GREEKS KALASH AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT

The people of the Kalash tribe who live in Chitral, Pakistan believe they are descendants of Alexander the Great’s troops who settled in the area about 23 centuries ago. The Kunar River, a tributary of the Kabul river that drives into a tributary of the Indus river flows through the region. Numbering less than 5000, their culture stands in danger of being wiped out. They are a small ethnic and religious community with many characteristics that distinguish them from the rest of the locals; fair skin, and blue/green eyes; these characteristics contribute to the idea that they must be the carriers of the blood of the Greek Soldiers who came in 300 B.C. Even though they are surrounded by Muslims, they have stuck true to their customs and practices. They are polytheists who worship many gods like the ancient Greeks and nature is important in their spiritual/daily life. Their mythology and folklore have all been compared to that of the ancient Greeks but in reality, are much closer to Indo-Iranian (Pre-Zoroastrian-Vedic) traditions. They celebrate three festivals in a year which have become a tourist attraction; they drink homemade wine and dance to drums. When it comes to their beliefs, Kalash rituals make use of several sacred drinks including wine, hinting at a possible link with the Greek God of wine, Dionysos. They live a quiet lifestyle, with livestock farming being their primary source of food and each household raises goats, with milk, honey and cheese as staples in their diet. However, even though there are clearly possible links to Alexander, many scientists including the Pakistani genetic scientist Dr Qasim Ayub concluded that the Kalash people do not have Greek origin through DNA tests.