Ipso’s Social Cultural Container
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Confronting stereotypes
Zaman Amiri, aged 20, grew up in a traditional rural community in the remote district of Waras in Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan, an area also known as Hazarajat. Until his late teens, he had not travelled beyond the village where he’d been born, inhabited mainly by Hazaras like himself. “My world was our village .. read more
A meal together
It is difficult to overestimate just how important meals are for Afghans. Many foods and eating habits follow traditional practices, even in large cities where fast-food has become increasingly common, especially for the young. As well as a means of satisfying hunger, however, food is also an opportunity to get together. “Because we tend to .. read more
A chat with an Ismaili friend
Ipso’s ongoing work takes place in a number of areas of Afghanistan inhabited by members of the Ismaili community, a sect of the Shia faith who live primarily in parts of the central highlands and north-east of Afghanistan, where the majority of people adhere to mainstream Shiism or the Sunni faith. By contrast, the Wakhi .. read more
Addressing prejudice through interaction: the Pashayi of Nangarhar
The province of Nangarhar in eastern Afghanistan is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups. The population of the provincial capital of Jalalabad is made up of Pashtun, Tajik, Pashayi, Nuristani communities. The Pashayi, who number around 500,000 in the province, are thought to be descendants of an Indo-Aryan group who primarily inhabited remote .. read more
Akhtariz Tall; Reviving Cultures strengthen sympathy
In Majboor Abad area of Nangarhar province, laughter fills the air while leaves cast a dappled shade as they shift in the morning breeze, while the birds herald a new day. Under the trees, a group of young girls wearing new dresses sing together to prepare for the religious festival of ‘Eid by performing Akhtariz .. read more
Afghanistan’s Kyrgyz community in the Wakhan
Like other Afghans, the Kyrgyz community in the country, face a mix of advantages and challenges in their lives. On the positive side, this population of between 1,500 to 2,000 settled pastoralists in the Wakhan corridor have largely escaped the violence seen elsewhere. While they are Sunni Muslims, they have not experienced the discrimination faced .. read more
Living together in Kandahar
Although the majority of the population of Kandahar belongs to the Sunni faith and identifies as Pashtun, there is also a significant number of Shia communities, most of whom live in or near the provincial capital city. These communities comprise various ethnic groups including the Qizilbash, Teimurian, Arab, Hazara and Baluch and are referred to .. read more
Bridging the ethnic divide
Kapisa is a very diverse place, in social terms, but this does not always translate into recognition. While the province is home to Pashtun, Tajik, and Pashaie communities who often live side by side, their attitudes towards each other are at times negative. This is particularly evident in how Pashaie residents are sometimes treated. While .. read more
Nomads: a changing way of life
Many Afghan “Kochyan” (nomads) inhabit tents made of bands woven from the wool of goats and sheep by women from these communities, who move every season between lowlands to high mountain pastures (or “Elbandans”) in search of fresh fodder for their flocks. To this day, it is common to see clusters of black tents across .. read more
Let’s fly together
On a breezy spring morning, nothing could tempt Afghan kids more to take to the rooftops or out on the hills than the prospect of flying kites. The wind during spring and fall is ideal for flying kites and the skies above Kabul are filled with multi-coloured paper creations of all shapes and sizes. “The .. read more
