The United States is often referred to as a melting pot. People from all nationalities, races and ethnicities make up the population, and for the most part get along. There have been periods where certain backgrounds of people were treated different, and even today, there is a percentage of the population that perceive themselves as the ideal, while everyone else is inferior. Fortunately that’s a small percentage anymore.
Afghanistan is also a melting pot. When the locals come on our compound to work, they often look very different from one another. Some could be described as having a traditional Middle Eastern appearance with a dark complexion, and dark hair. Some look more Asian, with rounder faces and distinctive eyes. Others are quite pale, and look more eastern European than anything else. Heck, a few I thought were Polish or Slovak like me until I heard them open their mouths and speak Dari. Afghanistan is in Southwest Asia, close to India and China, and equally close to the former Soviet Union caucuses.
Fortunately, Kabul is Afghanistan’s most cosmopolitan and diverse city (trust me, that is not saying much. In comparison to Kabul, Gary Indiana would seem like Dubai or New York City), so these different folks get along pretty well with each other, and with the Americans (and now French) that are housed here.
During a previous Dari class, we learned just how much of a melting pot Afghanistan really is.
The Pashtuns are the largest ethnicity, and view themselves as the rightful leaders of Afghanistan. They are independent and fierce. The current President, Hamid Karzai, is a Pashtun.
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| Pashtun |
The Tajiks, the second largest ethnic group, formed the backbone of the Northern Alliance, the group who fought the Taliban for years before 9/11. Ahmad Shad Masood, a national hero who was assassinated two days before 9/11 was a Tajik. He was killed by Al Qaida because they knew he would partner with the Americans soon after 9/11. His picture can be found plastered on many places in Kabul.
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| Ahmad Shad Masood - Afghan National Hero and a Tajik |
The Hazara are of Mongolian descent. They are Shi’a Muslim, and often discriminated against by the Pashtuns. They hold the most menial jobs and are often in conflict of other groups, including the Taliban.
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| Hazara Man |
In the north, Uzbeks make up a large portion of the population. Coming from the area where Uzbekistan is today, they introduced the sport of Buzkashi (goat grabbing) that was blogged about previously.
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| Uzbek |
The Nurestani are the descendents of Europeans, as you can see in their physical appearance, with their lighter hair and eyes. Very independent, they were forcibly converted to Islam in the late 19th century. Their relationship with other Afghan ethnicities is often strained and difficult.
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| Nurestani - yes, they are Afghan |
The Turkmen, living near the border of Turkmenistan, are the jewelers and carpet makers of Afghanistan. Also descendents of Mongols, this minority group contributes much to the Afghan economy.
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| Turkmen Children |
The Baluch are a nomadic people of Iranian descent. Known for their camel hair rugs, they view themselves as their own nation and often experience uprisings with others.
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| Baluch Man |
Outside of Kabul, most of these ethnicities keep with their own, and seldom inter-mingle with other ethnic groups. These ethnic characteristics, traits and traditions go back centuries, and many of them in the remote areas, where government is non-existent, associate themselves more with their ethnicity than with Afghanistan.
In the long run, these groups will need to learn to work together for a common goal, while maintaining their pride in their heritage.
So while you probably thought you had an image of what an Afghan looks like, think again. They are a pretty diverse group of people.
