A Brief Description of Hunza!

The Hunza is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The Hunza is situated north/west of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The territory of Hunza is about 7,900 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi). Aliabad is the main town while Baltit is a popular tourist destination because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains like Ultar Sar, Rakaposhi, Bojahagur Duanasir II, Ghenta Peak, Hunza Peak,Passu Peak, Diran Peak and Bublimotin (Ladyfinger Peak), all 6,000 metres (19,685 ft) or higher.

Hunza was formerly a princely state bordering Uyghurstan to the northeast and Pamir to the northwest, which survived until 1974, when it was finally dissolved by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south and the former princely state of Nagar to the east. The state capital was the town of Baltit (also known as Karimabad); another old settlement is Ganish Village. Hunza was an independent principality for more than 900 years. The British gained control of Hunza and the neighbouring valley of Nagar between 1889 and 1892 through a military conquest. The then Mir/Thum (Ruler) Mir Safdar Ali Khan of Hunza fled to Kashghar in China and sought what would now be called political asylum.

Geography

The Hunza is situated at an elevation of about 900 metres (3,000 ft). For many centuries, Hunza has provided the quickest access to Swat and Gandhara for a person travelling on foot. The route was impassable for pack animals; only human porters could get through, and then only with permission from the locals. Hunza was easily defended as the paths were often less than 0.5 metres (20 in) wide. The high mountain paths often crossed bare cliff faces on logs wedged into cracks in the cliff, with stones balanced on top. They were also constantly exposed to regular damage from weather and falling rocks . These were the much feared "hanging passageways" of the early travel accounts that terrified several famous ChineseBuddhist monks such as Xuanzang.

Festivals & Special Days

The Hunza Valley is home to various festivals related to religion, culture and normal life events. These festivals fall into two main categories namely religious festivals and cultural festivals (daily life or agricultural). The religious festivals include:

Eid-Ul-Azha
Eid-Ul-Fitr
Eid-Ul-Meladul Nabi
Nowroz festival
Shab -e- Barat,
Shab -e- Miraj,
Eid Ghadeer,
Salgira -e- Imam Zman Mubar (Birthday of Agha khan)
The traditional Ginani festival is celebrated by the local community with many gatherings organized in Altit, Baltit and Aliabad. This festival is celebrated to welcome the new harvesting season with joy and happiness. The celebrations are made with dance, music and a traditional dish is made to mark the festival known as Dirum Pitti.
Another famous festival is the Spring Blossom Festival which gives the people an opportunity to sit together and enjoy life. Exhibitions, sports programs and cultural shows attract the audience in this festival to celebrate the cultural heritage of the region. Apart from these other festivals include Baba Ghundi and Shimshal Kuch festival.

Culture

Dresses 
The weather from April to September is quite pleasant in Hunza which requires the people to wear light woolen clothes. However, during winters heavy woolen clothes are required. The women particularly wear colorful, knee-length shirts with shalwars and cover their heads with traditional embroidered caps. For men, the common dress is Shalwar Qamiz and caps made out of hand-woven woolen material called Pattu. In winters they wear loose embroidered gowns as overcoats.

Cuisine 
The local specialty dish of Hunza is fittis which is very delicious and worth tasting. These are basically cakes made of wheat flour, milk, butter and salt, baked on a hot stone. Apricots, apples, plums, peaches, cherries and grapes are various fresh fruits grown in this region. As stated before, the Hunza bread is again a nutritious diet of grains. When talking about foreign visitors, Grape extract known as "Hunza Water" is very popular among them.

Famous Forts 
Besides its scenic beauty, tourists visit this valley to have a glimpse of the two most famous forts of Hunza known as Altit and Baltit fort.
The Altit Fort is the oldest fort in northern areas which is located in the Altit village. It is built with great architectural design on a rock of a mountain where the Hunza River flows at its back. Baltit Fort is another beautiful fort in the Hunza valley which is built at the top of Karimabad. It has won numerous awards including Tourism of Tomorrow Award, Asia-Pacific Heritage for Cultural Conservation- Award of Excellence (UNESCO). The Time Magazine of Asia awarded Best of Asia Award in 2005.

People and Language

Most of the people of Hunza are Ismaili Shia Muslims who are the followers of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, while in the area of Ganish Village over 90% are Shia Muslims.
The Hunza region is principally home to people of three ethnicities:

The Lower Hunza area which extends from Khizerabad to Nasirabad mainly belongs to the Shinaki people whose local language is Shina.
The Central Hunza area which extends from Murtazaabad to Attabad mainly belongs to theBurushaski speakers.
The Upper Hunza area which is commonly known as Gojal extends from Shiskat to Khunjerab and belongs to Wakhi speakers.
Just like the valley is known for its scenic beauty, the people of Hunza are warm hearted and known for their hospitality. Despite of the fact that Burushaski is the most widely acceptable language among all but majority of the people also understand Urdu and English.
Many cultural activities are associated with this valley and the people of Hunza are fond of celebrating such events. Among all age groups traditional dance is very common and there is a special traditional band for this dance which makes it to be more fun and excitement.
Lifestyle
The people of Hunza are very healthy and have the longest lifespan in the world. They remain strong and robust even in old age. This is because of the pure water they drink and their natural diet. The people walk a lot on the rugged terrain everyday which serves as physical exercise for them. Among other organically grown food, the most common fruit in Hunza is apricot which is considered to be their Gold. The people there eat fresh apricots in the season, dry them and also puree the dried apricots of which jam and icecream is later made. These people also get nutritional richness of other fruits too that are grown there including apples, pears, black and red cherries, peaches. The number of orchards and trees under cultivation are used to gauge the economic stability of the local people in Hunza.
Hunza chapatti bread is a major component of their diet made from nutritious grains. The Glacial Milk also helps to keep these people healthy.

Hunza is a fairy tale land and a lot of myth and reality has been associated to it. One thing is true of all that Hunza people are probably the most friendly people in the region. In the past it was quite common to see people crossing 100 and more years this indeed is true and can still be seen to some extent however the modern civilization has changed a lot in this valley of the longativity.
The Hunza people, or Hunzakuts are people who have lived centuries in their very own isolated valleys. They speak Wakhi and the Shina. The Wakhi reside in the upper part of Hunza locally called Gojal. Wakhis also inhabit the bordering regions of China, Tajikstan and Afghanistan and also live in Gizar and Chitral district of Pakistan. The Shina-speaking people live in the southern part of Hunza. They could have come from Chilas, Gilgit, and other Shina-speaking areas of Pakistan many centuries ago.
The Hunzakuts and the region of Hunza have one of the highest literacy rates as compared to other similar districts in Pakistan due to the interest of His Higness Karim Aga Khan whom most of the Hunzakuts follow as their spritual leader.
Local legend states that Hunza may have been associated with the lost kingdom of Shangri La which was mentioned in the Novel of James Hilton "The Lost Horizon". The people of Hunza are by some noted for their exceptionally long life expectancy, others describe this as a longevity myth and cite a life expectancy of 53 years for men and 52 for women, although with a high standard deviation.
The Broshuski or Burusho or Brusho people live in the Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys of northern Pakistan. There are also over 300 Burusho living in Srinagar, India. They are predominantly Muslims. Their language, Burushaski, has not been shown to be related to any other. They have an East Asian genetic contribution, suggesting that at least some of their ancestry originates north of the Himalayas

Education in Hunza

NO doubt Hunza, known for its fruit orchards, lofty mountains, panoramic meadows and breathtaking beauty, is a major tourist attraction, but it is equally interesting to explore the educational initiatives that have empowered the local community there and set an example for other areas. Those who are familiar with the difficult terrain and relatively scarce resources in Hunza would be pleasantly surprised to know that the literacy rate in Hunza is around 77 per cent. This must have been unthinkable when the first primary school was established there in 1913 by the British in India. The single-most important factor that transformed the educational scene in Hunza was the contribution of Aga Khan III, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, who convinced the then Mirs of Hunza state to place greater emphasis on education. It was in 1946 that some 16 schools were established. They were called the Diamond Jubilee schools and they set the right momentum for bringing changes to education in Hunza.

The second important initiative came when the Pakistan government started opening public schools in the Northern Areas, including Hunza. The demand for education grew but the number of schools did not meet educational requirements. With people finding that schooling was accessible two more problems were becoming visible the quality of education and education for girls. The third important initiative in Hunza was the establishment of a quality school for girls whose sole criterion of admission was merit. The Academy, with hostel facilities, was founded in 1983 when Karim Aga Khan laid the foundation of the academy. He said he hoped that the Academy would, “provide a genuine foundation for self-generating progress in the future”. The establishment of the Academy was a strong motivation for the opening of private schools focusing on the quality of education.

The fourth initiative to have an impact on educational life in Hunza was the establishment of community schools. These schools were a welcome addition as they gave the local community a sense of participation and ownership. In 1991 a model community school, Al-Amyn Model School, was established in Gulmit, a beautiful village of Hunza. This school helped re-establish the broken linkage between school and home. Here parents and grandparents are invited to share their wisdom with the younger generation. Parents come to know that their knowledge is not obsolete and that the younger generation can benefit from it. The success of Al-Amyn heralded the establishment of a number of community schools over the years. The fifth initiative was the establishment of the Karakoram University in Gilgit. A number of students of Hunza are benefiting. The university may also create jobs for the local population.

The sixth factor contributing to the quality of education is the role of the different Aga Khan organisations that have played an effective role in the improvement of education by establishing schools and empowering them through capacity-building measures, and by facilitating students through scholarship. One initiative was the establishment of the Professional Development Centre in Gilgit. The centre helped train a number of teachers from Hunza by offering short- and long-term courses.

The seventh factor is the rising awareness among the local people who have come to view education as the passport to enhanced opportunities in life. There seems to be urgency in terms of acquiring education. Parents in Hunza are convinced that the best thing they can do for their children is to help them get a good education. There is a growing interest in higher education for girls. Parents are willing to send their daughters to distant cities e.g.Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar etc. for quality education. It is an approach that distinguishes Hunza from the rest of the Northern Areas. Lastly, there is a cordial relationship among the different stakeholders. There seems to be a good working relationship between the directorate of education, the Aga Khan organisations, the local community and foreign funding agencies. It is this collaborative approach that makes things happen. Hunza's educational story has many lessons for other areas of Pakistan where talent is not properly exploited. It shows us that difficulties and challenges can be overcome if the leadership has political will and if the community is trusted and involved in planning and the execution of educational plans.

Conclusion

Pakistan has been blessed with beautiful locations throughout the country and Hunza sure is one of them. It remains very famous, for its scenic beauty and unique culture, with the locals as well as the foreigners. We being the people of Pakistan should protect our land and become the ambassadors of such beautiful places.