Kafirs Of Hindukush

The Kafirs were the historic inhabitants of Kafirstan , on the southern slopes of Hindukush . They were a warlike, fiercely independent people, with distinctive culture, language, and religion. They numbered about 60,000 at some unspecified date.

In 1895 , following their conquest by Amir Abdur Rahman Khan , the people and the country were converted to Islam and renamed Nuris (''The Enlightened Ones'') and Nurestan (''Land of Light''), respectively.

ETYMOLOGY

According to the conventional Etymology , the name "Kafir" derives from Arabic '' Kafir '', commonly translated into English as ''infidels'' or ''idolaters''. Kafirstan then would be ''The Land of the Infidels''. This explanation would justify the renaming of the country after its Islamization.

However, some historians claim that this is a False Etymology , and that the local name "Kafir" in fact comes from ''Kapish''or ''Kapishi'', the ancient Sanskrit name of the region that included historic Kafirstan; which is also given as ''Kipin'' in old Chinese sources. That name, unrelated to the Arabic word, would have at some point mutated into ''Kapir''. Supporters of this theory point out that the name of king Kanishika, who once ruled that region, is also found written as "Kanerika", an example of "sh" mutating to "r". They also note that the dominant Kafir clan before Islamization was called ''Katir''.

The second change from ''Kapir'' to ''Kafir'', may have occurred spontaneously, since the exchange of "p" by "f" is fairly common in Indo-European Languages . It may also have been the result of confusion or intentional word-play with the Arabic word, since the Kafirs were indeed Pagan s until 1895.

Sources for etymology

Motichandra - change of Kapish to Kapir.

J. L. Kamboj - change of Kapir(stan) to Kafir(stan) by unconscious(?) Arabic ''kufr'' influence.

Chatterjee, Cultural Heritage of India Vol I, p 44 - change of Kapistan (attested in Arabic sources?) to Kafirstan, by Arabic ''kufr'' influence.

Levi - Kipin is Chinese word for Kapir.

L. Petech, E. J. Rapson, S Konow, P. C. Bagchi - Chinese Kipin is Sanskrit Kapishi.

S. Levi - Sanskrit terms Kapisha and Kamboja , also Persian Kambujiya (= Greek Kambyses ) are different forms of some Proto-Indo-Iranian name "which could not have appropriately been transliterated into ancient Sanskrit language" (S. Levi).

CLASSIFICATION OF KAFIRS

Prior to the 1895 Islamization, the Kafir were socially organized into several tribes, which were conventionally classified into two major groups, the ''Siah-Posh'' (or the black-robed) and the ''Safed-Posh'' (or the white-robed) category depending on the color of the robes they wore. That classification was neither scientific nor convenient. While the Siah-Posh clans have much in common in dress, language, customs and appearance among themselves, the Safed-Posh clans, on the other hand, are not only very dissimilar from the Siah-Posh clans, but also from each other. George Scott Robertson, therefore, has re-classified the Hindukush Kafirs more scientifically into the following divisions:

The Siah-Posh (black-robed) Kafirs

The Siah-Posh or black-robed Kafirs consist of one very large and widely spread Clan , the Katirs, and four smaller clans, the Kam, the Madugalis, the Kashtan or Kashtoz, and the Gourdesh.

Siah-Posh Katirs

The Katirs numerically, are probably the more important than all the remaining tribes put together. They own several valleys, having a total of about forty settlements and numbering about 40,000 (1890). Each clan of the Katir community is independent of the others but they all acknowledge the same origin and a general relationship. The Katirs inhabiting various valleys as Siah-Posh communities entirely independent of one another but all acknowledge a common origin and a general relationship to the others.

=Katirs of Bashgul Valley

This Kaitr clan inhabits the Bashgul Valley from Badawan to Sunra in the border of Madugal country. It owns twelve villages beside small settlements.

=Katirs of Kti Valley

The Kati or Katawar clan is a small independent subdivision of the Katirs, who live in the Kati Valley. They own two settlements in all.

=Katirs of the Kulam Country

The Kulam Katirs live in Kulam country and own four villages.

=Katirs of Ramgul Valley

The Ramgulis or Gabariks are the most numerous division among the Katir Kafirs. The live in the most western parts of Kafirstan on the Afghan frontier. They inhabit several side tracts beside the main valley from which they take the name of Ramgul Kafirs. They own about twenty four large settlements.

Siah-Posh Kams or Kamoz

The second major clan from the Siah-Posh tribe are the ''Kams'' (or Kamoz of George Robertson: See Kafirs of the Hindukush, p 71). M. Elphinstone calls them '''Camoze''', '''Caumojee''' and '''Camoje'''. This people inhabit the lower Bashgul and the lateral valleys from the confines of Madugal country to the Kunar Valley . Kams owned more than seven major and several small settlements and numbered approximately twenty thousands (1890). One of their village is named ''Kamu'' (Kambu) and their military head-quarters are known as ''Kamdesh'' or Kambrom. The country of the Kams is called ''Kamstan''.

The Kams (Kamoz) are said to be the fiercest and most intractable of all Kafirs and the most to be dreaded for their Military prowess. They hold much better together, and it is for this reason that, though not a numerous people, they are greatly respected by the neighboring tribes as well as by Chitralis and the Pathan s. The Kams control the destiny of Bashgul valley and are said to be its virtual kings (George Roberston).

Siah-Posh Mumans or Madugals

Numerically, the Mumans or Madugal occupy next position to Kams. They occupy a short tract of country between the Kams and the Katirs of Bashgul Valley. They have three large settlements and few smaller ones.

Siah-Posh Kashtoz or Kashtans

The Kashtoz own one large village called Kashtan beside few small settlements. The village is close to and west of Kamdesh .

Siah-Posh Gourdesh or Istrat

There is a little colony of Siah-Posh Kafirs at Gourdesh or Istrat which an extremely overcrowded village. The Gourdesh folk are said to be very different from all the other Siah-Posh Kafirs and to be, in great part, a remnant of an ancient people called Aroma. They formerly hailed from Aromabrom which had been a great village up in the Arungul Valley .

The dialectic variations of ''Kati'', the language spoken by all the five clans of the Siah-Posh denomination, are very slight and mutually intelligible. The Kafirs of the first four divisions of Siah-Posh denominations have a common origin.

Presunguli or Viron Kafirs

The Presungulis are also known as Virons. They live in a high valley called Presengul. They are stated to be very ancient people, and probably the Aborigines or otherwise the earliest immigrants of their area. The Presuns are entirely different from the Siah-Posh tribes on one hand and the Wais and Ashkuns of the Sfed-Posh denomination on the other. They own six large villages. Simple, timid, stolid-featured and rather clumsy, they are otherwise remarkable for their industry and powers of endurance.

Waiguli Kafirs

The ''Wai'' Kafirs are the most important clan of the Sfed-Posh denomination. Like the Kams, the Wais are very brave, warlike and handsome people. They are remarkable for their hospitality. The language they speak is quite different from the Kati on the one hand and the Prasuni on the other. Wais own about ten villages (1890).

Ashkun Kafirs

The ''Ashkun'' (or Yeshkun) Kafirs are a small and less known tribe of the so-called Sfed-Posh group. In physical characteristics, they are friendly to the Waigulis and seem related to them, but the language of the Ashkuns is quite different and mutually un-intelligible from the Wais and the Presuns. The Ashkuns owned two settlements.

The combined group of the Presun, Wai and Ashkun Kafirs was formerly known as ''Sfed-Posh'' (white robed) or ''Lal-Posh'' (red-robed) Kafirs. But George Robertson has rejected this classification as being both inconvenient and unscientific.

SLAVE POPULATION

Besides the major tribal groups of Kafirs as described above, there is a Slave population, usually a war captives, or purchased from other Kafir tribes. They perform menial work and include craftsmen like carpenters, blacksmiths, wood-carvers, weavers, drummers etc. All slaves are considered impure and are prohibited from approaching the Shrine or house of a priest. House slaves live with the family which own them and enjoy higher status than the artisan slaves. A portion of slave population are probably the remnant of ancient people subjugated and enslaved by the present dominant tribes. All slaves seem to wear the Siah-Posh dress.

KAFIR LANGUAGES

(Indian), Iranian and the ''Kafiri'' (language of Kafirs). Kafiri comprises Kati, Waiguli and the Presuni as its main Dialect s, where the Kati is the most common and is spoken by the predominant Siah-Posh tribal group. Kati is a Prakritic and has several sub-dialects but the employers of one seem to understand all the others. The other two dialects, the Wai and Presuni, have no similarity between them as also with the Kati of the Siah-Posh. Geographically Kafiristan is located in the middle of India and Iran and thus Linguistic ally the group of Kafiri dialects naturally has similarities with both the Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups. The dialects of the Kafiri coincide with the distribution of the Kafir Tribe s in Kafirstan. Kafiri has no Writing System .

Kafirs maintain that very young children from any valley can acquire the Wai speech but only those born in Presun can ever converse in Presuni and still only roughly. To non-Presun ears it is disconcertingly difficult and perhaps impossible to learn Presuni.

KAFIR MARRIAGE

The Kafir society is Polygamous as well as Exogamous . Marriage within one's own and mother's Clan is prohibited. A Kafir mostly has more than one wife, but rarely more than five. It is a reproach to own only one wife. Marriage is a simple bargain business where a wife is purchased of her parents by settling the price. A Goat is then killed and a feast is given to formalize the marriage. Kafir takes possession of all of his dead brothers' wives. The divorce is simple as a man can always send her wife away.

KAFIR WOMEN

Little respect is shown to women folk except in particular cases to a few of advanced years. Usually the women are mistresses, slaves and field-workers. Physically, they are capable of enormous labour and are very enduring. The young girls are very beautiful but as they grow, their faces wear out due to harsh physical labor. While the responsibility for the defense and maintaining grazing grounds & live stock falls on the males, that of agriculture and field-work falls on the females. The women are usually considered a chattel and have no rights as against their husbands or, failing them, their male relations. They cannot inherit or possess property.

KAFIR RELIGION

Before their forcible conversion by Abdur Rahman, the Kafirs were practitioners of ancient pre-Islamic traditions. There were lingering traces of ancestor-worship and fire-worship. The Kafir religion was a strange mixture of Zoroastrian Ritual s, Hindu beliefs, Buddhist tenets and quaint Ceremonies and Paganism reminiscent of the Mythology of Greece . Imra (from Hindu Yama (=Yamaraja), Zoroastrian Yima ) was the supreme god of Kafirstan. He was the god of creation. God Moni was the chief Prophet of god Imra. Gish or ''Great Gish'' was the god of war, and was extremely popular among the Bashagul Kafirs. H. A. Rose in his Glossary of Tribes and Castes, identifies god ''Gish'' with the Hindu god ''Kishna'' or Krishna (Krishna appears as Gisane in Armenian ). Besides, there were other gods of lesser significance.

KAFIR CHARACTERISTICS

Both the Kafirs and Afghans are Brigand s by instinct and both are careless of human life. Perhaps the Kafirs are the worst of the two in both respects, but an Afghan makes the account more than even by his added perfidy and cunning (Robertson).

All the neighboring Musulman Tribe s have an intense hatred of the Kafirs because of the injuries the former have received at the hands of the Kafirs through the ages. The Kafirs love to dance to their war god Gish after killing Musulman s.

The Kafirs love to fight. Their inter-tribal hatred, sometimes, goes to the limits of absurdity, thus entirely deadening their political foresight. It is probable that there is no single Tribe of Kafirs at the present day Kafirstan which is at peace with all other tribes. Some of their inter-tribal wars have continued for generations, and the one between the Kamoz and Katirs of Ramgulis went over a century.

The Kafirs are highly revengeful. For honor's sake, a man of any position in the Clan (even the slave) having been killed by an outsider clan must be avenged by blood. No matter what, a murder has to be avenged under all circumstances.

Blood-feuds within a Tribe do not exist, but if a fight did start, it was the duty of all witness to intervene at once. The slayer of his fellow, even by accident, has to pay a heavy compensation or else become an Outcast . The stigma attaches itself to children and their marriage connexions. Kafirs have true conceptions of justice. There is no death penalty since a fighting male is too valuable a property of the whole tribe to be so wasted.

Though in his raids into hostile territories, whether of Kafirs or Musulman s, the Kafir spares neither men, nor women, nor even children and though, he holds human life as of very little account, and though in hunting, he appears to employ brutal methods of getting his game, yet he is not cruel by nature. Though highly passionate and wildly independent, the Kafir can be easily appeased. Though exasperated to such fury by centuries of persecutions by Musulmans, the Kafirs, in general, are harmless, affectionate and kind hearted people. They are indeed a model of politeness. They are merry, playful, fond of laughter and of very social and joyous disposition. The Kafirs are splendidly loyal to their friends and are accustomed to grandest acts of self-sacrifice and bravery. Kafirs are very hospitable. They are kind even to a Musulman when they admit him as their friend or guest.

The Kafirs are remarkable for their cupidity. They can be easily bribed, can do anything for money. But in matters of honor, no Kafir can ever be won by any amount of cash, whatsoever (Robertson).

Kafirs are extremely jealous of one another, no matter how they have intermarried. Kafir hates Kafir more than he hates Musulmans, which sometimes leads to internecine strife.

It is as natural for a Kafir to thieve, as it is for him to eat. The children are encouraged to steal.

Kafirs are remarkable for their reckless courage, furious bravery and towering love for freedom.

The war strategy of Kafirs is to wear down the enemy by playing purely defensive tactics. They hold positions, form little ambushes, and seek to cut off stragglers and harass the invaders in every possible way. Then when the enemy, from accumulated losses, begins to retreat, the tiger-footed Kafirs attack him on all sides like a swarm of hornets. At this point, the dogged resistance turns into furious bravery. A Kafir never fights so well as when the advantage is to his side. He plays a winning game splendidly. Each man tries to emulate the traditional heroes of his tribe and will performs some of the grandest deeds of courage and heroism to gain the admiration of his tribal fellows.

The Kafir of Bashgul is ever on the raid and on watch for a chance for a Musulman's life. The killing of Musulmans is ranked the chief object of a Kafir's life since his social position is dependent on the number of Musulmans he kills. A ''robe of honor'' (a Shawl) is awarded to those who have killed four or more Musulmans.

In Kafir opinion, a ''good man'' is one who is a successful homicide, ever ready to quarrel, of an amorous disposition, a good dancer, and a good stone-quoit player.

A Kafir exudes impression of personal dignity, self-respect, self-confidence, strength and gracefulness.

Kafir Society is essentially Democratic and the Kafirs are theoretically all equal.

The Kafirs, as seen above, seem to be as degraded in many respects as it is possible for this type ever to become. If it were not their splendid courage, their domestic affections and their overpowering love of freedom, the Kafirs would indeed be a hateful people. In other respects, they are what they have been made by uncontrollable circumstances. For them, the world has not grown softer as it has grown older. Its youth could not be crueler than its present maturity, but if they had been different, the Kafirs would have been enslaved centuries ago. Their present ideas and all the associations of their history and religion are simply bloodshed, assassinations and blackmailing; yet the Kafirs, though a highly wild people, are not Savage s. Many of them have the heads of Statesmen and Philosopher s. Their features are Aryan s and their mental capabilities are great. Their love of decoration, their carving and their architecture all point to a time when they ''were higher in human scale than they are at present'' (Roberson).

KAFIRS AND THE KAMBOJAS

The earlier view was that the Kafirs were descendants of an once powerful people who came from the west. But Anthropological data suggests that they are a remnant of original Aryan population of Eastern Afghanistan . They appears to be ''a mixture'' of an extremely ancient element related to oldest known population of central Himalaya s (''the Presuns''), the element with resemblance to the Kurd s and a type with Nordic traits (''the Siah-Posh/Wai groups'') which goes back to the ancient prototype of these races preserved in the midst of Indo-Aryan ascendancy.

According to Robertson, the present dominant clans of Kafirstan, the Katirs (Kamtoz), the Kams (Kamoz) and the Wais are mainly descended from the ancient Aryan population of Eastern Afghanistan, who refused to embrace Islam in tenth century, and fled for refuge from victorious Musulmans to the hilly fastnesses of Kafirstan

Parts of Kaffirstan (Nuristan) formed a portion of the Greek strapy of the Paropamisadae in the fouth and third century BCE. The people of the region were then called Kambojas and described as of mixed Indo-Iranian descent. Possibly, they occupied much wider area then and were gradually forced to their present mountaneous fastnesses by the Muslim onslaught during medieval era. One of their dominant clans is still known as Kam or Kamoz , while the other is called Kamtoz , which remind us of the name Kamboja (Donald Wilber, W. K. Fraser Tytler, M. C. Gillett, Dr Raychaudhury, Dr S Chattopadhyaya etc).

Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval India notes that the Siah-Posh tribe living in Hindukush descended from the ancient Kambojas.

Discussing the Kambojas, Dr Wilson also notes that there is an apparent trace of their (''Kamboja's'') name in the Camojes of Kafirstan who may have retreated to the mountains before the advance of the Turk Tribe s (See: Vishnu Purana, H. H. Wilson)

The physiognomic features and other physical characteristics of the Siahposh tribes resemble those of the Kamboj population of greater Panjab . Like the (''unmixed'') Kamboj, they have fairly tall stature, fair-body color, light brown or some times green eyes, brown and some times blond hair, slender and straight or acquiline noses, high physical and mental tenacity & stamina etc.

LOGIC OF GREEK INFLUENCE ON THE KAFIRS

There are some points of resemblance between the present Kafirs and the ancient Greek sacrificial observances and in some of their domestic utensils like the wooden dish stand of the Wai Kafirs. They seem to be fashioned in Grecian mould. The Sports and Games among the Kafirs ( Wrestling and Shot Put etc.) are said to have been practiced in the ancient Olympics . Traces of Greek influence are also often quoted as visible in Kafir Music . Some further Greek cultural elements can also partly be identified in Kafiristan.

It can therefore, be fairly conjectured that some of these Kafir tribes are still influenced, as the ancient Eastern Afghanistan Population was influenced by the Greeks (Robertson).

It is also stated by some that the Kafir physiognomic features follow those of the South- European characteristics.

Based on above, some writers tend to claim that the present Kafirs may have descended from the Armies of Alexander The Great . But the above factors may only imply Greek cultural and social influence on the ancestors of the Kafirs and in no-way they establish any ethnic connection between the Kafirs and the Greeks.

The Greeks or Yavana s were apparently in the minority in India n Sub-continent , and the majority of ancient Kafirs were a different Race from the Yavanas. Any subsequent ancient Greek influence would have been easily adopted by the Kafir ancestors because of their geographical closeness. The ancient Greeks are known to have greatly excelled in the natural sciences and medicine, and therefore, though barbarians in Brahmanical view, they were still regarded with honor on this very count. The ancient Kambojas appear to have borrowed heavily from these scientific Greeks.

It is indisputable fact of history that the Yavana s and their good ancient neighbors, the Kambojas had shared common culture and social customs like short-cropping of their head-hair (''Kamboja mundah Yavana mundah''), observing only ''two social classes'' such as Arya (master) and Dasa (slave) (''Yonakambojaseu annesu cha panchchantimesu janapadesu dvea vanna''), and non-entertainment of the Brahmin s in their countries and so forth.

The present social structure of the Kafirs also follows two social classes i.e ''freeman'' and the ''slaves'' which obviously alludes to their links to the ancient ''Kamboja-Yona'' group.

The classical expression ''Yonekambojesu'' of the Buddhist texts as well as of king Ashoka 's Edicts also betrays very close relationships between the Kambojas and the Yonas or Yavanas.

Thus, the ancient Kambojas were indeed very deeply influenced by the ancient Greeks or the Yavanas, and this fact is still visible ''in an isolated community like the Kafirs'', as has been noted by George Robertson and some other observers.

It is also an indisputable fact of history that the ancient Kambojas had followed Republican constitution. The isolated Kafir society is essentially still Democratic and the Kafirs are theoretically all equal as reported by Robertson. ''This fact again seems to connect present Kafirs with the ancient Kambojas''.

The ''shot put'' and ''wrestling'' argument suggested by some to establish ethnic connection between the Kafirs and the Greeks also does not carry conviction.

The ancient Kambojas and Yonas are both known to have been good ''wrestlers'' as is corroborated by Mahabharata evidence (''Tata Yavana. Kamboja......niya.yuddhah. kushalah''...See: MBH 12/101/5).

And, the ''shot put'' has also been ''very popular in Panjab including the Kamboj population since ancient times''.

Similarly, the ''stone-quoit'' is also popular game among the Kafirs as it is also among the Kambojs and other people of Panjab.

Since very close social and cultural intimacies are known to have existed between the Yavanas and the ancient Kambojas, this must have led to very intimate Cultural and Social admixture among these two neighboring tribes. The question of Greek influence on Kafir ''music'' can therefore, be very easily explained in view of the above scenario.

Hence, to attribute Greek Lineage to the present Kafirs based on flimsy grounds like these, can at best, only be farfetched.

''The Siah-Posh tribe of the Kafirs is stated by numerous scholarship to be the modern descendants of ancient Kambojas'' (See: references at the end).

KAFIRS IN HISTORY

The first Muslim appellation of Kafirs occurs in 1020 CE in the writings of the historians of Mahmud of Ghazni .

Musulman historian Ibn al-Hussain Baihaki makes second reference to (Siah-Posh) Katirs and calls them Hindu s. He claims that 'all the Hindu Katirs were brought under the rule of Sultan Masud' (1033 CE) (Early History of India, I, p 128).

Third reference occurs in ''Tuzak-i-Timuri'' where the Kafirs came into conflict with Sultan Timur (1399 CE). Timur found the Siah-Posh tribes (Kators and Kams) apparently holding a Kingdom extending from the frontiers of Kashmir to mountains of Kabol and containing numerous villages and towns with capital at Jorkal. The ruler is stated to be Adalshu, Uda or Udasu. Timur describes the Katirs as men of a powerful frame and fair complexion, idolaters for most part, and speaking a tongue distinct from Turk i, Persian , Hindi or Kashmir i. Timur attacked the Katir strongholds reaching as far as Kashtur while ''prince Rustam'' advanced into the territories of the Kam Siahposh (See: ''Tuzak-i-Timuri'' p 400-408).

In fifteenth century, Sultan Mahmud , descendant of Sultan Timur led expedition against the Siah-Poshes and thereby earned the title of Ghazi.

Moghul Emperor Babur notes the ''Panjshir Musulmans'' as paying tribute to their neighbors, the ''Siah-Posh Katirs''.

Moghul emperor Akbar sent his son Jahangir in 1581 against the Siah-Posh Kafirs of the mountains of Katir.

Abu'l Fazl, in his history of Timur's expeditions, speaks of the ''Hindúán-i-Katir'', '' a country which is described as bounding territories of ''Buner, Swat and Bajaur'' on the north''.

In 1839, the Kafirs sent a deputation to ''Sir William Macnaghten'' in Jalalabad claiming relationship with the fair skinned British troops who had invaded the country.

NURESTANIS AND THE SOVIET INVASION

The former Kafir s are today's Nuristani s. They are a such a devout Musulmans now that, led by the Kams, these former Kafirs were the first citizens of Afghanistan to successfully Revolt against the Communist overthrow of their government in 1978. Thereafter, Nurestan remained a scene of some of the bloodiest guerrilla fighting with the Soviet forces from 1979 through 1989. The success of Nurestanis inspired other Afghans to rise up and contributed to the demise of the Soviet Union through ten years of war {Link without Title} .

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