The Real Afghanistan

Written by Zoya Nasir • August 2011

For centuries, the Afghans have been creating, building, writing and drawing to create an identity of who they are. Since 2001, hundreds of thousands of expatriates have traveled to Afghanistan, including foreign troops. They are keen to know more about this fascinating country and its people. Several million Afghans who now live outside Afghanistan will enjoy this book as a keepsake to remind them of their rich cultural heritage. Librarians, professors and students of art, literature and history will also want to own this concise and reliable source.

‘Images of Afghanistan’ provides an overview of the art and literature of Afghanistan. Thirty two chapters of art, music, film, proverbs, short stories, poetry, cartoons and folk tales written in a popular style offer insights into the complexities of Afghan culture and dispel the misconception that Afghanistan is only a haven for terrorists and drug dealers.

One hears of Afghanistan is usually in conjunction with ‘terror’ or ‘Taliban.’ The media speaks about the region in a mechanical, cold manner and brings out only the troubles afflicting the region rather than the individuals living there. The world continues to watch Afghanistan as a country which regularly makes the headlines but for all the wrong reasons.

Title: Images of Afghanistan - Exploring Afghan Culture through Art and Literature
Editors: Arley Loewen and Josette McMichael
Publisher: Oxford University Press, (August, 2010)
Pages: 350 pages, Hardback
Price: U.S. $40
ISBN-10: 0195477952
ISBN-13: 9780195477955

Few people have more than a superficial understanding of Afghan culture and the views of its people. Many know someone who has served or is serving in Afghanistan as part of the military, an aid worker or a business consultant. The war on terrorism and globalization has kindled a desire to gain more information about Middle Eastern and Central Asian cultures, especially of Afghanistan.

The editors, Arley Loemen and Josette McMichael, are expatriates who realized the beauty of the Afghan and Persian culture over their many years spent in the country. The compilation of this work was an attempt to remind those watching Afghanistan from afar as well as those living within that there is more to the country than the war and violence. In other words, this is an effort that dispels the misconception that this war-torn country is simply a dangerous breeding ground for terrorists and opium dealers.

The book looks broadly at two aspects of Afghan/Persian culture i.e. arts and literature. In the chapters on art, the editors have discussed calligraphy, painting, handicrafts, music and cinema. Literature informs the readers of the ancient Persian tradition of poetry and story telling, recounting the Sufi masterminds and their works, as well as discussing new literature coming out of the region.

The book is divided into seven sections. The first part focuses on learning culture, especially through stories and other art forms. It also gives a detailed history of Afghanistan which provides hooks on which to hang information in the remainder of the book.

The chapters on Dari classical and modern poetry, short stories, proverbs and children’s rhymes uncover a range of perspectives of Afghan culture. Through an unprecedented look at traditional and modern poetry, short stories, proverbs and tappas (Pashto rhymes), the third section brings Pashtun culture to life.
The fourth section analyzes diverse themes such as the quest for reputation in a shame and honor – conscious society, the dilemmas of patron-client relationships, the mystical longing for God and unrequited love.

Traditional art allows people to connect to their historic past and assert the value of Afghan heritage, which in turn helps to restore a sense of identity and belonging to a person. Following a look at the archaeological heritage of Afghanistan, the fifth section covers the crafts of calligraphy, word-working and ceramics as well as the unique architecture of the traditional home in an urban setting.

With a struggling history, but a rapid past–Taliban evolution, the arenas of music, fine art and film – the book reflects the different eras of Afghan life, medieval, pre-Taliban and post-Taliban.

A few Afghan authors who have written in English offer a distinctive look into the Afghan world as they have been able to span the chasm between East and West. Chapters on the legendary folk character Mullah Nasiruddin, the role of women in art and literature and famous legends provide further reflections on Afghan culture. This section ends with a unique view of culture through cartoons and comedy.

Throughout these seven sections, the book moves through a world of colors to which the world is oblivious. In spite of constant security threats and beyond the rumbling of tanks, the clout of drug lords and the fear of kidnappings and suicide bombers, there is another Afghanistan that mirrors the life of the ordinary Afghan.

This book is a valuable resource and goes beyond merely offering ‘new perspectives on the emotions and insights of Afghan people’. It is insightful simply because readers learn so much about Afghan motivations for behavior, a subject many are interested in. Along with these illuminations, ‘Images of Afghanistan’ offers something more – through its pages we receive a taste of the beautiful contribution various Afghan cultures have made and indeed continue to make to the world. The book is a tribute to the depths of creating and the passion that the world has failed to acknowledge.