Dancing is not practised generally, as in the other Shin countries. Only “Doms” dance and sing, as this is their profession; they play on the “surúi” (pipe), rabáb (harp), and shaṇdo (drum).
The “purdá” system, or “veiling” women, is prevalent among the gentry, but it is only lately that the system was introduced into this country.
When a son is born, a musket is fired off, and the father of the newborn son gives an ox as a present to the people, to be slaughtered for a general festival.
Infanticide is wholly unknown.
Marriage.—The father of the boy does not go himself, as in Gilgit, to the father of the girl, but sends a man with 5 or 6 rupees, which he offers as a present. If the present is accepted, the betrothal (lóli) is arranged. As far as the woman is concerned the “lóli” is inviolable. The usual sum of dowry paid in cash is 80 rupees.
A bride is called “zhiyán,” and the bridegroom “zhiyán lo.”
Language.—On account of the want of intercourse between the tribes the language of Kohistan is broken into numerous dialects; thus the structure of the dialects spoken in Kandiá, i.e., in Gabriál and Patan, differs from that of the language spoken in Chilás and Palus, i.e., in the countries situated on this side of the Indus. Harifullah, a Gabriáli, did not understand any language except his own; but Ahmad Shah, an inhabitant of Jalkôt (situated in the southern part of Chilás), understood Gabriáli, as he had been there for a time. Ghulam Mohammad, our Gilgiti man, who had been captured in an excursion, and had lived as a slave in Chilás, also thoroughly understood Jalkóti.
The language of Kohistan (as Chilás, Kandiá, etc., are also called) is divided into two dialects, called Shéná and Shúthun respectively. In the countries situated on that side of the Indus, that is in Kandiá, Shúthun is spoken.
The following pages are devoted to Ballads, Proverbs, Riddles, and Dialogues in the Shúthun dialect.