Chitralis should educate their children on rich Kho cultural heritage

CHITRAL, Nov 21: Traditional festivals and customs of indigenous Kho people of Chitral are currently being revived by Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT) in 25 selected villages of Chitral. In this regard, the celebration of Binisik festival in village Dokandeh Booni, upper Chitral, was one activity of that project through funding assistance from USAID’s Small Grants and Ambassador Fund Programme, says a press release issued by CAMAT. The Kho community traces its origin to different Central Asian states such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, from where their ancestors migrated to Chitral around 4000 years back. Presently, around 370,000 members of this community reside in more than 30 valleys and side valleys of the Hindu Kush Mountains. The Khos are essentially hospitable and friendly people with a comparatively high degree of tolerance; speak Khowar and are distinguishable from the locals by virtue of their cuisine, songs, dances, sports, and festivals. One of Kho communities indigenous traditional festivals – Binisik – is celebrated in various parts of Chitral in November. Binisik literally meaning ‘sowing seeds’ and it is a festival that is held at the time of ‘seed sowing’ in autumn and spring. In this festival, people prepare a variety of traditional cuisines to commemorate the celebration. Prayers take place wishing good crop yield for the next year. People display extraordinary love for their oxen as the only source of plough in absence of tractor. The processes of farming are also performed with peculiar relish and entertainment. Bi Nisik Festival was held by CAMAT with the financial support of USAID at Dukandeh Booni. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sardar Wali Khan, Mr. Sher Zarin, Dr. Inayat Ullah Faizi , Syed Ahmad Khan, Farhana Parveen and Naveed Afshan stressed the need to revive age-old customs and traditions on sustainable basis. They highlighted the importance of cultural roots for the posterity. They called-upon the community to educate their children on the rich heritage of the past. The occasion was commemorated with sowing seed of wheat in traditional manner and ploughing the land with wooden plough tied to wooden yoke and pulled by a pair of oxen, followed by harrowing. Traditional foods were served in ceremonial way on the occasion. The function was attended by various community members – men, women and youngsters as well as by representatives from the relevant government departments, tourism industry, civil society, and media.]]>