BURUSHO

BURUSHO

The Burusho or Brusho people live in the Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys of northern Pakistan. There are also over 300 Burusho living in Srinagar, India. They are predominantly Muslims. Their language, Burushaski, has not been shown to be related to any other. They have an East Asian genetic contribution, suggesting that at least some of their ancestry originates north of the Himalayas.

The Hunza people, or Hunzakuts, descend from the principality of Hunza. They live alongside the Wakhi and the Shina. The Wakhi reside in the upper part of Hunza locally called Gojal. Wakhis also inhabit the bordering regions of China, Tajikstan and Afghanistan and also live in Gizar and Chitral district of Pakistan. The Shina-speaking people live in the southern part of Hunza. They have come from Chilas, Gilgit, and other Shina-speaking areas of Pakistan.

The Hunzakuts and the region of Hunza has one of the highest literacy rates as compared to other similar districts in Pakistan. Hunza is a major tourist attraction in Pakistan, and many Pakistani as well as foreign tourist travel to the region to enjoy the picturesque landscape and stunning mountains of the area. The district has many modern amenities and is quite advanced by Asian standards. Local legend states that Hunza may have been associated with the lost kingdom of Shangri La. The people of Hunza are by some noted for their exceptionally long life expectancy, others describe this as a longevity narrative and cite a life expectancy of 53 years for men and 52 for women, although with a high standard deviation.


The Hunza and Macedonia

Burusho legend maintains that they descend from the village of Baltir, which had been founded by a soldier left behind from the army of Alexander the Great—a legend common to much of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. However, genetic evidence only supports a Balkan genetic component in the Afghan Pashtun,not the Burusho. Nonetheless, in 2008 the Republic of Macedonia organized a visit by Hunza Prince Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Princess Rani Atiqa as descendants of the Alexandran army, part of the post-independence nationalist ideology of the ruling party. They were greeted by the Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and heads of the church. Academics dismiss the idea as pseudoscience, and doubts exist that party leaders actually believe the claims either. This political support of a connection with the Hunza parallels earlier Greek relations with the neighboring Kalash people of Pakistan, who also claim Alexandran ancestry.

Altit Fort

Altit Fort


Altit Fort is an ancient fort above Karimabad in the Hunza valley in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It was home to the hereditary rulers of the Hunza state who took the title Mir. Today Altit Fort is a tourist site. The Altit Fort was in great disrepair, but is currently being restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Historic Cities Support Programme.
Altit Hunza remained the capital village of Hunza for 800 years in history.this is a cultural village where mostly cultural activities can be observed.in ancient time Bo faw(Wheat spreading)festival Ginani Festival and other festivals were celebrated with zeal and zest in this village.

The history of Altit Fort is interesting.Although in ancient time the rulers of this area were not so much rich,but the diginity was there due to rulers.In this situation a princes namely shah khatoon who was the daughter of abdullah khan from Bultistan ruling family got married with a prince of Hunza. that time tha situation of Hunza was very poor even Rulers also.The people who were come with princes told the poor situation of that time of Hunza.Shamim baltistani says that this was happend in 1442.while the date of construction also written on the main gate of fort in sasecret languge,but now people can not read this language.I was talking about the construction of Altit fort,yes when these people discribed the situation infront of abdullah khan ruler of Baltistan who determined to build a glorious house for his daughter.Shah khatoon herself also felt the dearth of residence,So on the request of shah khatoon her father abdullah khan sent a famous construction master namily Alio from baltistan with some experts of construction means labores. some people says the total number of these were 60 and some says more than hundred.Who start this construction work on a rock and complete it in three years.Due to use of material in the form of mud and stones a big water tank which is called Fari in local language came in to existance.Up to60 years before this Fari was exsisted on a wast area atleast 5 cannals but now it has shrinked by people due to lack of cultivated land.Now this water tank Fari has been repeared by AKCSP in 2005-6.in the time of Ayashoo ruling families last Raja (Ruler) shifted this residence to Baltit.Although there was also a fort Baltit Fort was there, divided families of Raja were living there.No one look after of this Fort its distruction was started At the moment AKCSP take resposibility of this Fort,Now renevation work is in progress.We hope this fort will complete with in few years.