Birds

Birds in general are good and noble creatures, especially parrots and pigeons, which are popular as pets.  Chickens and pheasants also carry positive value, the former for eating, and the latter also for fighting.  Bird fights are very common and again raise the value of the animal; all variety of birds are fought.  In Persian literature, birds are often referred to in poetic context, especially in reference to romance and love.  They frequently feature in contemporary poems and songs.  The bulbul بلبل (the nightingale) is just such a symbol.  In Afghanistan, there is one potential exception to the generally positive association with birds - the eagle, which represents a kidnapper.

Saz - blood money

The word saz  سز is used for blood money or compensation in lieu of killing. Under the custom of saz a person who feels penitent after committing a deliberate murder, approaches the deceased’s family through a Jirga and offers to make payment of blood money to end the enmity between them. All hostilities come to an end between the parties after acceptance of saz. Sometimes the payment of compensation takes the form of giving a girl in marriage to the aggrieved party. It is also called swarah, which binds together the two parties in blood relations and thus helps in eradicating ill will and feeling of  enmity.

Cats in Afghan culture

(Pashto: pisho پیشو )

Cats are very positive.  If one has cleaned oneself for prayer, and one comes into contact with another animal – especially a dog– one would have to clean oneself all over again, except with cats.  Cats are allowed in the house, and they can even eat on the table.  They also eat mice: mice are considered very bad animals, primarily as they “steal” food.  Cats in Afghanistan are considered to have seven lives (as opposed to the Western conception of nine); also, if a black cat crosses one’s path, this is also considered bad luck, much like the Western superstition; one can break the bad luck by throwing something at the cat.

Bloody Sword

Blood symbolizes violence, martyrdom, sacrifice, injustice, tyranny, oppression, or victory in battle. In conjunction with a sword evokes both the literal violence inherent in the jihadi struggle and the possibilities of a military victory. The blood on a sword being held by a fighter emphasizes the strength and power of the jihadi fighter and affords him and inflated stature (that of a strong successful warrior). It could also refer to the fight or battle (literally or figuratively), and could connect him to notions of the Islamic past, especially to first generation Muslims, and their success in Jihad. Blood dripping from a sword may have a strong Salafi سلفی  connection.

Naswar

Naswar  ﻨﺴﻮﺍﺮ

Naswar is a type of smokeless tobacco (snuff) popular throughout Central Asia and the Indian sub-continent. In Afghanistan, most naswar is produced locally and while the exact ingredients vary, it usually contains tobacco, either lime or ash, various spices (such as cardamom), and water. The lime serves to enhance the effects of the tobacco by making it more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. This accounts for the greater “buzz” (nasha in Pashto) experienced by novice users of naswar, even if they regularly use American smokeless tobacco products.

Most Afghans place naswar under the tongue, rather than between the cheek and gum. It is typically carried in small, round polished metal containers.

While narcotics such as opium are occasionally added to naswar, most of the naswar available in shops and “dipped” by the majority of users is simply tobacco.

Literature

The ancient art of storytelling continues to flourish in Afghanistan, partly in response to widespread illiteracy. This age-old practice of telling folktales, through music and the spoken word, is a highly developed and much appreciated art form. The use of folklore has become the thread that links the past with the present in Afghan society. Folktales concern all parts of Afghan life and often teach traditional values, beliefs, and behaviors. They are also a major form of entertainment in Afghanistan.

Literature in both the Dari and Pashto languages originated in the early Muslim centuries, when Arabic was also used. Shah nameh (Book of Kings), the great epic poem completed in 1010 by the Persian poet Firdawsi, consists of 60,000 rhyming couplets in Dari. Many other poems and tales were written in Dari and Turkic languages as well. Khushhal Kattak, a famous 17th-century Pashtun warrior and poet, used verse to express the tribal code.

Modern writings have attempted to bring Afghans closer to understanding the changes associated with the modern world, and especially to comprehend the destruction of their country by war. In 1972 Sayyed Burhanuddin Majruh wrote several volumes in classical, rhythmic Dari prose about a traveler who joins his countrymen in exile, where they exchange ideas and narratives from ancient times in the light of modern concepts of reason, logic, science, and psychoanalysis. During the war with the Soviets, writings focused on the twin concerns of Islam and freedom. Resistance to the Soviets was especially pronounced in the Pashto province of Paktia; in 1983 Gulzarak Zadran published "Afghanistan the Land of Jihad: Paktiain Uprising Waves" in the Pashto language. The Afghanistan Historical Society and the Pashto Academy published literary magazines and encouraged new writers in recent years, although much of their effort has been stopped by the most recent warfare.

Dispute Resolution

Given the historical lack of central government in Afghanistan, disputes between two parties were – and still are – settled according to tribal law, or narkh. The first step in resolving the dispute involves getting both parties to grant authority (واک - wak) to the mediating body (مرکه - maraka, for smaller cases, or جرګه - jirga, for more important issues; both are usually composed of elders uninvolved in the dispute). The maraka or jirga will collect two sums from the disputants: khalaat (خلات)[sp?], a fee for the mediators, and  برمته  - baramta, a deposit (which is usually weapons or cash) made by both parties as a sign of good faith that they will accept the mediators’ decision. If either party to the dispute refuses to accept the decision of the maraka or jirga, they forfeit the deposit.

Words:

مرکه - maraka: discussion
واک - wak: power, authority
جرګه - jirga: council
برمته  - baramta: deposit, collateral.  Can also be used as 'kidnapped,' or 'taken hostage.' 
      Example: پټنګ برمته شو - Patang was taken hostage

Corruption

Corruption is identified as a problem within the Afghan government but Westerners often think of it in too simplistic of terms – “Corruption is corruption.”  Afghans distinguish between different types of corruption: administrative corruption (اداری فساد), corruption (فساد), and a low level bribe (بخشيش - baksheesh).   A baksheesh is between 100-1000 Afs, and it's kind of like a tip. 

•  An example of administrative corruption is a governor paying the Ministry of Interior for a preferred post, or receiving payment from a party wanting X plots of government land.

• 'Corruption' might be policemen taking a bribe to release a prisoner (the word for the actual bribe is  رشوت  - reshwat).

•  An example of baksheesh is an additional fee charged on the base price of an identity card (تذکيره - tazkira) application.  Rather than asking for a 'baksheesh' outright, people might say, “Here is your tea (chai),” when giving small denominations to a low level official.  It's like a pre-emptive tip, which helps grease the wheels and move things along. 

People in Afghanstan are more concerned about the large scale endemic corruption in the government than the smaller 'baksheesh' infractions.  However, all levels of corruption affect different segments of the population.  The poor are hit much harder than the middle class and rich.  A common Pashtu saying reflects this sentiment:  “If I am full in the stomach, I don’t care about corruption.  If I am hungry, I care about corruption.” (does anyone know this proverb in Pashto?).

Basically, low-level corruption stems from necessity rather than greed.  Low level officials aren't collecting bakhsheesh because they're trying to pad their bank accounts or retire early.  They do it to feed their families, because the regular government pay just doesn't cut it. 

Forgiveness and condolences

For 'sorry, pardon me or excuse me', you can say
وبخښه (wubakhsha)      or
بخښنه غواړم  (bakhshana ghuarrum), which literally means "I want forgiveness"

If someone dies:
A: My brother died  زما ورور مړ شو  (zma urur merr sho)
B: May God pardon him -  خداي يې وبخښۍ (khodai ye wubakhshei)

If something bad happens to a friend, or he has a spell of bad luck, you can say:
صبر وکړه، خداي به دي ښه کړي (sabr wukra, khodai ba de sha krri), which literally means "be patient, God will do right by you"

Shura/Jirga

Shura  شوره

Jirga  جرګه 

Shura is a congregation with the purpose of making  a decision for the well-being of the whole gathering.  There is an open discussion, and everyone has the right to speak his mind and convince others to accept his point of view.  Traditionally, elders would speak, and the younger generation would accept their elders’ decisions.  However, in recent shura, it has been observed that younger generations are also allowed to speak.   Shura is also the plural form.

Jirga is a community gathering where there are two opposing parties, each trying to present his case.  The purpose of this type of a gathering is to elicit a decision by the attendees after hearing both sides.

Beards

ږيره 

Gira means beard.  It is the symbol of manliness and is highly respected in Pashtun culture despite the fact that the majority of young Afghans today shave their beards.  To harm someone's beard incurs the liability of por (پوړ - debt).  Also, the pulling of an opponent’s beard in a fight has a certain tawan (تاوان penalty, loss) if done deliberately.

beard dyed with henna

 

Some Afghan men dye their beards with henna.  According to Islamic law, Jabir reported that Abu Qahafa, father of Abu Bakr, was presented to the Messenger of God on the day of the conquest of Mecca, and his head and his beard were whiute as snow. The Messenger of Allah said that, 'Change it with something and avoid black.'  The Prophet  said that, 'The best youth is he who follows the elderly and the worst of the elders is he who follow the youth.'  To dye the hair or beard black is forbidden as the Prophet  said that, 'Black dye is the sign of the inmates of hell.'

Teahouses

Chaikhana (ﭽﺎی ﺨﺎﻨﻪ)

The chaikhana or tea-house (also known less formally as saemawat), is a public gathering place found throughout Central Asia. In Afghanistan, typically only men patronize tea-houses, where they go to eat, relax, and catch up on news.

A typical chaikhana will have a rotating menu based on what food are seasonally available but kebabs are standard fare. Usually a plate of uncooked vegetables (سبځي sabzi - onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley), as well as bread (نان nan), is provided with kebabs. A carousel with various types of spices (مرچ mrech - pepper – red and black, salt, and oregano) for the kebabs complements the meal.

Upon entering, it is typical to announce how many people are in your party and what you would like to eat. The majority of conversation occurs after the meal, as everyone reclines and drinks tea (ﭽﺎی chai). Nowadays there is often a television blaring in a corner and people are more focused on it than on talking.

Ziarat - shrines

Ziarat are shrines found throughout Afghanistan, usually where a holy man or saint is buried. Often, they are located in groves of trees and visitors tie small pieces of colored cloth to the branches. The belief is that the person buried in the ziarat possessed special blessings and therefore is able to influence God to help make one’s prayers come true, even after death. Visitors come to ziarat seeking assistance with various problems, including illness, misfortune, or (among women) difficulty in conceiving a child. The cloth is tied to the tree as a reminder for the person buried there of the request made by the petitioner

Shrine - Ziarat  زيارت

Hawala System

As a result of thirty years of war and economic deprivation, many Afghans work abroad, sending remittances back to their families here. They go to Pakistan, India, Iran, the Gulf States, and the West. Many use the informal hawala system, an informal value transfer system, to send money home. These workers can also bring back ideas from foreign countries.

In the most basic variant of the hawala system, money is transferred via a network of hawala brokers, or hawaladars. A customer approaches a hawala broker in one city and gives a sum of money to be transferred to a recipient in another, usually foreign, city. The hawala broker calls another hawala broker in the recipient's city, gives disposition instructions of the funds (usually minus a small commission), and promises to settle the debt at a later date.

The unique feature of the system is that no promissory instruments are exchanged between the hawala brokers; the transaction takes place entirely on the honor system.  As the system does not depend on the legal enforceability of claims, it can operate even in the absence of a legal and juridical environment. Informal records are produced of individual transactions, and a running tally of the amount owed by one broker to another is kept. Settlements of debts between hawala brokers can take a variety of forms and need not take the form of direct cash transactions.

Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, public interest in informal systems of transferring money around the world, particularly the hawala system, has increased. The reason is the hawala system's alleged role in financing illegal and terrorist activities, along with its traditional role of transferring money between individuals and families, often in different countries. Against this background, governments and international bodies have tried to develop a better understanding of these systems, assess their economic and regulatory implications, and design the most appropriate approach for dealing with them.

Friday

جمعه Juma means Friday. Juma is an important day in Islam.  Muslims celebrate Juma as Christians celebrate Sunday.  The Juma prayer is an important act of worship in Islam.  The prophet Mohammad said, “O believers, when the call is proclaimed for the prayer on Juma, come to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business that is better for you if you but did know.”

Juma is an official day off not only in Afghanistan, but throughout all of the Islamic community.  If the bazaars or business are open on Juma, they will close for the Juma prayer.  The Prophet  Muhammed emphasized that taking a bath on Juma was a tradition of his as well as putting on clean clothes and wearing perfume.  Before prayer it is obligatory to conduct wudu (Islamic standardized cleansing of oneself).

The Juma sermon in the Mosques on Friday’s are observed in complete silence.  Talking during the sermon is prohibited.  While waiting for the Juma sermon after sunnah (mandatory individual prayers before the Juma sermon) or nawafil (additional prayers), Muslims will spend time in silent remembrance of Allah

Land

Land (Zmaka; ځمکه)

Only about 12% of Afghanistan’s land is arable, and only 4% is irrigated. Considering that agriculture accounts for 85% of Afghans’ livelihoods, land is extremely valuable. Many Afghans, when calculating their wealth, will not include land, as it is too valuable to part with; to sell land is sometimes referred to as “selling father’s and grandfather’s bones.” (does anyone know this proverb in Pashto?)  Land disputes and claims go back hundreds of years in some cases. It is not just a commodity, but a part of the owner’s namus (نامس - honor).

Horses in Islam

Horses (ās  آس, plural āsān  آسان or āsuna آسونه) are positive.  They bring good luck.  If they neigh, it means that the devil is coming.  Generally in Islam, horses are considered good, strong animals.  In Afghanistan they are considered a highly prestigious animal, which only rich people can afford; there is also their connection to Buzkashi, an extremely popular game which has huge honorific (and attendant economic) dimensions, both for the players and the organisers.

The white horse (spin ās  سپین آس) is tied to the conceptions of the prophet, martyrdom, and paradise (heaven). It is most associated in the Islamic culture with the prophet Mohammad when he ascended to heaven on a white horse. It symbolizes a Heavenly paradise and martyrdom.

Prayer rugs - Jai Namaz

جانماز

Jai-Namaz, or prayer rugs, are clean spread-outs for a Muslim follower to pray on. It could be either plain or colorfully printed on. For the nomad of this area, the jai namaz is above all a vital need and is perhaps his most significant personal property. On this prayer rug, he, whose unsettled life, is a constant struggle with nature and the elements, makes his devotions to his Creator five times a day.

The use of the prayer carpet is to inculcate a feeling of sanctity desired while praying. The motifs used are usually to establish a direct visual connection with strong Islamic elements over time, for instance: the mosque at Kaa'ba. Apart from this there are geometric and/or floral patterns used which are the common themes of Islamic art, portrayal of human forms being forbidden.

Whatever the motif used, apart from regional influence of art, the common underlying factor in all kinds of jai namaz is that the intention is to evoke a sense of connection with God & religion with the use of literal visual elements engrained in the collective minds as "Islamic".

Time is flexible

Afghans view time as flexible.  They put more emphasis on people and relationships, rather than the meeting of deadlines and keeping to set schedules.  With shop owners and merchants, punctuality isn't usually valued, but in business situations punctuality is expected.  Business meetings do not usually begin on time, however it is a good idea for a foreigner to be punctual.  Small talk almost always precedes formal conversations.  It's appropriate to inquire about one's health, families, etc., before dealing with business.  The "get to the point" mentality is usually seen as rude.  Setting a friendly mood will allow for a more substantive dialogue.  Interruptions are quite common and agendas tend to be followed loosely, if at all.  It's best to remain patient and follow along.

time - wakht  وخت

Chai - Tea

ﭼﺎﻱ

Throughout Asia, tea is the most common beverage that people drink. In Afghanistan, tea is used not only used for refreshment, but also for hospitality. Guests are served tea and some small snacks (raisins, ﻤﻣﻴﺰ). Three kinds of tea are common:

Green tea (sheen chai ﺸﻴﻦ ﭼﺎﻱ ) and black tea (tor chai ﺘﻮﺮﭼﺎﻱ): Both green and black tea are just leaves steeped in boiled water. Your host will usually offer you sugar to add yourself. 

With milk tea (shodu chai ﺸﻴدﻮﭼﺎﻱ), the sugar and milk are heated along with the tea leaves and so it is much sweeter than other types of tea.

If you are offered tea, it is polite to accept it and rude to refuse it. Afghans don’t like to jump right into conversation and tea serves as an ice breaker before discussing serious issues.