During the month of April, I will be posting on the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is the Hunzas
Today is B for Burushas
The Burushas people are found in 3 daunting mountainous areas of Northern Pakistan..... the Hunza, Nagar and Yasin Valleys.
Most of the people live in the Hunza Valley and the language is known as Burushaski. Hunza shrouds a mystery of the Burusko people as their origin is completely unknown. They cling to a popular myth that 3 generals ran away from Alexander the Great's army, married Persian women and settled in the Hunza Valley.
The rugged elevation of the Himalayas, kept them in isolation for around 2000 years.
Since there has been no written language of the Burushaski, the true historical beginning of the Hunzas will remain forever a mystery.
The picture is of present day Hunza men on the way to work their vegetable gardens in the same manner as they've done for a thousand years.
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I'd stick with the Alexander theory too if I had the choice! It's such an exotic theory of ones ancestry who WOULDN'T want to claim it?!
ReplyDeleteSo they are in 3 different areas, for some reason I thought they were all in one place.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Manzi!
Love the General Alexander the Great story as to how the Burusko emerged! Yay!! Take care
ReplyDeletex
What a shame there is no written history.
ReplyDeleteMore often than not, those legends and myths have a seed of truth buried in them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Alexander story was true. I can easily imagine a bunch of soldiers being sick and tired of marching and fighting and going AWOL. They wouldn't have to be generals, that's the romantic mythic part.
ReplyDeleteLike the Aliexander the great story, who wouldn't want that as an origin? Still doing it the same as they have been for thousands of year, wow that take dedication.
ReplyDeleteThe closest I ever got to the Himalayas was when I lived in Thailand for 10 months in 1969. Next year, I hope to visit northern India.
ReplyDeleteHere in Hawaii, of course, we have volcanoes, but I doubt they are as high as the Himalayas.
Interesting information. I enjoy reading historical data on various peoples.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning much from your blog.
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
Yup; I'll support the Alexander theory, too. Sounds so dashing and daring, and all. What a great start in the world!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful educational post Manzanita.
ReplyDeleteI'd stick with the Alexander theory too - for is it a myth (?) there is no way we will ever know!
Anna :o]
It is fascinating to learn about a people that most others--including myself--never knew existed!
ReplyDeleteGreat post about a region of the world that still holds great mystery.
ReplyDeleteFascinating! I can't wait to read more.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others great topic and can't wait for more topics. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the the General Alexander the Great story. It probably has some seed of truth in there, and it's a rather romantic story.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a shame when there is no written evidence of a culture's history. It shows the power and importance of literacy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. It is the same here on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. It is all verbal storytelling history. I took me many years before I began to recognize when someone was "kicking in" to story mode. Now I recognize it; the cadence of delivery is different and the storyteller tends to look up and away. Short truncated sentences are followed by a soft, "yes, yes, that the way she was." Look forward to more of your alphabet soup. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAfter last years dance entries and now this year with culture... I'd say we could have a mean game of trivial pursuit. :)
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Fasinating stuff. I fear I will learn something about the Hunzas this month.
ReplyDeleteVietnam is famous for the Hmong (sp?) mountain tribes. They did not have a written language either. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteThey're certainly a handsome looking group of men. I wonder how they find and meet their wives? Lots of inbreeding? For better or worse? I'm curious about these guys now.
ReplyDeleteWow, who knew? I sure didn't. It's a big world out there.
ReplyDeleteLee
A Few Words
An A to Z Co-host blog
The worst thing about oral history is the distortion or forgetfulness.
ReplyDeleteBut Alexander the Great makes a good story.