Pakistan 2009: People

Here are a few quick shots of some of the wonderful people of Pakistan. The Balti people of the Northern Areas are ethnically different from those of the south.    The region known as Baltistan and the people living there are influenced by Tibet in everything from the language to the way they build and paint their homes.

This is typical of native Balti dress.  A Kurta, wool vest, and the rolled wool hat which is unique to the region.

The city of Skardu while a main hub for the Northern Areas of Pakistan.  It seems small tucked away into the mountains at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar rivers.  Due to time constraints as well as the focus of my journey to Pakistan I wasn’t able to shoot as much as I would have liked in Skardu.

The porters on our journey to K2 were mainly if not all Balti men from the surrounding villages of Hushe, Askole, Skardu, Hunza and Gilgit.  They are nimble on their feet considering their loads.  Each porter carries around 45 pounds or 20 kilos plus their own food, stoves and water.

Like most places outside of the industrialized world you hitch a ride wherever and however you can.

There are a few things I found that the Pakistanis and Americans do that are similar.  One of which is they both like to advertise their faith.  In the USA it comes in the form of a fish on the bumper or a cross from the rear-view mirror.  In Pakistan it’s all about Allah in big letters.

In that same vein like Americans–Pakistanis really like their trucks.  Here we may have ‘Yosemite Sam’ or  the Mud Flap Girl.  In Pakistan it seems to be all about spangles and pressed metal.