WOMEN'S LIFE IN

AFGHANISTAN
MARTIN CORTES CARLA MARTINEZ
CLEMENTE FERNANDEZ GERONIMO PRADO
MARIANA GAMBOA SAMUEL QUESNEY
NELE GOPPNER RAQUEL RUBIO
ALVARO HIDALGO MARTIN ZUNINO
 • SUPERTITION IN AFGHANISTAN
• RELIGIOUS OCCASIONS

INDE •
•
LITERATURE IN AFGHANISTAN
ART IN AFGHANISTAN

X •
•
SIGHTS AND HISTORICAL PLACES OF AFGHANISTAN
DOMESTIC PRODUCTS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
• ---
WHAT IS SUPERTITION?
• Superstition means believing in the influence of
supernatural forces on nature, humans, and so on.
Superstitious actions and behaviors are usually
referred to as having no scientific or logical basis.
Superstitions arise from ignorance. That is why
countries with a majority of illiterate people
are more superstitious due to poverty, war and the
intervention of powerful countries.
SUPERTITION IN AFGHANISTAN
• Afghanistan is one of the countries where there are many superstitions.
• In the last twenty years, when the literacy opportunities have been provided to the
majority of the Afghan people, superstitious behaviors, words and deeds have been
declining, but unfortunately, with the Taliban seizing power, we may see the growth
of superstitions in Afghanistan again.
• The people of the village are more superstitious than the city. This issue is
related to both extensive illiteracy in the villages and the lack of facilities in the
villages. For example, when a villager does not have access to a doctor to see him for
treatment, he goes to the mullah (religious teacher) to pray or to a witch (magician)
to receive a magic to cure his pain.
MOST COMMON SUPERTITIONS
COLORS: NUMBERS:

DAYS OF THE WEEK: OWLS AND CROWS:

JINN

There are jinn according to Islam. Many

Muslims also believe in the existence of jinn.
Many people believe that animals that are
completely black are also jinn. Like a
completely black cats. Belief in jinn is
common among the people and many
people do strange things to get rid of
them.
Most of them believe that those who
suffer from mental illness are actually
possessed by jinns. People try not to be
alone somewhere to stay safe from jinn
BELIEF IN MAGIC
One of the most common superstitions among people is the belief in magic
and sorcery.
In Afghanistan, witches (magician ) are commonly known as prayer leaders,
and most witches identify themselves as prayer leaders; Because according
to Islam, witchcraft is forbidden, and no one has the right to practice
witchcraft.
However, most of them are liars and do not know magic at all and cannot
enchant anyone.
Usually, women believe more in magic and most of the clients of witches or
prayer leaders are women. A reason is that in most families, women are
responsible for solving most of the problems at home and family.
It is noteworthy that in recent years, due to the growth of literacy and
increased facilities, even in rural communities, the belief in magic and
wizards has become less than before.
 RELIGIOUS
OCCASION
S
• Celebrated based on both the
lunar and solar calendars.
• Important celebrations include
Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Ashura,
and Mabas.
• Religious festivities are
significant and are celebrated
in large, costly venues with a
high level of participation.
• The pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca is the
most crucial aspect of Islam.
• The Kaaba is the holiest building for Muslims.
• Every financially and physically capable Muslim
should perform Hajj at least once in their
lifetime.
• pilgrims walk seven times around the Kaaba
while reciting prayers.
• Commemorates the willingness of Abraham
(Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, as
ordered by God.
• Muslims sacrifice sheep or cows during this
Eid.
• Eid prayers and visits between family and
friends are part of the celebrations.
• It's the first month of the lunar calendar.
• Shiites mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, the
son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet of
Islam, during the first ten days of Muharram.
• During this period, Shiites wear black
clothing, avoid celebrating happy events, and
refrain from activities such as listening to
joyful music or dancing.
RAMADAN
• It's the holiest month in Islamic culture.
• Muslims fast from dawn to sunset
throughout the month.
• The start and end of Ramadan are
determined by the sighting of the
crescent moon.
• End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr):
• Celebrated over three days.
• Begins with the first sighting of the
new moon.
• Includes morning prayers and visits
to loved ones, followed by a festive
meal.
 LITERATURE IN AFGHANISTAN

• Literature has always had a special position in

Afghanistan. Literature refers to poetry and fiction and
literary prose.
• The first story was written in Afghanistan by Mowlawi
Mohammad Hussein Panjabi in 1919. The name of his
books was Jahade Akbar.
• Poetry in Afghanistan is very old. Afghanistan is the
homeland of the world's greatest Persian language poets.
• Until a few decades ago, literacy was done through poetry
reading. In many villages, children are required to learn to
read and write Hafez's poems.
• Poets are much respected in Persian communities. The
court of the kings of Afghanistan has been a gathering
place for poets
• Poets were mostly engaged in works such as teaching and
writing.
• Persian poetry is more about love, morality, spirituality,
mysticism, respect for others, religion and God
 RUMI OR MAWLANA

• One of the most famous poets of “THE FORTY RULES OF LOVE”

Afghanistan
• He was a mystic and a Sufi.
• Rumi composed the poems of
Divan Masnavi Manavi, which is
considered to be his most
important collection of poems
• Rumi also has a collection of poems called
Divan Shams Tabrizi.
• Rumi and Shams's friendly and spiritual
relationship has been turned into poetry
and stories by many poets and novelists
• The most famous stories written is "forty
rules of love" for Elif Shafa

 The Masnavi Manavi book is so important

 Many stories, plays and even films have been made from the poems of Masnavi
Manavi and Divan Shams.
 Rumi poetry is said to be the best-selling book of poetry in the United States
 SAMA DANCE
• Sama is a means of meditating on God
through focusing on melodies and dancing
• Sama dance, which is one of the most
famous Sufi dances was done by Rumi who
loved this dance.
• Today Mystics and Sufis, especially Rumi’s
fans, perform this dance while reciting
Rumi's poems.
FERDOWSI
• Great Persian poet whose poems are very popular
among the people of Afghanistan
• Ferdowsi's most important work is called
Shahnameh, in which he tells the story of many
kings and princes before him in the form of epic
poems.
"SHAHNAMEH"
• Shahnameh is the story of a hero named Rostam
who is a brave and kind man who fights against
many kings and courtiers.

RAHNAVARD ZARYAB:
 One of the greatest storywriters in
Afghanistan
 Zaryab had his own style of writing
and tried not to use any Arabic or
English words that entered the
Persian language.
SPOZHMAY ZARYAB:
 She is one of the best female
novelist in Afghanistan.
 She was the wife of Rahnavard
Zaryab
 The best novel called In Another
Country. Writes in Persians
NOVELIST
KHALID HUSSEINI ATIQ RAHIMI:
 Khalid Hosseini became famous for  Is an Afghan novelist and director born in
writing the novel Kite Runner. Kabul
 He has published three novels and a  The most famous novel is Sang Sabur.
very short story.  He writes novels in Persian and French
HUMAIRA QADERI:
 Is one of the most successful writers
in Afghanistan today.
 One of his best novels is Dance in the
Mosque, written in English
 Writes in Persian and English
 She is a writer, activist, educator.
ART IN
AFGHANISTAN
¿What is Art exactly?

There is no single definition of art,

but almost everyone agrees that
works such as films, paintings,
music, etc. are considered art.
Today, we will learn about arts such
as cinema, music, painting,
calligraphy, etc. In Afghanistan.
In Afghanistan there are three main
ways of expressing art:

-Cinema
-Music
-Calligraphy
Cinema
-In the beginning, Afghan cinema consisted only of news films about the
work and activities of the
government, and few documentaries were made. It can be said that in
Afghanistan, the subjects of movies have always been political and
cinema has always been a tool of the government.

-Across Afghanistan, there were 117 movie theaters, about 90 percent of

which are now either destroyed, taken over by government officials, or
turned into warehouses.
Since 2001, we have witnessed the resurgence of cinema in
Afghanistan, but unfortunately, due to the destruction of infrastructure
during the war and the instability of security, only a few good films
were produced.

-In recent years, some Afghan films and

documentaries have won international awards. For example, Siddiq
Barmak's film Osama won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign
Language Film in 2004.
Music
-Music is very old in Afghanistan. Almost all Afghans of all ethnicitiesand
races are very interested in music. Music is a part of people's lives. In most
small and large circles.
-Afghan music is often romantic. There is a style in Afghan music
called ghazal, which is just about love poems. Romantic music is
the most popular among the people.
-Robab is the national musical instrument of Afghanistan. This
instrument is more than a thousand years old and was made in
Afghanistan itself.
Calligraphy
-Calligraphy is very important among the people of Afghanistan.
Although most people do not have a good handwriting. Calligraphy
is considered by artists to be an art.
-Calligraphy can be found in almost all cultures, but it is very important
among the visual arts in the east countries, especially in the Islamic lands,
Afghanistan and Iran.
-It is common for parents to send their children to calligraphy classes. In
the past, calligraphy was highly valued by the people, especially the
villagers, and someone who had a good handwriting was respected. Today,
calligraphers are not as valued as they used to be.
 SIGHTS AND
HISTORICAL PLACES
OF AFGHANISTAN
• Afghanistan was a destination for many
foreign tourists before the communist
coup and the invasion of the former
Soviet army.

• Bamyan province was the

most important tourist destination
before war, which later became the
home to Arab and African terrorists.

• During the war tourism was perceived

as a dangerous and a risky activity.
Bamyan
• It’s a mountainous province in
central Afghanistan inhabited by
Hazara people.

• The most known attractions are

the large Buddha statues and
Band-e-Amir National Park.
 Buddha
statues
• There were two large Buddha statues (Salsal and
Shahmama) in the heart of the mountain.
• Salsal with a height of 53 meters
and Shahmama with a height of 35 meters were
the tallest standing Buddhas in the world. • They were unfortunately destroyed in
• It is said that they were built by Buddhists March 2001 by order of Mullah
between 300 and 700 AD. Some also believe that Omar, the leader of the Taliban
these statues are much older. terrorist group.
• The two statues are 800 meters apart. • Currently, only the vacant place of
these two statues are available
in Bamyan.
 Buddha statues
• There are temples and caves around the statues, which
were used by Buddhist religious and pilgrims who came
to visit. Most temples and caves are now completely
destroyed.
• Some people believe that Salsal is a man and Shahmama
is a woman. That is why it is said that these statues are
not statues of Buddha, but the statue of one of the
former kings of Bamyan and his queen.
• According to historians and Buddhists, the Buddhas of
Bamiyan had a golden covering
• From 2001 until 2021, when the Taliban came to power
again, Bamyan hosted thousands of tourists every year.
BANDE AMIR
NATIONAL PARK
(AMIR BAND)

• Several kilometers from the Buddha statues

• Bamyan is Afghanistan's first national park.
• Amir Dam consists of 6 small and large lakes that are
separated by natural dams. The water of these lakes is
supplied from a spring. Amir Dam is located at an
altitude of 3,000 meters in the heart of the mountains.
• Each of the lakes of Band Amir has a name. Gholaman
Dam, Zulfiqar Dam, Panir Dam, Ghanbar Dam, Pudina
Dam and Hibat Dam.
• The very clear and beautiful water of Band-e-Amir
attracts many tourists every year.
• The largest lake of Amir Dam is Zulfiqar Dam,
which covers 490 hectares of land.
• The smallest lake is the Gholaman Dam, which is
three-quarters of a mile long.
• The most beautiful and deepest lake among them
is Hibat Dam, which is approximately 2 miles long
and 500 yards wide, and is the third largest lake,
which has created a wonderful scene with the
background of dry hills with ruby water.
• The Panir lake or cheese lake is located just below
the Zulfiqar bar, which is approximately 150 yards
wide.
• The walls of this lake are like white cheese.
IKHTYARODDIN
CASTLE OR HERAT
ROYAL CITADEL
• The Citadel of Herat, also known as the Citadel of
Alexander, and locally known as Qala Iktyaruddin,
is located in the center of Herat in Afghanistan.
• It dates back to 330 BC, when Alexander the Great
and his army arrived to what is now Afghanistan. It
was then rebuilt by the minister of one of Herat's
former rulers, Ikhtyaruddin.
• The royal citadel was also damaged during the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which was rebuilt
after 2001.
• The castle is built on a low hill in the center of the
city.
• This castle has an area of 5000 square meters and
its highest point is twenty meters. The royal citadel
has 13 towers. In the past, this castle had beautiful
decorations.
• Ikhtyaruddin Castle is now a museum.
GREAT MOSQUE OF
HERAT
• Great Mosque of Herat is the oldest and largest
mosque in Herat, which has been very renovated.
• It was built about 800 years ago. The decoration of
the mosque dates back to different periods, but
they are all old.
• This mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques
in Afghanistan and the region.
• It is still used today, and Friday prayers are held in
it by Afghans.
• It is visited by many tourists every year.
• Takht-e-Safar Park, Malan Bridge, the tomb of
Khajeh Abdullah Ansari, Harirod River, Goharshad
Begum Tomb and Garden and the minarets are
some of the other tourist attractions of Herat.
 TOMB OF KHAJEH
ABDULLAH ANSARI

Takht-e-Safar Park

GOHARSHAD BEGUM
TOMB AND GARDEN
 BABUR GARDEN
• Babur Garden is a historical and recreational garden as
well as the tomb of Babur King, which is located in
Kabul.
• The garden was built in 1528 by order of Babur, one of
the Gurkha kings known in the West as the Great
Mongols of India.
• Babur is one of the few historical monuments in the
city that has been protected from wars and disasters.
• It is a historical park in Kabul which was also the last
resting place of the Mongol emperor Zahiruddin
Mohammad Babur.
• This garden is visited by many tourists every year. The
people of Kabul also go to this garden on weekends for
fun.
• Babur Garden is a lush and beautiful garden with a
variety of trees.
• Many celebrations are usually held in this garden
throughout the year by the government and the
people.
CHEHEL SOTUN
GARDEN
• Chehel sotun Garden, formerly
known as Chehel Sotun Palace, is a
very large and beautiful garden in
Kabul, which used to have a
luxurious palace.
• This palace was built in 1796 by
Shah Zaman Saduzai.
• Chehel sotun Garden is currently
one of the most important
recreational places in Kabul. Every
year, tourists come to Kabul to see
this garden.
 DARULAMAN
PALACE
• It was built in 1925-1926 during the reign of Amanullah
Khan, the king of Afghanistan and under the supervision
of German engineers. The palace had about 150 large
and small rooms when it was inhabited.
• Amanullah Khan had built the palace to use his
government apparatus and in his own name, but he
used it for less than two years and his reign fell.
• The Afghan Ministry of Defense used the palace in the
1960s. On February 6th, 1989, as a result of a coup led
by General Shahnavaz Tani, the former Minister of
Defense of Afghanistan against the government of Dr.
Najibullah, this place was bombed and part of it was
destroyed.
• During the civil war in Kabul, Daralaman Palace was
completely destroyed and nothing, but ruins remained.
• After Ashraf Ghani came to power, the palace was
rebuilt by his order and was to be turned into a
museum.
• This palace is not used at the moment.
 QARGHA DAM
• Qargha Dam is a small dam on the
outskirts of Kabul. This dam has become
a place of entertainment.
• Thousands of internal and foreign
tourists every year visit this place.
TAKHTE ROSTAM
• Takht-e Rostam or Rostam rock is a historical monument located in Samangan
province.
• It is about 3500 years old and one of the most important monuments left from
the Buddhist period. The border of Takhte Rostam is about 85 meters and there
are several caves and rooms around it.
• Buddhists used these rooms as temples or idols and worshiped them. The building
also had holes for storing and hiding valuables. The art of sculpture was also very
popular and flourished in this period. Signs of this art can be clearly seen on the
walls.
• About 25 percent of the Rostam Throne and its Buddhist caves have been
destroyed. Takht-e Rostam itself needs to be rebuilt.
• Some believe that this building does not belong to the Buddhist era but to the
Zoroastrian eras.
• Takht-e Rostam is one of the most visited places by tourists because it is one of
the strangest and oldest historical places in Afghanistan.
THE BLUE
MOSQUE
• The Blue Mosque, known as shrin of Ali (the first leader of
Shiites), is a large mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, the largest city
in northern Afghanistan.
• Some believe that the tomb of Ali, the first Shiite Imam, is in
this mosque.
• Nowruz celebration is held in this mosque every year.
• This mosque is the holiest religious place in Afghanistan.
Every year, thousands of Muslims from inside and outside
Afghanistan go to this mosque to visit the tomb of Ali.
• Many tourists also go to Mazar-e-Sharif to see this mosque.
• This shrine has been destroyed and rebuilt many times since
its construction (about 1,000 years ago).
 In general, Afghanistan has many sights that if the war is over and security is provided, this
country can be a tourist destination around the world. The only thing that is currently
preventing the presence of tourists in Afghanistan is insecurity. Lack of security has affected
the tourism industry in the country. Afghanistan has a beautiful nature that many tourists
want to enjoy being in that nature. Extremely high mountains, pristine forests, beautiful lakes,
and vast plains are some of Afghanistan's tourist attractions.
VIDEO
DOMESTIC
PRODUCTS &
NATURAL
RESOURCES
FRUITS OF
AFGHANISTA
N
• Kandahar Pomegranates are
exported to Arab countries,
USA and Canada
• The best apples are from
the province of Parwan.
• Best oranges: Nangarhar
SAFFRON ("Red
Gold")

• One of the most important domestic

product of Afghanistan
• The annual export revenue is millions of
dollars.
• Afghanistan produced the 10-20% of the
world's saffron.
DRIED FRUITS
• Pine nuts- Eastern Provinces
• Walnuts- Central Provinces
• Pistachios- Western Provinces
• Almonds- Central Provinces
WHEAT

• It's grown in almost every province in

Afghanistan, being the main agricultural
product of the country
• The wheat produced by Afghanistan is
not exported, but instead it's used
locally.
HONEY

• Honey is one of the most

expensive foods.
• Honey produced in
Afghan villages is very high
quality because bees feed from
natural flowers, its often taken
by rural beekeepers to cities for
sale
HANDICRAFTS
: Carpets

• Hand Woven carpets

where a great profit when
foreigners visited the
country.
• Given the current situation
of the country, the sales
have dropped, Also the
exportation of this
product has been
compromised.
 MINERALS

COAL COPPER IRON URANIUM

- Exported to Pakistan - Aynak copper mine under - Haji Gak iron mine - Is used for nuclear fuel
- Used to warm up houses in the buddhas, sits what - The total iron ore reserve- Has been extracted illegally
winter. seems to be the largest is estimated to be 2.2 by foreigners
deposit of copper billion metric tonnes,
placing Afghanistan among
the top 10 countries in
extractable iron.
 Azure of Afghanistan is one of the best azure in the world.
Azure stone was exported from Afghanistan to
Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Mediterranean. The jewelry
GEMSTONES of pharaos had the presence of Azure in them.

Other gemstones: Lapiz Lazuli, Kunzite, Morganite,

Emerald, Aquamarine, Hiddenite, Tourmaline, Beryl
THANKS!