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The Right of Water and Salt in Afghan Culture Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Dec 19, 2012
Today, I will introduce you to a very interesting concept in Afghan culture and tradition. It could be considered as the unwritten code of conduct towards a host in Afghanistan. It is called “The right of Salt”, but before I tell you what it is, I have to tell you this short story. There was…
Exchanging Pleasantries (How to be charming in Dari) Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Dec 13, 2012
Today we are going to discuss the usage of some pleasantries. These are the words that we very politely and charmingly use in certain situations to show respect, appreciation or humility. You don’t even have to speak the language well to be able to use these phrases. By using these words you will come across…
Family in Afghan Society Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Dec 5, 2012
In Afghan society, family is the single most important institution and support system. In Every family the father or the oldest capable male is the head of the family. The head of the family and the male members of the family are responsible for providing for the family and taking care of the family. Almost…
How to say “Excuse me”, and “I am sorry” in Dari Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Nov 29, 2012
In this lesson we will teach you how to say “Excuse me” , “I am sorry”, and how to apologize in Dari. In English we have two words that are used for apologizing and excusing. One says “I am sorry” to show that he/she regrets doing something or to show that he or she feel…
Afghan Calendar and Months of the Year in Dari Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Nov 26, 2012
Afghans do not use a single type of calendar. There are three different types of calendars used in Afghanistan which are as follow: Hijri Shamsi (solar Islamic) Miladi /Isawee ( Gregorian /Christian) Hijre Qamari (lunar Islamic) Based on the Afghan constitution the official calendar of Afghanistan is Hijri Shamsi. Hijra means emigration and Shamsi means…
Rubab, a Famous Music Instrument in Afghanistan Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Oct 25, 2012
As Part of our introduction to Afghan culture and languages, I have written about the Attan and the Afghan music, but since I am visiting Afghanistan, I will take the opportunity to introduce you to an Afghan Music instrument, Rubab, which sometimes is referred to as “the lion of instruments”. Rubab is a string instrument with…
Afghan Traditional Clothes Posted by Sayed Naqibullah on Jul 27, 2012
Afghan Traditional Clothes In Afghanistan, people wear both the traditional clothes and the western clothes; however, you will see more people wearing Afghan traditional clothes. The western clothes are usually worn in formal settings and schools. In the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, more people wear western clothes, but in other big cities like Jalalabad…