Time Stands Still in the Wakhan Corridor
Sparsely populated and well hidden from the rest of the world, Wakhan Corridor is as medieval today as it was over 700 years ago when Marco Polo passed through.
The awkward tongue of Afghanistan, located at the northeastern tip of the country, is a 200-mile-long valley that stretches between Tajikistan and Pakistan. A strategic territory created by the once-reigning British Empire at the end of the 19th century, Wakhan Corridor was first attached to Afghan territory as a buffer zone between Britain and Russia.
Though the battle for supremacy between the two giants has long ended, little seems to have changed since then. Time has been suspended for what seems like eternity.
Deprived of the comforts of modern living, Afghans tend to paint rosy images of Tajikistan, where women are not required to wear the burqa and children receive the education they deserve. It’s a very different story in the nearby land of the Wakhi and Kyrgyz people, where the only rules that apply are those which enhance their survival.
The corridor’s isolation from the rest of the world makes Afghan’s narrow passage – only 10 miles wide – at once mysterious and enchanting. With the snow-capped mountains surrounding the region, it’s easy for outsiders to forget the once-vital passageway between the Eastern and Western parts of Central Asia. It took me more than five days to reach Ishkashim, the tip of Wakhan Corridor, by public transportation from Kabul. Wobbly and narrow wooden bridges hang over fierce river streams; the steep mountain slopes are probably one of the reasons why the Taliban never bothered to control the area.
With its almost 100-percent illiteracy rate, most people who live in this region don’t know how to tell a person’s age (including their own). Seasons come and go, uncounted. Smoke drifts from the small window carved along the roof of each dark mud brick-house. Shepherds wait idly for their cattle to graze the surfaces of Pamir Mountains in the summer, bringing them in months later when it’s too cold for anyone to go out. Children understand nothing of mathematical equations and rely on instincts to calculate time and distances.
Set apart from their Afghan brothers and sisters who are struggling through decades of warfare, the people in this valley remain welcoming toward strangers. Visitors receive a series of greetings to ensure they feel safe and happy. Despite their humble living conditions, the local people keep their homes open for mehman (guests) who need shelter.
A Wakhi man says to me, “We don’t go to Mecca for the haj. For us, giving bread, tea and shelter to mosafer (travelers) is already a pilgrimage.”
What century is this, I wonder.
(article was published in The Jakarta Post’s Weekender, photos were taken in July-August 2005)
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Bravo, Bravo…Keep up the good work bro 🙂
Guilaaaaaaaaaa bonengg foto lu benar2 T.O.P B.G.T so natural gitu looh
wah, mau komentar apa lagi,
semua bagus2 banget gitu
Suatu pengalaman hidup yang benar2 LUAR BIASA. Layaknya seorang Missionaris…he..he.. he… Terima kasih atas sharing foto2 ini. GBU Always…
Pengalaman dan presentasi visual yang luar biasa. Teruskan semangat explorasi ini untuk membuka mata rohani, mengisi kerinduan jiwa dari nilai-nilai kemanusiaan yang universal.
Sungguh luar biasa, bukan saja indah tetapi juga tidak terbayang bagaimana foto2 tsb. dapat dihasilkan kalau bukan dengan pengorbanan waktu, biaya serta dedikasi, keberanian dan profesionalism.
Selamat dan semoga sukses terus.
Saya sudah masuk website ini berkali2, tapi tetap merinding setiap masuk melihat gambar dan membaca cerita kamu. DAMN! u make every human jealous with ur experience. Keep your eyes open and share your experience. Even i dunno you, just be safe and GBU
To2
fascinating
beautiful!!
Hasil Karya perpaduan kegigihan,keberanian,kesehatan,ketrampilan,yang menyatu,LUAR BIASA.
anda luar biasa !!! amazing…
Unbelievable..!!!! Hebat sekali, anda layak mendapatkan lebih dari sekedar Pulitzer man!!!
jarang ada petualang hebat yang juga jago mengambil gambar seperti anda !
senang dapat kabar lagi, tambah keren permainan lightingnya, tapi yg terpenting dari photo2 ini adalah espresinya, bagaimana mendekatkan diri ke mereka dan mengambil photo mereka.
Sempat kawatir karena lama ngak ada kabar, dan liat2 websitemu blum ada perkembangan hahahaa…
perjalanan ini bagus, kalau aku bisa katakan ini bisa dibuatkan buku ttg Afganistan dari lensa matamu 🙂 Fotonya sangat berbicara…
Hong Ming!!!!
Satu kata buat kamu: kamu luar biasa!!! I proud of you!
Udah lama kita tak jumpa, kalo ke sini kita daki ChangCheng lagi ya..
Suskes selalu, take care!
nice picture…..dahsyatt…foto2 yg bagus….komposisinya artistik..perfect tehknis…oke deh semuanya…..tapi ada satu pertanyaan???..gue ngerasaain realitas wakkhan corridor dalam foto ini adalah…tempat kecil indah yang eksotis……bukan realitas yg tempat gersang..sepi…dahsyat kejam…tandus…seperti tempat2 di afganistan lainya…atau seperti yg diceritain diatas…saya cuma mo tanya mas Agustin….kenapa lebih memilih realitas yg menurut gw indah ini ketimbang realitas yg lainnya??? atau mungkin realitas or rasa indah dalam foto ini cuma intertpreatsi gw aja…heh3X…klo bs dijawab yah…tuk refrensi thesis nih…mengenai semiotika fotografi..thanks yahhh
if i’m not mistaken, i’ve read this on an indonesian daily or some magazines (i’ll check it on again i suppose)…. so it is u who wrote such a story. good work AvG…… keep going
well Mr….. now i know, your story were publish on the Weekender, a copy of free magazine of The Jakarta Post February edition. so.. i guess i’m waiting for another story then……… happy journey………
Amazing pictures!
Great job! amazing journey
just begging… put a tittle (when,where,who) in every picture, please! .. i things it can make a viewer feels more involved to them
thanks
Ashame!!!!
Good workr! I can see Afghanistan through your picture. Nice and amazing picture.
i’ll tell u, u are such a great photographfr.
good luck for u
I pray May Hazrat Ali (A.S) Protect all Ismaili families from such difficulty
An Ismaili
Thank you for the beautiful pictures.
I offer a small correction in the first paragraph of the English language of your text: “emporium” is not the word you meant, but “empire” is.
enjoying your awesome pictures! excellent job!
gmbrnya sgt trlht sgt indah, dan sgt myntuh,,,, good.
Kayaknya damai banget ya di sana. Kontras sama kabul.
SALAM avgustin man rasoolam mikham dourbinamo avaz konam hghk nv phg phqv fd daram be nazar to che modeli ba che marki begiram pishnehadet chiye? dar zemn nazar to dar morede nikon d3x ham bego?
avgustinus chandrovich vibovov perjalanan selanjutnya kemana neh?