: Also known as Persian New Year, based on the Iranian calendar going back to the Zoroastrian times. It also coincides with the spring equinox. While the celebrations vary in other countries that celebrate Nowruz, Afghans usually celebrate it for two weeks and includes a number of activities, including a buzkashi tournament. Buzkashi is an Afghan national sport, where is the object is for skilled horseback riders to capture the headless carcass of a goat or calf at full gallop and drop it in a circle or vat to clear it away from the other riders. Not much different from the Thanksgiving Day football game. Clearly, it’s related. My 6-year-old daughter generally wasn’t interested in this game at all, but my 3-year-old son thought this was cool.  People from all over the country gather in the city of Mazari Sharif to celebrate Nowruz, including the tulip festival among the celebrations.  A number of special foods are made at this time, including haft mewa (fruit salad made with 7 different dried fruits), samanak (a sweet dish made from wheat germ), sabzi chalaw (a dish of rice and spinach).

INDEPENDENCE DAY: August 19. They celebrate their independence from British control in 1919.

EID UL-FITR: This is a Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holiday of fasting. There are special greetings at this time, and it’s usually celebrated for three days. They clean out their homes and buy new clothes and special food. There are special prayers to be said for the holiday. It’s a time to spend time with family and friends, and the children usually get special monetary gifts from parents and grandparents.

EID AL-ADHA:  This is a Muslim holiday aimed around the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. People generally wear their best clothes and say special prayers for this as well. People will sacrifice an animal that has to meet certain requirements regarding its age and quality.  Afterwards, the family keeps one part, another part is given to other family members, and the last part is given to the needy. Of course, if you live in an urban setting, you can give money or meat to the needy or organizations that take care of that.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: March 8. This is an official holiday in Afghanistan.  Given Afghanistan’s history under the Taliban, who have a history of violating human rights in regards to women, this holiday must mean a lot. I was really happy to see that it is celebrated here.

Keep in mind many of the Muslim holidays are not based on the Gregorian calendar, but are based on the Islamic calendar. It’s more or less based on the moon position and other things, so these holidays change dates every year. (It’s kind of like how Easter changes dates every year.) 

There are also a number of bank holidays: Earth Day, International Day of Action to Eradicate Global Poverty, United Nations Day, Mount Arafat Day, Universal Children’s Day, World AIDS Day, and Liberation Day.

Next up: Music, Art, and Literature

Resources:

Wikipedia articles: “International Women’s Day,” “Public Holidays in Afghanistan,” “Mawlid,” “Nowruz,” “Afghan Independence Day,” “Eid ul-Fitr,” “Eid al-Adha”

Bank Holidays of the World: http://www.bankholidays.com/holidays_2012_193.htm

AFGHANISTAN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

In a way, I’m sort of glad this was the first country to start out with. It’s a difficult country to start with because there are a lot of ill-feelings between the United States and Afghanistan in recent history.  I mean, we invaded their country and have been at war for several years now. So, how do you talk about a country that we’re at war with to young children in an objective light?  First we’ll start with where it is.

First of all, it’s landlocked. That means that there are no borders that touch an ocean or a part of an ocean. It’s capital is Kabul, in the eastern part of the country. The country itself is located in Asia and slightly smaller than the size of Texas. The country is divided into 34 provinces.  However, most of the country is rugged and mountainous, with only about 12% of the land can be farmed.  One of the largest landforms are the Hindu Kush mountains which run from the north to the south. Unfortunately because of this, Afghanis are prone to earthquakes and droughts.  But on a good note, one of the highest peaks in the Hindu Kush, Mt. Noshaq, has just recently re-opened to climbers after being closed for security purposes.  I suppose that’s good if you're a climber. I, however, will be staying down here. It’s not that I’m afraid of heights; I just hate cold weather. (And although I’m sure it has an original meaning, I first saw it as “No Shaq.” And I’m pretty sure that’s what everyone said when Shaquille O’Neill announced he wanted to be a rapper.)

Their national emblem is a lion, as well as the Marco Polo sheep, and the eagle is the national bird. The tulip is the national flower (which surprised me it wasn’t the poppy.)  The crescent moon and star is also seen as a nation symbol since Islam is so important to the everyday lives of Afghans.

Kabul is the largest city with around 3.8 million people.  That’s a little more than the city of Los Angeles, CA. Afghanis speak Persian (or Dari) and Pashto. There are a number of other minor languages that are related to Persian and other tribal languages spoken, but most people are bilingual. The vast majority of the people are Sunni Muslim, around eighty percent, and another nineteen percent are Shia Muslim. 

Here’s the sad part: Only a little over two percent of the population is over 65 years old. That makes the median age 18 years old, and the average life expectancy at birth to be a mere 45 years old. Boys will spend an average of four more years in school compared with girls. There is a huge need for doctors and hospitals in this country. There’s also a need for clean water and sanitation, which is probably the reason the life expectancy is only 45.

Unfortunately, Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium, and most of the heroin used throughout Europe is derived from Afghan opium. Afghanistan is also at the reins of the Taliban (and other insurgent groups) and human rights violations, as well as being watched as a transit for human trafficking and child labor. But that’s probably not the type of thing that’ll get mentioned to the kids.  Not until they’re old enough to find this blog and read it for themselves. My guess is sooner than later.

Next up, something more pleasant: Holidays and Celebrations

Resources:

Wikipedia articles: “Afghanistan,” “US cities by population,” “National Emblem”

CIA Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html

National Geographic: http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/afghanistan/