Kashgar
Kashgar is an oasis city west of the Taklamakan dessert which is mainly populated by Uyghur people. Uyghurs are an Eurasian (mixed ancestry) people with an Eastern and Western Eurasian look. The Uyghur (also spelled Uighur or Uigur) language is a Turkic language very similar to Turkish. The term Uyghur means "united" or "allied". Most are Muslim. Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. They are not to be confused with the Han (the quintessential Chinese people) and do not like to be called "Chinese". Tensions between Han Chinese and Uyghur exist and several Uyghur uprisings have taken place.On the streets of Kashgar:
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When you walk on the streets of Kashgar you are in China, but at the same time you're not! Uyghurs have a long history and a rich cultural traditions which are still kept alive today. Here you can read an interesting piece about Uyghur wedding traditions. Probably the most "famous" bit of Uyghur culture to us is their tie-dye print on a silk fabric which they call "atlas". This might not ring a bell, but maybe a few pictures do.
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| Famous Uyghur Print |
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| Uyghur Traditional Dress Style |
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| Me in my own Uyghur Print dress |
What fascinated me the most being in Kashgar were its women. They give their personal twist to Islamic dress rules and have great personal style. Below is a small impression. Since the language barrier kept me from asking permission for placing these pictures I have taken most in a way that made the women unrecognisable or I blurred their faces- which made some look pretty creepy, but yeah.
Kashgar: Culture shock guaranteed!
Go See for yourself...
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