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Friday, April 13, 2012

L for "Land of Just Enough"

During April, I'll be posting on the A-Z Blogging Challenge.
My theme will be the Hunzas
Today is L......for "Land of just Enough."


"Land of Just Enough" is the Hunza slogan. There is no plethora of any One thing, but there seems to be an ample balance of food, water, socialization , religion and strong and healthy bodies. Schooling, high on their agenda is responsible for their literacy rate to be the highest as compared to other similar districts of Pakistan




The Hunza people have an odd method of counting age. It's not based on longevity but certain events that have occured in a person's lifetime. When their isolation was first uncovered in the 1930's. It was thought they lived into the hundreds and even age 130 was not unusual. But that was a myth and they age like everyone else.

Hollywood had produced 2 movies based on the Hunza life, "Lost Horizons" and "Shangra La." The movies are a beautiful myth of the people living hundreds of years but only as long as they remain in their valley. During a blinding snowstorm, lost explorers stumbled, half-dead, upon the valley of eternal bliss and happiness. There's a romance story, secrets, intrigue and I won't tell you more in case you've never seen the movie and you sometime want to.

11 comments:

  1. I do remember the Frank Capra film "Lost Horizon"!!! Oh yes!! Wonderful film but of course now I see the Hunza connection! Yay! Take care
    x

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  2. I seem to recall seeing Lost Horizons, but I don't remember it much. I'm going to have to track it down and watch it again, ditto Shangri La.
    I like the sound of Land of Just Enough.

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  3. Did you know the book Lost Horizon, by James Hilton (the movie is based on it) was the first mass market paper back? I LOVED the book. It was printed in the 1930s. It is from Hilton that we get Shangri-La

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  4. Land of Just Enough sounds like an excellent mantra for the Western World to listen to, don't you think?

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  5. LOST HORIZON was a great movie! Wouldn't it be wonderful if it were true?

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  6. 'The Hunza people have an odd method of counting age. It's not based on longevity but certain events that have occured in a person's lifetime.'

    I find this of particular interest.

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  7. That would be quite interesting to stumble upon them and have them tell you they were 100's of years old, only to realize they counted different for age. Nice thought though.

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  8. Rosalind is right: it would be an excellent mantra for any western nation. We cannot keep spending money like we got it.

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  9. Wouildn't it be nice if we all lived in such a way that there was "just enough" for everyone?

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  10. Kitty : The idea behind the film, I.E. that you could live forever in a beautiful land, is appealing to the dreams of many. I know I found it fascinating.

    River : There were 2 films made. I wish I had both of them. They might be hard to find.

    Bish : You are a wealth of information, as the saying goes. :) No, I didn't know that and thank you for telling us. So many wonderful connections.

    Rosalind : You are so right. We have multiples of "stuff." For years, I owned 3 autos, me, alone. So why did I need 3 cars when I can only drive one at a time?

    Fran Fishducky : I like to daydream about Lost Horizons. But unfortunately, it IS just a day dream.

    Suze : I used to have my own about my age.... but no more.


    Pat. nice fairy dream but I wonder what the Hunzas dream aboug.

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  11. I like the way they figure a person's age. Makes more sense than our's.

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