Wet Month(s)

The last couple of months have been pretty wet by Afghan standards. Keeping in mind that they've endured a ten-year drought here, some of the younger folks are truly amazed with the rain. We had some "global warming" fall in the city on 8 April, even the "old people" my age don't remember snow in April in Kabul. While we've had many inches of rain, the mountains around Kabul have had several feet of "global warming" to remind them that Nature will do as she pleases.

One of the guys I work with has family in Bamiyan Province to the west of Kabul. They get lots of snow in the winter, but rarely after the middle of March. It snowed again two days ago on top of snow that has been falling almost every day since mid-March. Now the big concerns are avalanches and the floods that are sure to follow when the snow melts. And we are "downhill" from that melt.

In Kabul, the big concern is that with all the flat, mudbrick roofs, the slow steady rain presents collapse danger. Many of the homes are wet inside due to the leaking roofs. In spite of the gloom brought on by day after day of rain, most people are pretty happy about it and between showers there is a flurry of gardening and planting. Trees and shrubs are hot-selling items right now as the residents take advantage of the moist soil to get things into the ground.

Flooded Streets
Pedestrians have it rough in this weather.
With few sidewalks, there's nowhere to walk.

Bring Out Yer Wellies!
The two girls in the back seem quite pleased with their footgear.

Umbrellas have been a hot-selling item of late.

A note about covered faces.
When girls cover their faces like this, it's more often to filter out the yucky air.
The schoolage girl population in Kabul explodes during school season.
Families in less secure areas send their daughters to Kabul to live with relatives so that they can go to school where it is safer. Additionally, many of the remote areas have no facility for education beyond 8th grade.

Snowy Mountains.
This view is looking west from downtown.

Old Man Begging
Between the showers, the beggars pick up the pace.
The Dari word for beggar is "faqir."

Pashtun Mom and Son
She has her burkha open as they look for sunglasses during a lull in the rains.

Misty Mountains
As storm clouds break, the mountains are shrouded in mist.
One of the reasons I love the mountains are all these cloud effects.

More Rain
Dad walking daughter to school.
Afghans understand the importance of education for their daughters.

That damn American influence again!
The local Marlboro stand.
Seriously though, our culture is the best weapon we have against "the forces of darkness."

Another Storm Approaches
Downtown by the river, this storm looks like waves crashing over the mountains north of town.

Pashtunwali

In my previous post I briefly mentioned Pashtunwali. Here I will explain it in a little more detail. Many in the West cannot seem to comprehend the concept, or recognize its importance in this part of the world. The Scots, Irish and much of the American South and West can probably grasp it for it is similar to the Celtic Way, the Code of the Highlands, the Code of the Southern Gentleman, the Code of the West, or the Code of the Hills.

Pashtunwali will not go away. It was part of the culture here long before Islam. We must recognize its importance in the lives of these people even if we think such concepts are "outmoded." Personally, I find them quite relavent and think that it is an important part of what modern societies have lost in their race to modernity.

Pashtunwali, or the Way of the Pashtun, is a set of traditional rules Pashtun tribes have lived by for thousands of years. Pashtunwali is significant in that nearly 40% of the Afghan population is Pashtun, and their code of conduct continues to have influence on legal and social decisions throughout Afghanistan today.

The four basic tenets of the Pashtun code of honor are:

1. hospitality
2. justice
3. protection of women, family, and property
4. personal independence

The value of personal independence in particular is very much an Afghan trait.

When there is a dispute, the local jirga, or group of elected elders, will use the customary Pashtunwali codes of conduct as its guide in passing judgment, and its decisions are widely respected.

Local rulers, who oversee Pashtunwali in their area, consider it more important than laws codified by any national government.

The development of a centralized Afghan state may have been impeded throughout the centuries by the traditional authority wielded by local jirgas who did not want any higher authority interfering in their local way of life.

Pashtunwali will continue to be a significant factor as the Afghan state works to define a judicial system.

The rules listed below have guided Pashtun tribesmen for centuries.

Badal refers to the right to retaliate if insulted (revenge).
Badragha is the safe escort of a fugitive or a visitor to his destination.
Balandra is the act of providing help to someone who is unable to complete his own work, such as a harvest. Repayment is usually a lavish dinner.
Baramta is the holding of hostages until claimed property is returned; service industry workers (tailors, barbers, etc.) are excluded from being taken hostage.
Bota is the seizing of property to ensure repayment of debt.
Ghundi is an alliance created against a common enemy.
Hamsaya refers to a man who has given his valuables to someone (usually an elder of another village) who can protect him from insult or injury.
Itbar is the trust in one's word or promise as a legally binding contract.
Lashkar is a large group of armed men who enforce the ruling of a jirga, much like a police and military force would.
Lokhay Warkawal is the acceptance of an alliance in order to gain protection from enemies.
Meerata is the murder of one male member of a family by another in order to ensure inheritance. This is a criminal act and the Jirga responds by punishing the culprit (usually by death).
Melmastia is generous hospitality, and Pashtuns consider it one of their finest virtues.
Mla Tarr is the provision of armed protection to help a family member or a close friend.
Nanewatei is the act of forgiveness or the grant of asylum, even to enemies. It is not accepted where the honor of a woman is involved.
Saz is "blood money" or other compensation (such as a daughter in marriage) given to appease a family after a murder.
Tarr is an agreement that gives protection to the involved parties.
Teega means literally "putting down the stone" and stands for ending the fighting between two feuding parties.