Culture of Afghanistan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

See also:
Turko-Persian culture, and Indo-Persian culture

Afghan carpet
, teapot, and sheer pira dessert
Part of a series on the
Culture of Afghanistan
History
People
Languages
Traditions
Mythology
Cuisine
Festivals
Religion
Art
Literature
Music and Performing arts
Media
Sport
Monuments
Symbols
  • Flag
  • Coat of arms
  • National anthem
Part of a series on the
History of Afghanistan
Timeline
Hephthalite Empire
 410–557
Nezak Huns 484–711
Medieval
Kabul Shahi 565–879
Principality of Chaghaniyan 7th–8th centuries
Rashidun Caliphate 652–661
Tang China 660–669
Tibetan Empire 660–842
Umayyads 661–750
Zunbils 680–870
Lawik750-977
Abbasids 750–821
Tahirids 821–873
Saffarids 863–900
Samanids 875–999
Ghaznavids 963–1187
Ghurids before 879–1215
Seljuks 1037–1194
Khwarezmids 1215–1231
Mongol Invasion 1219–1226
Chagatai Khanate 1226–1245
Qarlughids 1224–1266
Ilkhanate 1256–1335
Kartids 1245–1381
Timurids 1370–1507
Arghuns 1520–1591
Modern
Tanai coup attempt
 1990
Islamic State 1992–1996
Islamic Emirate 1996–2001
US invasion 2001
Islamic State (reinstated) 2001
Interim/Transitional Administration 2001–2004
Islamic Republic (politics) 2004–2021
Islamic Emirate (reinstated) since 2021
Related historical regions
Related topics

The culture of

Western Asia historically made it a hub of diversity, dubbed by one historian as the "roundabout of the ancient world".[4]

Afghanistan is a mostly tribal society with different regions of the country having their own

Turko-Persian and Indo-Persian cultures,[5][6]
which can be seen in the likes of language, cuisine or classical music.

Afghan culture is increasingly becoming a dynamic realm of academic study in scholarly terms.

prolonged conflict in the country.[8][9]

History

See also: History of Afghanistan

Music and dance

Main article: Music of Afghanistan
Afghan musicians in Farah, Afghanistan.

Traditionally, only men have been involved in theater acting. Recently, in theater arts, women have begun to take center stage.[10]

Since the 1980s, the nation has witnessed several wars so music has been suppressed and recording for outsiders minimal. During the 1990s, the

Hazaragi, Hindi, and western style songs and music are also very popular in Afghanistan.[11]

Women dancing in traditional dress in San Francisco

Afghans enjoy music by playing many types of instruments. They also enjoy performing the

ballads
. Many of the songs are known by almost everyone and have been around for many years. The main traditional Afghan music instruments include:

Language and literature

Main article: Afghan literature

Pashto are both the official languages of Afghanistan,[2] although Dari (Afghan Persian) serves as the lingua franca for the majority. People in the northern and central areas of the country usually speak Persian/Dari, while those living in the south and east speak Pashto. Afghans living in the western regions of Afghanistan speak both Dari and Pashto. Most citizens are fluent in both languages, especially those living in major cities where the population is multi-ethnic. Several other languages are spoken in their own regions, which includes Uzbek, Turkmen and Balochi.[2] English
is gradually becoming popular among the young generation. There are smaller number of Afghans who can understand Russian, mainly among the northern Tajik, Uzbek and Turkmen groups.

Poetry

Main article: Poetry of Afghanistan

Abu Mansur Daqiqi, Farrukhi Sistani, Unsuri, and Anvari. Contemporary Persian language poets and writers include Khalilullah Khalili[14] and Sufi Ashqari.[15]

Proverbs

Main article: Afghan proverbs

Afghans prize wit and cleverness in speech. "Zarbul Masalha" (pronounced zar-bull mah-sal-HAA) means "proverbs" in

Dari, and these zarbul masalha deeply reflect Afghan culture. U.S. Navy Captain Edward Zellem pioneered the use of Afghan proverbs as a positive relationship-building tool during the war in Afghanistan, and in 2012 he published two bilingual collections of Afghan proverbs in Dari and English.[16][17]

Naming customs and honorifics

Main article: Afghan name

Pet keeping

Songbirds in cages at a farm in Nangarhar Province, used for the pleasure of the site's farmers

Birds are the most popular animals that are kept as pets in Afghanistan. In Kabul there is a dedicated daily market selling a wide variety of birds from around the world.[18]

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Afghanistan
Herat Citadel in the western Afghan city of Herat

The important architectural sites are found in

Mazar-I-Sharif, Ghazni,[19] Qandahar, and Firuzkoh in Ghor Province
. The region has made major contributions to the world's
World Heritage Sites
.

Housing

wooden multistoried dwellings in Nuristan.[21]

Married sons often share houses with their parents, but with separate quarters. Afghan houses contain a special room where men socialize with each other known as a hujra. In the major cities, many Afghans live in modern houses or

kuchi people live in large tents because they are constantly on the move from one part of the country to another.[22] The nomads of Turkic or Mongol origin in the north tend to live in yurts.[21]

  • A mud brick house on a mountainside - a common sight in the hilly areas of the Afghan countryside
    A mud brick house on a mountainside - a common sight in the hilly areas of the Afghan countryside
  • Traditional brick homes common in the lower elevated regions in the north and west
    Traditional brick homes common in the lower elevated regions in the north and west
  • Nested homes in the forest region
    Nested homes in the forest region
  • A yurt, most likely in north-eastern Afghanistan
    A yurt, most likely in north-eastern Afghanistan

Art, weaving, ceramics

See also: Afghan art and Truck art in South Asia
Women painting at the Center for Contemporary Arts Afghanistan (CCAA) in Kabul.

The lands of Afghanistan have a long history of art, with the world's earliest known usage of oil painting found in cave murals in the country.[23][24] Afghan art includes Persian miniature style, with Kamaleddin Behzad of Herat being one of the most notable miniature artists of the Timurid and early Safavid periods. Since the 1900s, the nation began to use Western techniques in art. Abdul Ghafoor Breshna was a prominent Afghan painter and sketch artist from Kabul during the 20th century.

Afghanistan's art was originally almost entirely done by men, but recently women are entering the arts programs at Kabul University. Art is largely centered at the National Museum of Afghanistan, the National Gallery of Afghanistan and the National Archives of Afghanistan in Kabul. There are a number of art schools in the country. The Center for Contemporary Arts Afghanistan (CCAA) in Kabul provides young people to learn contemporary paintings.

Ceramics and pottery, of which many tend to be turquoise-colored, are produced in Afghanistan, most famously in the village of Istalif.[25]

The art of making

Afghan carpet
has certain prints that make them unique to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is known for its production of Afghan rugs, traditionally handwoven using a number of well-known and highly-prized patterns.

  • Afghan items of pottery
    Afghan items of pottery
  • Items of pottery at a shop
    Items of pottery at a shop
  • Blue glass
    Blue glass
  • Afghan kilim
    Afghan kilim
  • Afghan embroidery pattern
    Afghan embroidery pattern
  • Afghan rugs and jewelry on sale, in the United States
    Afghan rugs and jewelry on sale, in the United States


Cuisine

Main article: Afghan cuisine
Typical Afghan food table

Afghanistan has a wide varying landscape allowing for many different crops. Afghan cuisine is based on cereals like

grapes, and its extra-sweet jumbo-size melons
.

Mantu
(dumplings). The Afghan cuisine includes a blend of Central Asian, Eastern Asian, South Asian and the Middle Eastern cuisines. Nearly all Afghan dishes are non-spicy.

Dress and attire

Main article: Afghan clothing

Afghan traditional dress typically covers the entire body with a loose top and a form of head covering. The dresses are very colorful, especially women's.[26][27]

  • Traditional tribal women's clothing
    Traditional tribal women's clothing
  • Traditional tribal men's clothing
    Traditional tribal men's clothing
  • Handmade dolls of traditional women's clothing at a fair
    Handmade dolls of traditional women's clothing at a fair

Sport

Main article: Sport in Afghanistan
See also: Traditional games of Afghanistan
Players in a game of buzkashi, the national sport

The sports in Afghanistan are organized by the

handball, boxing, taekwondo, track and field, bowling, skating[28] and several others.[29]

Football remains to be the most popular sport across Afghanistan.The

King Amanullah Khan, was once used for a venue for public executions by the Taliban government. The stadium is currently used mostly for football matches between teams from different provinces of the country as well as neighboring countries. Basketball has existed in Afghanistan since at least the 1970s, and is slowly becoming popular again. It is played by both Afghan men and women. Additionally, Afghans in the north of the country enjoy the sport of buzkashi
.

Cricket has become popular in recent years in Afghanistan. The

2012 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and the 2012 ICC World Twenty20
. ts, Afghans usually play with challengers of neighboring states and sometimes with other Asian countries.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Afghanistan
An Afghan man with a tasbih

Islam is the main religion of Afghanistan and over 99.7%[30] of Afghans are Muslims. An estimated 84.7–90% of the population adhere to Sunni Islam, while an estimated 7–15% practice Shia Islam, and approximately 1% are followers of other religions,[30][31] most prominently Sikhism.[32] In pre-Islamic era, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism and Hinduism had a strong presence in Afghanistan; in addition, Judaism and Christianity have also had a presence in Afghanistan for over a millennia.[33][34]

Education

Main article: Education in Afghanistan

Lycée Esteqlal, Amani High School, Aisha-i-Durani School, Ghazi High School and Rahman Baba High School. The Ahmad Shah Baba High School and Zarghuna Anna High School are two of the oldest schools in Kandahar
.

Since the country has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world, the United States began establishing a number of Lincoln learning centers to help with this problem and promote American culture in Afghanistan. They are set up to serve as programming platforms offering English language classes, library facilities, programming venues, Internet connectivity, educational and other counseling services. A goal of the program is to reach at least 4,000 Afghan citizens per month per location.

preschool onward. Programs in the show "will be partly filmed in Afghanistan with the rest" lifted from other versions in Muslim countries including Egypt and Bangladesh, as well as Mexico and Russia.[39][40]

Higher education is provided by various

Bakhtar University, and a heap of others. There is also one military college, located in Kabul. Recently with help from UNESCO, over 1,000 women have taken the university entrance exam. As of 2011, about 62,000 students are enrolled in different universities around the country.[35]

Games

An Afghan boy with a kite

Kites and "kite fighting" are highly popular in Afghanistan especially amongst children.

Holidays

Afghan armed forces during the 2011 Afghan Independence Day
.

Religious

See also:
Islamic Holiday and Public holidays in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's religious holidays are nearly the same as

Ashura, and Mawlid, while the religious minorities of Afghanistan celebrate holidays unique to their respective religion.[41]

Traditional

Farmer's Day, also known as

Persian Calendar.[42]

Nauruz is related to a religion called Zoroastrianism which was in practice in ancient Persia before the emergence of Islam. This festival is to celebrate the arrival of spring as plants, trees, and flowers start to bloom making the weather pleasant. On the day of Nauruz, families usually celebrate the festival by cooking food and going out for a picnic. Families cook various kinds of meals, Samanak, and Haft-mewah or dry fruits that start with the letter (س) or (S) which represents the arrival of spring season. Haft-mewah contains seven dry fruits which families place in warm water two to three days before Nauruz. Samanak is another type of dessert made from wheat and sugar. Women usually get together days before Nauruz to prepare Samanak. They pour the ingredients into a big pot placed on an open fire and take turns to stir the wheat and sugar in the pot before it turns into a thick paste. Once prepared, the dessert is then served on the day of Nauruz.[43]

National

Other

See also

References

  1. ISBN 0-7787-9335-4
    . Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "Article Sixteen of the Constitution of Afghanistan". 2004. Archived from the original on October 28, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012. From among the languages of Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmani, Baluchi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri (alsana), Arab and other languages spoken in the country, Pashto and Dari are the official languages of the state.
  3. ^ "Country Profile: Afghanistan" (PDF). Library of Congress. August 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  4. ^ "A brief history of Afghanistan". November 2, 2008.
  5. ISBN 9781135189792.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  6. ^ "The remarkable rugs of war, Drill Hall Gallery". The Australian. July 30, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021.
  7. ^ American Institute of Afghanistan Studies. "Afghanistan (an academic journal) published by Edinburgh University Press". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  8. JSTOR 521889
    .
  9. ^ "Redeeming the Pashtun, the ultimate warriors - Macleans.ca".
  10. ISSN 0882-7729
    . Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "It's Bollywood all the way in Afghanistan". The Hindu. Archived from the original on October 16, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  12. ^ "Afghanistan Music, Traditional Instrumental Music of Afghanistan". Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  13. ^ "Classical Dari and Pashto Poets". Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  14. ^ Ehsan, Said (1997). "Ustad Khalilullah Khalili". Afghanmagazine.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2010.
  15. ^ Kohzad, Yousef (2000). "Kharaabat". Afghanmagazine.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  16. ^ Zellem, Edward. 2012. "Zarbul Masalha: 151 Afghan Dari Proverbs". Charleston: CreateSpace.
  17. ^ Zellem, Edward. 2012. "Afghan Proverbs Illustrated". Charleston: CreateSpace.
  18. ^ "The Kabul market that sells birds from around the world". BBC News.
  19. ^ "SPACH: Society for the Preservation of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage". Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  20. ^ قسمت پنجم خانه های زیبا در جاغوری و قیمت زمین در سنگماشه. Rosta TV. January 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Afghanistan - Political process".
  22. ^ Cultural Profiles Project: Afghanistan Family Life
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  24. ^ "World's Oldest Oil Paintings Found in Afghanistan". Fox News. April 24, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  25. ^ "In Pictures: How Afghanistan's turquoise pottery sprung back to life". In Pictures: How Afghanistan's turquoise pottery sprung back to life. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  26. ^ "4. Basic forms of traditional dress".
  27. ^ "Clothing".
  28. ^ "Afghan Skater Profile: Hanifa Qayoumi | Skateistan US". Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  29. ^ "Sports". Pajhwok Afghan News. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  30. ^ a b "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. www.cia.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  31. ^ "Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation". The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity. Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. August 9, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
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  33. The San Francisco Chronicle
    . Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  34. Tolo News
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  35. ^ a b c "Education". United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  36. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. ^ "Ghazni governor signs memorandum for Lincoln Learning Center".
  38. ^ "Rising literacy in Afghanistan ensures transition".
  39. ^ Farmer, Ben (November 30, 2011). "Sesame Street to be broadcast in Afghanistan". Kabul: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  40. ^ DeMott, Rick (December 1, 2011). "Sesame Street To Debut In Afghanistan". AWN News. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
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  42. ^ Lt. j.g. Keith Goodsell (March 7, 2011). "Key Afghan, US leadership plant trees for Farmer's Day". United States Central Command. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021.
  43. ^ "An Introduction to Afghanistan Culture" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2017.

Further reading

Folktale collections

External links

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