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PAMIR AND WAKHAN (8 stories) All Galleries

Pamir, winter 2008, Afghanistan. Unvisited since 1972

392 images Created 10 Feb 2021

My first 2008 winter expedition across the Afghan Pamir mountains. Since 1972, the high altitude plateau had not been visited by photographers in winter. To reach the plateau, my friend Malang and I walked up the frozen Wakhan river.

High in the Pamir mountains of Afghanistan, a remnant group of less than 1000 Kyrgyz dwell in one of the remotest and inhospitable environments occupied by any human population. Deprived of the simplest infrastructure, schools or health care institutions and faced with an ever growing problem of opium addiction,this community shows the highest level of maternal and child mortality in the world. With eight months of winter the beauty of
the Afghan Pamir belies its ability to support life.
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  • Sheep herd leaving in the morning. Wolf attack on livestock is common.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_216.jpg
  • Mussadiq Yurt after a snow storm..Campment of Tash Seri.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_296.jpg
  • Pegich, young wife of Er Ali Boi (married 2 years), the richest  "sane" man in Pamir, bakes bread. Er Ali Boi is one of the rare Kyrgyz to spend winter in a yurt.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_355.jpg
  • Buzkachi (central asian horse game) season starts in winter in Tajikistan, Dushanbe. En route to Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_002.jpg
  • Every morning, the girls from the Khan's camp are in charge of getting water all throughout winter in sub zero temperature. They have to dig hole in the ice to hope and find the spring that always freezes overnight..Qyzyl Qorum campment, Abdul Rashid Khan's camp (leader of the Afghan Kyrgyz).
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_146.jpg
  • Nassim's young wife died recently. He himself almost died from pneumonia. He must move to his brother's campment with his young daughter so his wife's brother takes care of him.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_237.jpg
  • Abdul Sator coming back on a Bactrian camel after locating the yak herd..Campment of Ortobil (Sufi), all the way at the end of the Little Pamir, near the Tajik/China border.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_253.jpg
  • Detail of yak hair from the Afghan Pamir.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_561.jpg
  • Sufi's place is one of the rare one to have a solar panel with a chinese battery to power enough electricity to run a DVD player and watch such things as karate film made in Kabul..Campment of Ortobil (Sufi), all the way at the end of the Little Pamir, near the Tajik/China border.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_273.jpg
  • The Khan's son is taking the yaks out, scaring them off with a sling shot.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_312.jpg
  • Every morning, the girls from the Khan's camp are in charge of getting water all throughout winter in sub zero temperature. They have to dig hole in the ice to hope and find the spring that always freezes overnight.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_313.jpg
  • The Khan's herd of Bactrian camels is taken out by his son in law Momo to freely roam out of the Qyzyl Qorum camp during the day.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_305.jpg
  • Mujaheed, son of Khan, serves tea, inside house of Abdul Rashid Khan's house..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_084.jpg
  • Portrait of Momo, who will marry one of Abdul Rashid Khan's daughter. .Inside house of Abdul Rashid Khan.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_089.jpg
  • Detail of Momo's pants..Qyzyl Qorum campment, Abdul Rashid Khan's camp (leader of the Afghan Kyrgyz). .Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_154.jpg
  • Buzkachi (central asian horse game) season starts in winter in Tajikistan, Dushanbe. En route to Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_011.jpg
  • Trekking with yak herder Mohammad and Malang up the frozen Wakhan River, the only way up to the Little Pamir mountains, the extreme North-East of Afghanistan.<br />
Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_053.jpg
  • An opium user inside Ooroon Boi's house, son of the Khan. Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_320.jpg
  • Opium kit: pipe, butter, opium, thread, funnel..Opium users inside Ooroon Boi's house, son of the Khan. Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_326.jpg
  • Detail fo Pegich's dress. Pegich, young wife of Er Ali Boi (married 2 years), the richest  "sane" man in Pamir. Er Ali Boi is one of the rare Kyrgyz to spend winter in a yurt..Campment of Esh Keli..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_356.jpg
  • Every morning, the girls from the Khan's camp are in charge of getting water all throughout winter in sub zero temperature. They have to dig hole in the ice to hope and find the spring that always freezes overnight..Qyzyl Qorum campment, Abdul Rashid Khan's camp (leader of the Afghan Kyrgyz). .Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_138.jpg
  • Girl learning to read Koran at Haji Osman:Bibi Hawa (11 yrs old), Marbet (6) and Chechen Gul (7). They start learning at 6 years old. They are taught only in winter 3 months/year..Campment of Tshar Tash (Haji Osman's camp), in the Wakhjir valley, at the source of the Oxus..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_402.jpg
  • Paper found on the ground of the only mosque in the Little Pamir (and highest one in Afghanistan!), built by Haji Osman, and used in the spring/autumn camp..On the way to Wakhjir valley, source of the Oxus river..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_562.jpg
  • Portrait of Marbet (7 years old), returning from looking over sheep outside. Her red cheeks are due to cold weather.
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_411.jpg
  • Portrait of Susaï (6 years old), Sultan's daughter..Campment of Tshar Tash (Haji Osman's camp), in the Wakhjir valley, at the source of the Oxus..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan valley, at the source of the Oxus..Winter expedition through the Wakhan Corridor and into the Afghan Pamir mountains, to document the life of the Afghan Kyrgyz tribe. January/February 2008. Afghanistan
    99_Afghanistan_Wakhan_Pamir_08_418.jpg
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