Kyrgyz of Pamir learn Tajik
A group of Kyrgyz of the Murgab region in Gorno-Badakhshan are striving to acquire Tajik at the UCA School of Professional and Continuing Education. ‘Pamir Media’ reports that more than 30 people from Murgab have moved to the second level of the Tajik language course. It is reported that the second level of the course is more interactive.
The language courses are taught by the teachers from Khorog State University. Language courses for the inhabitants of the eastern Pamir have begun on the 12th of April and will continue till August. Starting from the middle of July attendants will be able to move onto the third level.
The duration of the language courses constitutes 250 total hours of lessons. However the courses are not free of charge; the attendants are required to pay 30% of the total amount, which comes to 250 USD, the rest of which is covered by the UCA. The local government however provides those attending with rooms.
It is worth mentioning that very few Kyrgyz in Pamir speak official Tajik, but many of them speak Pamiri languages, mostly Shugni and Rushani.
The Kyrgyz of Pamir live in harsh environmental conditions. The altitude that they live at reaches 3,600 meters, and summers are short while winter is freezing. At this height they herd cattle and at the same time find a way to do many other things that people from lower elevations would have a hard time doing. They play football, volleyball and other games like buzkashi which all require strenuous activity.
Brazilian football players, famous for their resilience in harsh conditions, would certainly not agree to play at that altitude.
on June 17th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Dear Vadim,
You are showing pictures from the Chinese Pamirs to an article about the Tajik Pamirs. On the Tajik side you will not find such white, artificial yourts.
Languages is indeed a problem. The Tajiks learn no Kyrgyz and the Kyrgyz learn no Tajik in schools or if then Russian on a very low standard. Only the elder people are able to communicate with each other, but I thought in Russian and not in Shugni/Rushani.
on June 18th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Markus, thank you for correcting me. I found the pics with the help of flickr entering the search words Kyrgyz Pamir and it showed me these pictures. I’m gonna correct the mistake.
Of course they also speak in Russian but they live together with Sugnanis and Rushanis and that’s how many of them know these languages.