The KALASHA archives

The KALASHA archives

Introductory
Introductory Autumn Winter Spring Audio

SAWEL'IK HARI

SAWEL'IK HARI

SAWEL'IK HARI (16 December). Having fun dancing in disguise.

This is a daytime celebration when the Kalasha have great fun. There is a lot of singing and dancing in the open air. The flute is also played and the fun comes to a climax when men get disguised wearing goat skins and put on male goat horns on their heads, and dance wildly making indecent gestures. [Scenes reminding the wild dances of men worshiping the Ancient Greek god Dionysus, god of merriment and frenzy feasts with wine].

Dancing in the open air. Women dancing in semi-circles or individually and men dancing on roofs.
 
Dancing in disguise. Wild individual dances by men disguised as male goats or as women. Music: Singing, clapping and the flute.