K. CASTES.
“Raja (highest on account of position).
“Wazîr (of Shîn race, and also the official caste of ‘Róno’).
“SHIN the highest caste; the Shiná people of pure origin, whether they be Astóris, Gilgitis, Chilâsis, etc., etc.[75]
“They say that it is the same race as the ‘Moghals’ of India. Probably this name only suggested itself to them when coming in contact with Mussulmans from Kashmir or the Panjab. The following castes are named in their order of rank (for exact details, see “Hunza Handbook”):
| “Yáshkunn [the great land-owning race found in possession by the invading Shîns.] | = a caste formed by the intermixture (?) between the Shîn and a lower [aboriginal?] race. A Shîn may marry a Yáshkunn woman [called ‘Yáshkûni;’] but no Yáshkunn can marry a Shînóy = Shîn woman. |
| “Tatshön | = caste of carpenters. |
| “Tshâjjá | = weavers. The Gilgitis call this caste: ‘Byêtshoi.’ |
| “Akár | = ironmonger. |
| “Kûlál | = potter. |
| “Dôm[76] | = musician } |
| “Kramìn | = tanner? } (the lowest castes). |
“N.B. The Brokhpâ are a mixed race of Dardu-Tibetans, as indeed are the Astoris [the latter of whom, however, consider themselves very pure Shîns]; the Guráïzis are probably Dardu-Kashmiris; but I presume that the above division of caste is known, if not upheld, by every section of the Shîná people. The castes most prevalent in Guraiz are evidently Kashmiri as:
“Bhat. Lôn. Dâr. Wây. Râter. Thôkr. Bagâ.”