Afghanistan, with its
traces of the first human inhabitation found thirty millenniums ago, was the
important passage for the human migration in the region on the historic pathway
known as “Silk Road”. Throughout centuries the traditional and nomadic life
style of the Afghani people has never changed. The main ethnic communities of
Afghanistan are Pashtuns , Tajiks,
Hazara and Uzbeks. Kuchi tribes, from the Persian word koch meaning
"migration", are Afghan Pashtun nomads. They mostly keep sheep and goats and the produce of
the animals (meat, dairy products, hair and wool) is exchanged or sold in order
to purchase grain, vegetables, fruit and other products of settled life. In
this way an extensive network of exchange has developed along the main routes
annually followed by the nomads.
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| Kuchi nomad tribe |
The majority of Afghan
clothing found abroad comes from neighbouring Pakistan. Afghanistan has been at war almost constantly since
1979 and decades of devastation created the need for many to sell their
personal jewellery and traditional clothing. UN sanctions in the early 21st
century necessitated a lot of cross-border indirect trade. Items are shipped
through the bazaars in Pakistan since there was formerly no direct trade with
Afghanistan.
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| Bazaar in Pakistan |
Buying Afghan items may
be very tricky. You might be lucky to get some antique silver, but much of the
truly older Afghan jewellery is in the hands of private collectors now, although
some dealers continue to offer vintage or antique items.
Most tribal clothing and
jewellery on the market today is a mix of the old and the new. Displaced
Afghanis make belts, for example, by using remnants of vintage embroidered
fabric and lining them with new cotton and attaching reproduction pendants and
old coins. Some belts are made entirely of reproduction pendants now, newly
made copies of traditional nomad designs.
The traditional dress of
Afghanistan was very tremendous and elegant; especially the traditional women
attire is so unique for its beautiful embroidery, which is mostly handmade.
Having a complex and ancient historical background the traditional dress of
Afghanistan has also gone through many variations and fashions.
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| Traditional Afghan dress |
The women usually wear a
long dress, which is made with cotton fabric with a combination of various
colours, however, for preparing the expensive dresses, rugs and carpets, silk
was also an important raw material.
The long
lasting cultural exchange between Greece, Persia and Turkey resulted in the
introduction of Persian, Greek and Islamic symbolism to the designs in weaving,
embroidery and woodcarvings. There was also a cultural exchange happening with
India. Afghan traders, mercenaries and soldiers traveled there on a regular
basis. With close attention, the influence of all these people can be seen in
the artistic works created by Afghans today. The carpets woven by the Turkmen,
the woodcarvings of the Nuristanis, and the embroidery of the Pushtun and
Hazaara women are some examples.
The Scythians
men were warriors and craftsmen. The women were weavers and embroider of
extreme talent and artistry. They have created magnificent robes and dresses
that were embellished with gold studs and silk embroidery. Quite often, these
regal dresses were worn for their everyday use. Although, they changed when
doing household chores such as building fire to bake breads and cook and wash
clothes.
When we speak
of traditional Afghan women’s dresses, most often the dress of the Pashtunes
comes to mind. But the dresses created by Hazaara, Baluchi, Nuristani and
Turkmen women are also of immense beauty and adorned with exquisite embroidery.
The art of
embroidery is almost exclusive domain of the women throughout Afghanistan. Most
girls begin learning it at an early age, usually at age five or six. Once they
master the basic steps, typically when they are in their teens, the girls spend
all their free time embroidering clothes and other textiles in preparation for
their dowries.
Embroidery
techniques are passed down from mother to daughter. Each dress created by the
women can be viewed as a distinctive work of art in which their life stories
are told by incorporating personal symbols and elements to the more traditional
designs. With the exception of the Nuristani clothes, most women in Afghanistan
choose colourful fabrics to make their clothes.
Clothes are
usually stitched by hand. Much care and attention will be give to the men
outfit for a neat finish. Women’s dresses are always long and loose with room
to grow up, gain weight or get pregnant. Sometime a pleat around skirts and
sleeves are sewed for a better fit and opened later needed for the fabric
shrinkage or growing taller. Although Afghan women are skilful in embroidery
and color coordination, they don’t use matching threads, or even one colour to
finish a garment. With limited access in the villages, they have one or two
colour threats at home for all their daily use. At times, they tear a piece of
the same fabric to pull the threats, twine and sew with it.
