Some of the traditional customs which were or are celebrated now in
Altit are
Bophau
(barely sowing):-
An old custom that initiated the barely
sowing time was called Bophau( lit., seed scattering). In early February,
the tham (ruler) would go to the field near the Altit polo ground where
people from various communities were gathered.
the field is first manured in
preparation and the ceremony consists in the Mir's throwing up some barley
seed mixed with gold dust, after which he make some display pf
plowing the land. The plow is then taken in succession by the Mir's son
and by the wazir.
each of the men in turn plowed three furrows.
A formal prayer might have been spoken at this time would be "from one
grain ma there be one hundred; from one hundred grains may there be
thousands."
No Hunza farmer was allowed to sow seed before
the Tham had officially inaugurated the season with Bophau. This custom is
no longer practiced
Ginani (Barley Harvest):-
When the barley was ripe, Ginani a custom
to celebrate the eating of the first fruits of the barley harvest, was
celebrate the custom was and is still practiced on either June 21st (
which is the summer solstice), or on the Tuesday between the 2oth and the
25th of June. in the past when the barely was ready for harvest the
tham(ruler)gave the order that ginani would be celebrated ion such a day
and the charbuting(announcers) announce it in each giram (township). On
the evening of the appointed day, Ginani Hareep ( barley harvest music)
was played at the baltit fort. The tham performed the ceremony first, and
then all the people followed suit. nowadays this part of the ceremony is
no longer practiced, but the rest of the ginani customs are still
observed.
First, some dirum phitimuts ( a special kind
of bread) are prepared. Qhamaliching ( flat unleavened breads) are stacked
on a large plate and on top of these are placed the dirum phitimuts. Then
one more qhamali is placed on the side along with some dagoang (
flour) and butter.
This plate is then taken out to a barley field
by one adult accompanied by child, or by a solitary adult if there are no
children n the house. The person says the prayer " may God make the future
of this to be very good eating to us , and may he bring us a good year"
then the adult and child who have gone out
pluck the head of the barley stalk, apply some butter to it, sprinkle
flour on it, and eat a little bit of what is on the plate. They make a
small sheaf of four or five barley stalks and lay to on the plate , and
then take it all back to the house.
When those who had gone arrive back at their
house, those who stayed behind sprinkle both them and the lintel of the
door with flour. They take the stalks in the sheaf and roast them in the
fire until they become brown and then rub the heads in their hands until
the grains separate. then they take a bread , tear it up, and put it and
some buttermilk into a large bowl and mix it everyone eats the breads on
the plate along with the butter. Some of the stalks are also tied to the
central pillar of the house " to ensure go fortune".
The next morning the people used to assemble
at the maraka ( court of the ruler) for a tamasha( festive program).
This was called the Ginanie Tamasha.
Ginani is still practiced by many people
nowadays , although the parts involving the Tham(ruler) are left out.
Piyaqmar( bringing the barley to the threshing
floor):-
Thumushaling ( the winter solstice custom):-
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