Morning in Passu

Morning in Passu A gentle solo wander A tickling breeze Birdsongs greet the day An ancient stone path unfurls to guide my way The sun’s ethereal light pines to play Lighting my inner flame Blankets of clouds nestle themselves between the jagged mountain crevices The silty glacial milkshake river hums and harmonizes to its flow My heart slows to the beat of nature A peaceful vibrational tune Presence nurtures patience There’s nowhere to be but here and now Heaven exists on earth The gift of life envelops you A soft reminder A warm hug Thank you Passu For this permanent soul tattoo And granting me this morning stroll with you. Village of Passu, Pakistan June 2022.

Radiance

When I begin to reflect all I can think of is how incredibly hospitable the people of Pakistan are. It’s really indescribable. They are some of the most generous, kind, humble and joyous people I’ve ever met. I was asked so many times, is it safe? Well, I’ll succinctly and viscerally respond by posting this photo of Kalashi girls in Balanguru near the Afghanistan border. I want to remind everyone out there that the world is filled with so much beauty. Sure there are incredible challenges and struggles…but love and human kindness always prevails. Turn off the news and tune into your soul. Push yourself a bit and seek new places and faces. It’s what wealth truly feels like. Immerse yourself. Don’t constantly seek false validation from social media. Use your energy wisely. Dig deeper. Feeling raw and authentically you is perhaps one of the most beautiful states of being.

Glacial Eyes

Mirrors of the passing glacial mountain river Deeply set and hollowed as the precipitous valley we pass within Chameleons to their natural surroundings Jewels more precious than any stone Oh those eyes Hold everything My insatiably parched soul craves to drink in Nourishing and comforting An intangible kindness Tacitly reflecting grit and generosity At peace with his path Content with being off the map And those hands. Sinewy appendages…sturdy and resilient as the nearby wind blown poplar trees. Powerful as the unrelenting whitewater below Calloused as the surrounding granite cathedrals Sculpted over time much like the glaciers path Stories told I’ll never know nor understand A mysteriousness that might deter Yet his gentle vibration allures His eyes are my interpreter And his hands express what my heart already knows A spirit of the mountains Going about his chores Quietly existing in our world Perhaps one of my favorite portraits I’ve ever been granted. A borrowed moment and meeting near Gupis, Pakistan.

1 Less than 100

“I’m 1 less than 100.” “Health is good. Knee hurts but my mind is sound.” “What’s the secret?” We ask. The men softly reach for the other’s hand and an ensuing tender embrace. Their souls smile. The man on the right replies’ “Eating fresh food and cherries, drinking lots of chai, breathing fresh mountain air, being happy and spending time with dear friends.” There you have it. The wisdom of a long and fulfilling life. We crossed paths with these two best friends near Borith Lake sitting under the shade of a walnut tree in the early afternoon sun. A storybook scene. It’s these moments of humanity that soften and vibrate at our core. Borrowing from @paleyphoto ‘s project “The Softness of Man” and a ‘quote from a ‘wizard’ he met along the way…”We have come from the same stream, which has split to many rivers.” It rings so true. Let’s all make time for tenderness, for there’s so much strength that resides within our authentic selves. Let happiness ripple through our hearts, and prioritize time to sit under shaded trees with those we care about most. Being content with the here and now. Chatting but also allowing space for quiet reflections together.

Nomads

My head bounces in a trance-like state with the unrelenting bumps of the road I’ve grown weary after hours over the hours and my focus is limited. I’m doing my best to drink up the roadside scenes with my senses, but I’m feeling like a bit of a zombie bobble head. I fight the urge to let my eyes take a long quiet blink. I don’t want to miss a thing. Around another routine bend, and I’m completely arrested. It’s as if my blood has been injected with caffeine, and my curiosity comes to life. A family of 7 or 8 and 10-12 camels are stoically yet purposefully walking down the middle of the road. “Stop please!” I tell my driver Nasir. He hastily pulls to the side, and we jump out. A captivating scene. We speak with the family for a few moments consciously aware to not hold them up for too long on their mission. They are from Lahore. Several hundred miles away in the lowlands. They are nomads. For 9-10 months of the year, they walk. Everyday, they’re on the move. The compete a circuit through some of the highest mountains on earth going from town to town selling camels milk. They’ll spend one evening in each community before on to the next. I’m blown away by this….completely in awe. Thousands of miles walked every year, many of them barefoo, balancing 5 kilos worth of milk in a bucket on their heads…and setting up camp all while navigating their camels through this foreign terrain. The human spirit is beyond measure. This way of life is impossible for me to fathom. Their incredibly sunburnt skin and calloused feet carry the strength and pain. A distinct hardiness embedded in their core. A sense of dignity but also a bit of despair. It’s hard to place. Even the young kids carry a special wisdom on their faces that only incredible hardship can generate. It’s visceral and indescribable. It’s as if they are of another world from the one I live in…but also the same being that’s been put through such a tougher exam of life. A few moments later, they’re back on track dutifully making ground towards the next town. A window seat of life for me…a fleeting glimpse into this unbelievable way of life that has stuck with me and captivated me. I hope one day to dive deeper into this story and follow them for several weeks really absorbing their way of life and feeling the physical and mental tax. What a world we live in. The infinite diverse ways we walk about life keeps me seeking. I haven’t stopped thinking about this family and their story since crossing paths with them.

Style and Grace

Salahuddin Bhai

Salahuddin has been the guard at Baltit Fort for over 25 years. He's quite a famous guy around these parts. Try giving his name a Google search and you'll see. He has grown his Marco Polo mustache for 24 years. Here he poses for me outside one of the Fort's doors with his mustache tucked behind his ears. He's a special character.

Jagged Edge

The incredible peaks of the Passu Cones at sunset.

Giggles. A universal language of girls heard round the world. Kalashi girls at school in Balanguru in the Rumbur Valley

Passu Crossing

Considered 'one of the most dangerous bridges in the world," the Passu bridge spans the mighty Hunza River. For locals, it provides access to seasonable homes where they have small farms and take their animals to graze.

Pop of Red

A Kalashi woman holding her baby at dusk in Balanguru

Gulme Elder

A blind Kalash elder in Gulme poses in front of her home.

All Natural

A Kalashi girl in Balanguru proudly poses on her front balcony. A natural beauty and performer as she worked it for the camera in a gregarious way.

Passu Reflections

Ayun Boys

Students in Ayun pose for a photo during lunch break.

Breadmaking

I spent an hour with this Kalashi family watching an attempting to make a local bread called (au) made from corn. I'm shown around the intimate spaces of this home, the oldest one in Balanguru. For the most part, they carry about as normal and I try my best to blend in. They welcome me to take photos from what must look like an obnoxiously large black block in my hands. I patiently wait for the natural moments between the family. The elder men sit and chat. The kids watch me with equal curiosity. The women tend to chores (getting things actually done as seen so often around the world). It's everyday life unfolding in front of me and I'm here for it. It's what I live for. These experiences in pockets of the world I know so little about. Being shown what true community and a welcoming spirit looks like. Teaching me how I strive to be in my own home and town. There's nothing more nurturing than feeling welcomed with warmth. As I write this, I'm sitting on my front porch at home watching the world go by. I'm the only one out here. I continuously imagine all of the surrounding porches filled with people laughing, loving and living while inviting each other over. I often get frustrated by our box culture we've created. We confine ourselves to limit our social interactions. One can dream that someday we are as warm and welcoming as this family. Til then, I'll keep sitting on my front porch welcoming and watching the world.

Piercingly Blue

A man with astonishingly captivating eyes that penetrate the soul stands in his guard station near the border of Afghanistan in Baba Ghundi, Pakistan

Transluscent

A Kalash woman with incredibly translucent eyes stops and poses kindly for a photo near her home in Gulme.

Elder Chats

Two elders sit and chat in the oldest home in Balanguru. Time moves a bit slower here and connecting with each other is still part of daily life.

Eager To Learn

This girl came up to us in our home community of Nasirabad with a diary in hand. She asked if we'd all kindly sign it writing a note for her and greetings of our choice. She wanted to practice her English and have it as a keepsake. Not too many westerners pass through here generally, and she took full advantage of her curiosities for our way of life. That's the beauty of travel... Exchanging and sharing. It levels the playing field and gives us the realization we're all human, and we're all curious.

Mirrors of the Land

Mirrors of the passing glacial mountain river Deeply set and hollowed as the precipitous valley we pass within Chameleons to their natural surroundings Jewels more precious than any stone Oh those eyes Hold everything My insatiably parched soul craves to drink in Nourishing and comforting An intangible kindness Tacitly reflecting grit and generosity At peace with his path Content with being off the map And those hands. Sinewy appendages…sturdy and resilient as the nearby wind blown poplar trees. Powerful as the unrelenting whitewater below Calloused as the surrounding granite cathedrals Sculpted over time much like the glaciers path Stories told I’ll never know nor understand A mysteriousness that might deter Yet his gentle vibration allures His eyes are my interpreter And his hands express what my heart already knows A spirit of the mountains Going about his chores Quietly existing in our world Perhaps one of my favorite portraits I’ve ever been granted. A borrowed moment and meeting near Gupis, Pakistan.

Hand to the Heart

"As-salam-u-alaikum (peace be upon you)." A gentle handshake as equals Respect shown to elders. Slowly drawing the hand to the heart. A soulful smile. These tender moments. This is human. Altit, Pakistan.