New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-28
PA7HAN .NERRY-UAKING.
FOLK CUSTOMS IN THE INDO-AFGHAN BOR-
DERLAND.
From The London Daily Telegraph.


On the whole with all his sternness think a
khyber has a much greater sense OF fun and
capacity for laughter than the milder Hlndoo In
ers not unlike the village MINISTRIES of years ago
AT Parachinar, in the Kuram Valley, by the kind
ness or the officer special duty stationed there
was enabled TO see a Guttack dance, given by the
cal enertanmans Of the Dhooms or professona
troupe Of the neighborhood. For the performance
n.enis, with long skirts, armed with tGiwars. to
show to us Feringhis what the old war dance was
an attack was made, in order to raise to sticking
p I ih @es ana Hi 'ne but with
the religious holidays and the tamasha. This par
of the snow mountains. and neither spectators
performers would have enjoyed themselves
1t nSt fS ar Ga of h wSGa bS
m nen Round ID the biggest The dancers formed IN
boy he had with him. inside the figure. They car
other when the and ddes src X u Re
all OF them began circling slowly round. each man
IN rough os Su No only Kd dd Of the swG 2
go round. but the Individual warriors made half
ing In unison sort of weird chorus. As the music
rang forth faster so did the dance. until. with ter:
MeanwhiIe. the dancing boy. in his long white
ceivable contortion, with his skirts spinning round
him after the latest fashion OF the music halls.
just the excitement at the highest Then
the leader Of the Dhooms came forward. dressed
more or less like an Afghan General in a sweep
ing scarlet tunc with heavy gold frogs and gave
musical recitation OF an unsuccessful attack sup
posed TO have been made by the Afghans some
years ago upon the Turf village Of Badokki II
was, learned. the local epic OF the valley He gave
the most realistic imitation of firing and
bugles calling. and at last. in his REORGANIZATION
OF the Afghan General who was hopelessly re-
pulsed. he threw himself the ground In the
agonies Of death. Altogether, II a most i'm
pressive battle picture, after the manner OF LA
Navarraise." but felt glad the Shahzada was not
OF the party. The imitation OF a fierce dogfght
and Anal dance closed entertainment which
would have gone on all night If / had wished it,
These musicians habitualy earn n large amount in
the year by attending all the weddings and re-
ligous festivals around and about. but the TURKS
and Bundashes who gave us the dance, do II
mainly for the sake Of social enjoyment
Another picture OF Pathan merry making was
AFFORDED me as was returning, by drive Of more
than hundred miles 10 kohat from Kuram At
Nungu the overhanging hills suddenly seemed TO
break out into long ropes Of slippery flame look
ing at first like strange sort Of bush fire The
childrens fete and for miles round the villages
seemed on the move, each making for itself a part
OF the general illumination by means OF fiery Kites
and sliding lanterns. Outlined in light the noun
tains had a weird and fairy-like beauty and this
winter night on the Afghan frontier convinced me
that, with all his savagery. the Pathan has con-
siderable appreciation of the seasonable and the
picturesque.
In regard 10 Of the crucial questions Of
social life. the Pathan idea Is strkingly primitive
Women are regarded mere chattels worth so
much In the market for sale barter. AS good
MussulmanA the tribesmen try to obtain four wives