The „Enclaved“ Culture of Parun in Former KafiristanMax Klimburg

ASIEN – Nr. 104 (2007) pp. 65–70

The former region of Kafiristan or „Land of Heathens“, renamed Nuristan or „Land of Light“ after its forced Islamisation at the end of the 19th century, is a special case in virtually all respects – firstly because of its long survival as an „enclaved“ cultural retreat in the midst of the Islamic world with strong „anti-heathen“ attitudes, and secondly due to its general cultural peculiarities and the amazing ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity that existed. For this reason I have introduced the concept of three cultures, named in accordance with the linguistic or geographical classification of the three main Kafir or Nuristani languages or language groups: the Kati, Ashkun/Waigal and Parun cultures. The three languages – the closely related Waigal and Ashkun tongues have been grouped together here – are not mutually intelligible, and Paruni features a host of linguistic peculiarities. The Kati language, spoken by the largest ethnic group, was the lingua franca.

Manuscript received on 2007-02-12, accepted on 2007-04-25
Keywords: Kafiristan, Nuristan, ethnic groups, religion, languages of Afghanistan, enclave, Parun, Islamisation