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Attan
''Attan'' (), the national dance of Afghanistan, is a traditional dance originating from the tribal Pashtun regions. The dance is performed during weddings or other celebrations (engagements, weddings and informal gatherings). The Attan was also conducted by Pashtuns in times of war such as the British occupation and the Pashtun resistance movement, when Pashtuns used the dance to instil confidence and energy among warriors readying to battle the colonisers. It is now considered the national dance of Afghanistan, popularly carried by other ethnic groups in Afghanistan as well as by the Pashtun ethnic group in Pakistan. Attan is usually performed with a Dohol, which is a double-headed barrel drum. The dance can be anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes long. There are many different regional and tribal variations and styles of Attan, the most famous being Wardaki, Logari, Paktia, Khosti, Kandahari, and Herati. Depending on the region and tribe, there are different methods and styles of the ...
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Pashtun Culture
Pashtun culture () is based on Pashtunwali, as well as speaking of the Pashto language and wearing Pashtun dress. Pashtunwali and Islam are the two main factors which make the baseline for the social behavior in Pashtun society. Pashtuns are traditionally strict and conservative regarding the preservation of their culture. Pashtunwali as a social code of honor Being the world's largest tribal ethnicity, Pashtun society is guarded by a code of common rules, customs and social behaviors, known collectively as Pashtunwali. The code is based on personal honor and promotes courage, self-respect, independence, leadership, justice and hospitality. Traditional dress and clothing Headwear and turbans One of the trademark and historical headwear of Pashtun men is an adorned turban wrapped tightly around a hat with one of its ends loose over the shoulders, a sure sign and recognition of a Pashtun. The turban itself has been a symbol of pride and the center of many Pashto proverbs. ...
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Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ;), also known as Pakhtuns, or Pathans, are an Iranic ethnic group primarily residing in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They were historically also referred to as Afghans until 1964 after the term's meaning had become a demonym for all citizens of Afghanistan regardless of their ethnic group. The Pashtuns speak the Pashto language, which belongs to the Eastern Iranian branch of the Iranian language family. Additionally, Dari serves as the second language of Pashtuns in Afghanistan, while those in Pakistan speak Urdu and English. In India, the majority of those of Pashtun descent have lost the ability to speak Pashto and instead speak Hindi and other regional languages. There are an estimated 350–400 Pashtun tribes and clans with a variety of origin theories. In 2021, Shahid Javed Burki estimated the total Pashtun population to be situated between 60 and 70 million, with 15 million in Afghanistan. Others who accept the 1 ...
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Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran border, west, Turkmenistan to the Afghanistan–Turkmenistan border, northwest, Uzbekistan to the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border, north, Tajikistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, northeast, and China to the Afghanistan–China border, northeast and east. Occupying of land, the country is predominantly mountainous with plains Afghan Turkestan, in the north and Sistan Basin, the southwest, which are separated by the Hindu Kush mountain range. Kabul is the country's capital and largest city. Demographics of Afghanistan, Afghanistan's population is estimated to be between 36 and 50 million. Ancient history of Afghanistan, Human habitation in Afghanistan dates to the Middle Paleolithic era. Popularly referred to as the graveyard of empire ...
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Mahsud
The Mahsud (), also spelled as Mehsud, Mahsood and others, is a Karlani Pashtun tribe inhabiting mostly the South Waziristan Agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The Maseeds usually pronounce their name ''Māsīd''. They are divided into three great clans or subtribes, namely Alizai, Bahlolzai, and Shamankhel. Maseeds usually call these ''Drei Māsīd'', meaning the "Three Maseeds". Each tribe has his own Khan. A minor number of Maseed are settled in the Logar Province of Afghanistan, especially in Charkh District, Baraki barak and Muhammad Agha, but also in Wardak, Ghazni and Kunduz Provinces. The Maseeds also inhabit the center and north of South Waziristan valley, surrounded on three sides by the Darweshkhel Wazirs, and being shut off by the Bettanis Pashtun tribe on the east from the Derajat and Bannu districts. Two Pashtun tribes, the Ahmadzai Wazirs and the Maseeds (Mahsuds), inhabit and dominate South Waziristan. Within the heart of Maseed territ ...
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Dohol
A dohol () is a large cylindrical drum with two skinheads. It is generally struck on one side with a wooden stick bowed at the end, and with a large thin stick on the other side, though it is also played with the bare hands. It is the principal accompaniment for the Sorna. A similar instrument, the Dhol, is used in traditional Egyptian, Pakistani and Indian music. In Balochistan it mostly performed by forming a circle by a group of people, dancing and clapping. Do-Chapi almost always includes Sorna and Dohol. dohol and Tombak play at baloch weddings in Muscat. The dohol is largely played in Kurdistan with the zurna. In Iran The dohol in Iran is mostly played in wedding ceremonies and other celebrations. The dohol is mostly played with a ''sorna''. In Afghanistan The dohol in Afghanistan is mostly played on special ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies. The "Surnay or Sorna" is mostly played with it. The Afghan dance Attan is traditionally performed with both the Dohol and S ...
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Khattak Dance
The ''Khattak'' (Pashto: خټک اتڼ , ''Khattak attan'') is a swift martial ''attan'' dance usually performed while carrying a sword and a handkerchief (while not always are they holding a sword and handkerchief) by the tribesmen from the agile Khattak tribe of Pashtuns. ''Khattak'' dance is also a national dance of Pakistan. It was performed by Khattak warriors before going to wars in the time of Malik Shahbaz Khan Khattak and then Khushal Khan Khattak. It was used as a war-preparation exercise and is known to be the only dance with swordplay. Aside from the Pashtun's classical literature, popular ballads, the Pashtunwali (the common code of social values), the khattak is part of the group's collective identify. History It originated in the Pashtun regions of present-day Pakistan amongst the Khattak tribe of Pashtuns. It is a varied form of Athan, or Attan, which has been preserved in one of its earliest forms by members of the Khattak and other Pashtun tribes, including t ...
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Firaq Partug
Firaq partug is the traditional clothing of Pashtuns who reside in Afghanistan and Pakistan especially parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The origins of this clothing can be traced back to the Scythians, and it has evolved with regional variations, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the Pashtun people. The styles vary according to region and tribe, Kuchis, Wazirs, Khattaks, Peshawaris, and Kakars all have their own style of Firaq Partug. The outfits consists of three garments: chador, firaq and partug. The word Firaq partug comes from Pashto. Firaq means a flared shirt and partug means pants. Chador The chador is the head scarf which can be of varying lengths. Firaq Firaq refers to the upper garment which flows out from the waist, like a skirt, with some styles reaching to the ankles and other styles reaching below the knees. The firaq is also called qameez. Partug Partug is a type of shalwar and is the lower garment which is baggy, gathered at the ankles ...
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Waziristan
Waziristan (Persian language, Persian, Pashto, Ormuri, , ) is a mountainous region of the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Waziristan region administratively splits among three districts: North Waziristan, Lower South Waziristan District, and Upper South Waziristan District. Waziristan region, consisted of three districts, covers around and is mainly populated by the Burki, Wazir (Pashtun tribe), Mehsud, The Wolves, & Wazir Pashtun tribe, who speak the Waziri dialect of the Pashto language. Etymology The name "Waziristan" is associated with the ancestor of the Pashtun tribes, Mahsud, Mehsud (The Wolves), named Wazir. Both tribes descended from him and are predominantly settled in the Waziristan region. Overview and history Waziristan lies between the Tochi River, Kurram River and the Gomal River. It borders the Kurram Agency in the north, Bannu District, Bannu in the northeast, Tank, Pakistan, Tank in the east, Frontier Region Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ismail Kha ...
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Wardak Province
Wardak is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in Central Afghan highlands, central Afghanistan. Its capital is the closest provincial city to Kabul. Wardak Have 8 District. Wardak or Wardag (Dari/Pashto: ), is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the central region of Afghanistan. It is divided into eight Districts of Afghanistan, districts and has a population of approximately 500,000. The capital of the province is Maidan Shar, Maidan Shar(Maidan City), while the most populous district in the province is Saydabad District. Wardak is known for one of its famous high peak mountain known as (Shah Foladi). In 2021, the Taliban gained control of the province during the 2021 Taliban offensive. History During the Communist Afghanistan, communist times, the people of Wardak never gave significant support to the communist government, but the people of Maidan Shahr did sympathize with them. Wardak has also threatened uprisings against the Taliban in Saydabad, ...
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Mangal (Pashtun Tribe)
The Mangal () are a tribe of the Pashtun people residing in eastern Paktia and adjacent Khost provinces of Afghanistan, and in the town of Tari Mangal, district Kurram, Pirdil Khel, Fatima Khel and Surrani of Bannu Pakistan. Their land constitutes the northeastern part of the Loya Paktia (Greater Paktia) region. The Mangals descend from Karlani Pashtun lineage. Mangals have resisted the various militant groups in the region and other external infiltrators, nevertheless they have remained neutral in respect of recent conflicts. The majority of Mangals are spread across Afghanistan who among other Afghans have been attached to professions such as politicians, military commanders, teachers and scholars specializing in Pashto literature. The Mangal leaders are most recognized for settling tribal disputes and have established an unwritten code known as ''nerkh'', which the Pashtun tribes still use as a tool to resolve conflict among each other. A small number of Mangals residi ...
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Zadran (Pashtun Tribe)
The Zadran ( ''dzadrāṇ''; pronounced ''dzādroṇ'' in the Khost-Paktia dialect), also spelled Dzadran or Jadran, Jandran, zadroon, is a Pashtun tribe that inhabits the Loya or greater Paktia region in southeastern Afghanistan (Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces) and Kurram Agency parts of Waziristan in neighboring Pakistan. "Zadran: Pashtun tribe mainly residing in the “Zadran Arc” a 9-district area encompassing portions of the Khost, Paktia, and Paktika and Pakistan’s Kpk Balochistan Punjab provinces." The Zadran’s are a branch of the Karlani tribal confederacy. They are the largest Pashtun tribal group in Afghanistan's mountainous southeastern region, usually found in areas that are unsuitable for settled agricultural production. They have a reputation for militancy dating to the Soviet–Afghan War. Well-known Taliban fighter Jalaluddin Haqqani, who in later years headed the Haqqani network, is of the Zadran tribe himself, though he is recognized for ending ...
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Khost
Khōst () is the capital of Khost Province in Afghanistan. It is the largest city in the southeastern part of the country, and also the largest in the region of Loya Paktia. To the south and east of Khost lie Waziristan and Kurram Agency, Kurram in Pakistan. Khost is the home of Shaikh Zayed University. The Khost Airport is located in the Eastern Area Command (RAAF), eastern area of the city. Geography Khost is located about 150 kilometres south of Kabul. Khost lies on a plateau not below in elevation that extends to the east for about until the Pakistan border. Thirty kilometres, to the north the peaks rise up to while farther south away from the border, the average is around 1,800 m. Climate Khost has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification, Köppen ''BSk'' though very close to qualifying as ''BSh''). Khost is located in the "Khost Bowl", a valley with lower elevation than the surrounding highlands. The geography afforded more moderate weather conditions. With a ...
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