Indigenous archaeology and heritage in Pakistan: Supporting Kalash cultural preservation through education and awareness

In this article I reflect on work I am engaged in to support heritage preservation within and along with the indigenous Kalash community in Pakistan, as an active member of that community and the head of the Chitral Museum. As a curator and archaeologist, my main aim has been to secure and protect the identity of the Kalasha people and our links to the archaeological past. I also work with the community to improve the recognition of both tangible and intangible heritage, particularly in the context of challenges posed by factors such as socio-economic, environmental, and political issues impacting the livelihood, health, and education of the Kalasha people. The key changes needed are improvements in education done in conjunction with improvements to livelihood and infrastructure–it is through working on all of these needs in concert that we will also be able to do heritage work, as these are all interrelated. Ultimately, I seek to preserve the archaeology of Chitral as well as greatly improve public awareness and education regarding Kalash history and culture–I want every Kalash child to be proud of being Kalash.