01/12/2021
Calendar of Activities Chawmos Festival,2021
8 Dec Chutyak Sarazari
9 Dec Ghona Sarazari
14 Dec Khuta Mru
15 Dec Chu~i Nari
16 Dec Sawelik Hari
18 Dec Istongas Rat (for Kalash)
19 Dec Gos’nik (for Kalash)
20 Dec Ghona C’anja Rat (for Kalash)
22 Dec Lawak Behe’k (for Public)
Detailed Calendar of Activities Chawmos Festival, 2021
8th December, 2021:
Chutyak Sarazari: Smoke making and visiting villages and each household, boys and girls sing songs in each house, they offer food and fruits and they sing songs of blessings for the family and for their good health and luck. The smoke they make is out of Pine and Dehar leafs and also who’s smoke goes higher will have good luck and good weather.
9th December, 2021:
Ghona Sarazari: It has the same activities but at large gatherings, similar activities are followed.
14th December, 2021:
Khuta Mru: On this day, fresh wheat flour is grinded, then at night time, they make walnut breads, small animals of the flour, they are made with small signs and decorations. The next morning the bread is distributed among the relatives and neighbours.
15th December, 2021:
Chu~i Nari: Boys and girls go to a higher slope of the sacred place and there they do a purifications and rituals and come down by holding each other, they enter the Jes’tak Hans and they dance around the fire place of the temple and the boys and girls make pastes out of the firewood of pine and dehar leafs. Next morning very early they make paintings of the ceremonial Hall, they decorate with different paintings of the animals.
16th December, 2021:
Sawelik Hari: This event is for the public, and is the main event, which takes place at Bumburet, Krakal village. Mostly officials and tourists come and participate in this event. On this day, the boys and girls, they change their costumes (dresses) and they cover their faces, so that no one will recognize them. They dance and compete with each other and sing songs all day and will continue till late night.
17th December, 2021:
Cleaning day, Rest day: Preparation day
18th December, 2021: (Only for Kalash)
Istongas Rat: At this event, during the day time, the female household is purified with juniper leafs and also walnut bread is prepared. It's called S’is’au, at night time, all the male, get together and purified with animal sacrificed. After the purifications and rituals, they go to houses who have the ceremonies for their children. They make walnut bread all night till morning, they sing songs, and all the relatives come to cook the bread for the family.
19th December, 2021: (only for Kalash)
Gos’nik: On this day, the uncles of the boys and girls come to their houses, with a gift of Sheep and goats, and they are offered lots of gifts, fruits and food. After the ceremony, the boys and girls dance and the elders sing songs for them. The villagers are given gifts and bread for the family's ceremony and for good deeds.
20th December, 2021: (only for Kalash)
Ghona C’anja Rat: The elders and boys make torches from woods, at night time they lite the torches, they gather from one village to another, by singing songs in a row and proceed to the main venue. There the male group go to higher mountain areas and the female folks stay at the villages, they continue the ceremony till morning by singing songs and dances.
21st December, 2021: (Open for public)
Rest day/ : At a few villages, the boys and girls still continue the singing competitions.
22nd December, 2021:( Open for Public)
Lawak Behe’k: It is the last day of winter solstice, chasing fox day, mostly the officials and tourists come and participate in this event. At this event, the boys go into the higher mountain slopes and beat the drums and chase the fox. After chasing the fox, if the fox moves towards the sun, they believe that it will be a good year ahead and if the fox goes towards the snow bound areas, then it means, it will not be a good year ahead. All the villagers get together at the main venue at Bumburet valley, Broon village. Lots of singing, dress change dances, boys act like girls and girls act like boys and they cover their faces to hide their identity. This day marks the New Year for the Kalash people.