Pukhtunwali and Spatial Tolerances: A Cultural Resilience in Tirah Valley Through Land, Hash, and Textile

Text by Graana Khan

Within the Khyber Pukhtunkwa region of Pakistan lies Tirah Valley tucked between towering mountains in the Orakzai Agency of the Khyber District. This project realizes three scales in which Pukhtun cultural resilience is expressed: the environmental scale – zmaka (land), the labor-scale – bhaang (hash), and the bodily scale – textile. The Pukhtun culture is rugged, stark, and steadfast; this project hopes to capture the moments of this resolute culture created by a dedication to daily practice.

This project is for the Pukhtun youth. As Pukhtuns, we are responsible for showing the youth the beauty in our resilience, stubbornness and fierce loyalty to blood. At the same time, we are responsible for confronting the reasons why we do what we do, and creating Pukhtun futures where both girls and boys are afforded the same opportunities.

This project was made possible with support from the Frank-Ratchye Further Fund Grant# 2024-001. Read more here.

Advised by Mary-Lou Arscott and Vernelle A.A. Noel