The Historical Origins Of Afghan Rugs: A Cultural Legacy From Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South Central Asia, bordering Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. It is a multi-ethnic society, with various ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. The largest ethnic groups are Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazaras, who make up approximately 95% of the population.

The term Afghan can refer to a national of Afghanistan, or someone with ancestry from the country. It is also used to refer specifically to the Pashtun ethnic group. The country's name, Afghanistan, translates to land of the Afghans, or land of the Pashtuns.

Afghan Americans are Americans with ancestry from Afghanistan, and form the largest Afghan community in North America.

Afghanistan's diverse ethnic, linguistic and tribal groups

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south-central Asia, with a rich history and diverse ethnic, linguistic, and tribal groups. The country's population is estimated to be around 43 million, with over 60% of the population under 25 years of age.

The country is home to various ethnolinguistic groups, with the most common being the Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks. These four groups make up approximately 95% of the population. Other significant populations include the Nuristani, Aimak, Turkmen, and Baloch people, among others.

The Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group, are believed to make up around 40-50% of the population and are predominantly Sunni Muslims. They are distinguished by their unique pre-Islamic tribal culture, Pashtunwali, and speak Pashto, a language related to Persian.

The Tajiks, the second-largest group, make up around 25-30% of the population and are predominantly Sunni Muslims as well. They are native Persian speakers and are known for their high levels of education and wealth relative to other groups.

The Hazaras, one of the largest ethnic groups, are predominantly Shi'a Muslims and speak a dialect of Dari known as Hazaragi. They reside throughout Afghanistan, particularly in the central mountain region of Hazarajat.

The Uzbeks, a Turkic ethnic group, make up around 9% of the population and are also predominantly Sunni Muslims. They are fluent in Southern Uzbek and are known for their nomadic herding traditions.

While these four groups are the most prominent, Afghanistan is incredibly diverse, with numerous other ethnic, linguistic, and tribal groups contributing to the country's rich cultural tapestry.

The country's history of conflict and its impact on Afghan culture

Afghanistan has a long history of conflict, with the country having been invaded by the likes of Alexander the Great, the Persians, the Mongols, the British, the Soviet Union, and a US-led coalition. Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan's history has been dominated by extensive warfare, including coups, invasions, insurgencies, and civil wars.

The country's history of conflict has had a profound impact on Afghan culture. Afghans have rarely experienced peace, with an entire generation of Afghans having come of age knowing nothing but war. The constant conflict has produced generations of Afghans who tend to hold a stronger sense of loyalty for their kin, tribe, or ethnicity than their national identity.

The conflict has also led to a high occurrence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among the Afghan population. Afghans who fled to Western countries during the conflict often had their entire homes and villages destroyed, and do not possess any memorabilia. As a result, they may experience discrimination, worsening the trauma.

The conflict has also led to a high level of food insecurity in the country. 92% of the population faces some level of food insecurity, and 3 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Some regions are currently facing famine.

The conflict has also had a significant impact on the education system in Afghanistan. The country's education system worsened following the 1979 Soviet invasion, causing many migrants in the late 20th century to place less emphasis on educational attainment.

The conflict has also led to a breakdown in the country's infrastructure and economy. The US military in 2017 relaxed its rules of engagement for airstrikes in Afghanistan, resulting in a dramatic increase in civilian casualties. The war has also left the country's land contaminated with unexploded ordnance, which kills and injures tens of thousands of Afghans, especially children, as they go about their daily lives.

The conflict has also exacerbated the effects of poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, lack of access to healthcare, and environmental degradation on Afghans' health. The war has inflicted invisible wounds, with two-thirds of Afghans suffering from mental health problems, according to a 2009 report by the Afghan Ministry of Public Health.

The role of Islam in Afghan society

Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan, with approximately 99.7% of the population being Muslim. The country is a Sunni Islamic Republic, with around 90% of the population practising Sunni Islam, and the remaining 10% practising Shia Islam. Islam is a central and pervasive influence in Afghan society, with religious observances punctuating the rhythm of each day and season.

The cultural and national identity of Afghanistan is deeply shaped by Islam. This is reflected in dress, dietary codes, regular prayers, and language. For example, reverence to Allah (God) is evident in the way many people speak; it is common to slip praise into casual conversation. Although the vast majority of Afghans believe in God and the holy Qur’an, not all may be formally educated in the religion. Low literacy in Afghanistan means that some people may have never read passages of the Qur'an and rely on others who have memorised the holy text to pass on the word of God.

Islam is a totalitarian way of life and functions as a comprehensive code of social behaviour, regulating all human relationships. Individual and family status depends on the proper observance of the society's value system, which is based on concepts defined in Islam, such as honesty, frugality, generosity, virtuousness, piousness, fairness, truthfulness, tolerance, and respect for others.

The religious establishment has several levels. Any Muslim can lead informal groups in prayer. Mullahs who officiate at mosques are appointed by the government after consultation with their communities and are partially financed by the government. They are also dependent on community contributions, including shelter and a portion of the harvest. Mullahs are supposed to be versed in the Qur'an, Sunnah, Hadith, and Shariah, and they must ensure that their communities are knowledgeable in the fundamentals of Islamic ritual and behaviour. They often function as paid teachers, responsible for religious education classes held in mosques, where children learn basic moral values and correct ritual practices. Their role also has additional social aspects, as they officiate on the occasion of life crisis rituals associated with births, marriages, and deaths.

Rural mullahs are not part of an institutionalised hierarchy of clergy. Most are part-time mullahs, also working as farmers or craftsmen. Some are barely literate, or only slightly more educated than the people they serve. They are often treated with scant respect and are the butt of jokes about their arrogance and ignorance. However, their role as religious arbiters forces them to take positions on issues that have political ramifications, and since mullahs often disagree with one another, they are frequently perceived as disruptive elements within their communities.

Afghanistan has struggled with sectarian tensions between its Sunni and Shia populations. Sunni-dominated governments have a history of discriminating against minority Shiites. The Taliban, a radicalised Sunni terrorist insurgency group, continues to target and kill members of minority religious communities over their beliefs. They often attack Shia places of worship or religious ceremonies.

Islam represents a potentially unifying symbolic system, which offsets the divisiveness that frequently arises from the existence of deep pride in tribal loyalties and a strong sense of personal and family honour found in multi-tribal and multi-ethnic societies such as Afghanistan.

The importance of family in Afghan culture

Family is the single most important aspect of life in Afghanistan. Afghan culture is collectivist, with people generally putting their family's interests before their own. Family responsibilities are often prioritised over personal needs, and loyalty to one's family supersedes obligations to one's tribe or ethnicity.

Family matters are kept strictly private, and people are often reluctant to share personal issues with non-family members. One's ethnicity is an instant cultural identifier in Afghanistan and usually defines people's social organisation.

The most common ethnic groups are the Pashtuns, Tajiks and Hazaras, but there are also significant populations of Uzbeks, Nuristanis, Aimaks, Turkmen and Baloch people.

The family unit is patriarchal, with a traditional age hierarchy prevailing. The eldest male has the most authority and decision-making power, and controls all family spending. Men carry the economic burden of the family and are often the sole breadwinners. Women are largely in charge of domestic chores, cooking, raising children, and entertaining guests.

Children are expected to show reverence and deference to their parents and elders. Disobedience is seen as extremely disrespectful and punishable behaviour. However, even at a mature age, Afghans are expected to respect their parents' wishes and take advice from their elders.

Afghan households are generally large and multigenerational. It is customary for women to move in with their husband's family when they marry. Adult children usually live with their parents or in-laws throughout their lives.

Afghanistan's landlocked location and its neighbouring countries

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Southern-Central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north, and China to the far northeast. It also has a short border with India in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Afghanistan's location at the crossroads of Central and South Asia has made it a highly desirable territory for invading empires throughout history. The country's forbidding landscape of mountains and deserts has laid many imperial ambitions to rest, as has the tireless resistance of its fiercely independent peoples.

Afghanistan's neighbours have been bracing for an influx of Afghan refugees following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. They are also adjusting to a new diplomatic reality, with countries such as Pakistan, Russia, and India having had established contacts with the Taliban prior to their takeover.

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