Hazara’s are an ethnic group native to Central Afghanistan, particularly in the mountainous regions. Their roots are believed to be Mongol-Turkic, with their own language (Hazaragi) derived from Persian. They also have their own Hazara folklore – their own stories, myths and legends about how the world came to be. These stories and beliefs translate to geographical formations and important places you may have visited in Afghanistan – including Band-e-Amir lakes and Dragon Valley.
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Who Are The Hazara’s?
The Hazara’s are an Afghanistan indigenous group, from Hazaragistan (Central mountainous Afghanistan region). The majority of Hazaras are Shia Muslim, with a minority Sunni population.
Between 1888 and 1893, more than half of the Hazara population was massacred under the Emirate of Afghanistan and have faced more instances of discrimination and oppression since.
What does Hazara mean? Historian Abdul Hai Habibi suggests that the word “Hazara” is of ancient origin, derived from the term “Hazala”which gradually evolved into “Hazara” over time, and originally meant good or kind hearted.
Other people believe that the word may stem from the Persian word Hazar, meaning a thousand.
Even within the ethnic group of Hazaras, there are different origins (Turkic, Mongol, Iranian). What is widely believed however, is that their more Asian features may be due to the presence of Mongolians under the rule of Genghis Khan. Hazara’s are therefore believed to be a mix of different ethnicities.
Where Are Hazara’s Today?
Unfortunately, due to decades of turbulence in Afghanistan and persecution as a minority, many Hazara’s are spread across the globe with significant communities forming in Western countries such as Australia, the US, Canada and in Europe. There is also a significant demographic of Hazara living abroad in Pakistan, particularly in West Pakistan (Quetta) and in Iran (Masshad).
Hazara’s have been persecuted, largely due to their faith. Many Hazara’s are Shia muslim and follow the teachings and beliefs of Shia imam. In a country filled with conflict and persecution, this religious difference often left Hazara’s with a target on their backs.
In Afghanistan, Hazara’s are located as a majority in Bamiyan province. Significant communities also exist in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, Ghazni, Daikundi, Ghor, Uruzgan and Wardak.
The total population size is unknown – anywhere from 4-14 million worldwide is estimated. Without any recent census in Afghanistan and the spread of Hazaras worldwide, as well as the large number of refugees, it is difficult to even remotely specify the population size.
Hazara Folklore – The Creation of Band-e-Amir
In Hazara Folklore, the creation of Band e Amir lakes are related to King Barbur and Imam Ali. King Barbar refused to believe in Ali’s divine power and challenged him to control the wild, flooding waters of the river. Ali created the dams using materials at hand, naming each lake after the event:
- Band-e-Gholaman (Dam of the Slaves): Created when Ali commanded a group of local slaves to tear down a mountain ridge.
- Band-e-Haibat (Dam of Awe): Formed when Ali simply stared at the rushing river, freezing the water in its tracks out of sheer terror.
- Band-e-Zulfiqar (Dam of the Sword): Chopped into existence using his famous twin-bladed sword.
- Band-e-Panir (Dam of Cheese): Built when Ali threw local cheese into the water, which instantly hardened into stone.
- Band-e-Pudina (Dam of Mint): Wild mint leaves thrown into the water created the final natural barrier.
Scientifically, these “miraculous dams” are rare geological formations. Heavy mineral water, rich in calcium carbonate, slowly deposits travertine (limestone) walls across the river bed over thousands of years. This traps the crystal-clear, deep blue snowmelt into a chain of six spectacular high-altitude lakes.
Hazara Folklore – The Legend Behind Imam Ali and Dragon Valley (Dara-e-Ajdahar)
The Ajdahar formation is a volcanic and tectonic wonder that perfectly matches the physical anatomy of a dragon in the minds of local storytellers. From a distance, you can see locals and visitors climbing up what is considered the ‘back’ or ‘spine’ of the Dragon.
Hazara folklore tells the story of Imam Ali slaying the Dragon with his two-headed sword, which created the split down the Dragons back. The Dragon is still ‘crying’ – sulfur water gargles from what would be the dragon’s eye.
The 300-meter-long, 15-meter-high stone ridge is actually a massive travertine fissure. Over millennia, mineral-rich groundwater squeezed up through a fault line, depositing limestone on either side until it formed a massive, hollow spine. The water pushing through the limestone contains heavy concentrations of sulfur, iron, and salt. The reddish-brown iron deposits look exactly like dried blood staining the white rock. Because the ridge is hollow and sits above thermal vents, the air inside heats up, creating natural updrafts. On cold mornings, warm, sulfurous gas vents visibly from the fissures, giving the distinct impression that a buried beast is still breathing.
Hazara Folklore – The Oral Tradition of the Dambora
There is another interesting way of communicating folklore. Most legends were never scribed and instead are taught and passed down from generation to generation by song and instrument – namely the Dambora.
The dambora is a long-necked, two-stringed lute carved from a single piece of mulberry wood. It has no frets, allowing the musician to slide between notes, mimicking the eerie wind blowing through the Bamiyan gorges or the weeping of the tragic lovers.
Hazara’s play the dambora and recite poetry (Hazarigi poetry) to share stories. If the community was attacked, only one person would need to survive with the Dambora to keep the oral tradition alive. Writing was dangerous and carrying books while being persecuted could slow people down.
Hazara Folklore – the Ice Burners, Dark Spirits and Shape Shifters
Some modern stories describe Yakhsoz (The Ice Burners) as benevolent mountain spirits who dwell on high passes. According to these tales, they appear to travellers caught in deadly blizzards, miraculously creating fire from ice to keep them alive until sunrise. However, this figure is not well documented in traditional Afghan folklore.
Across Turkic cultures, people have long believed in malevolent spirits that inhabit caves, ruins, forests, and remote mountain valleys called Kara Neme (dark spirits). In some modern retellings, these beings are called the Kara Neme, invisible entities blamed for unexplained illness, dying livestock, and the unsettling echoes heard in isolated gorges. While the belief in harmful spirits is widespread, the specific name Kara Neme is not commonly found in historical sources.
Throughout Afghanistan’s mountainous regions, particularly in remote communities, folklore warns of malevolent spirits that can imitate the voices of family members or appear as harmless animals to lure travellers into the wilderness. These stories are most commonly associated with jinn or other unnamed mountain spirits rather than a single, universally recognised creature.
Hazara Folklore
Many indigenous cultures have folklore that have long explained the unnatural, unusual, or have provided a moral lesson important for communities. Hazara folklore is no exception – there are thousands of documented entities, people, events and stories that explain some of the most incredible geographical anomalies in the region and also the harsh weather patterns. Hazara International and other websites and scholars are documenting these traditional oral traditions to ensure they do not disappear.
