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AFGHANISTAN (The Wakhan Corridor) 2006
If you look at a map of Afghanistan, you will see an awkward tongue in the far northeastern part of the country. That is the Wakhan Corridor and Pamir. The Wakhan Corridor is inhabited by the minority Wakhi Tajik ethnic group, followers of the Ismaili sect of Islam, while in Pamir there are the Kyrgyz, who are Sunni Muslims. The formation of the boundary of the Wakhan Corridor was very artificial. Russia and Britain, who was fighting in the 'Great Game' in Central Asia, used the Wakhan Corridor of present day Afghanistan as the buffer of their Imperium. And now, the Wakhan valley is sandwiched between high mountains of Tajikistan and Pakistan. Walking along the Wakhan Corridor, which is only 15 km wide, indeed will give you a feeling that the giant mountains on the left and right (Tajikistan and Pakistan) will fall on you.The Wakhi people are separated in 4 countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Tajikistan. It's man who made the line, dividing the God's world, and causing families to be separated.
In this album I am trying to introduce the life of the Wakhi in Afghanistan. They are an Ismaili minority who are waiting of freedom and prosperity. Tajikistan has been an idol for them. On the Afghan side, there is no electricity, shop, bazaar, telephone network, road, and vehicle. There are only muddy houses with lonely animals and people full of hope. Across the Amu Darya River, poor Tajikistan is proudly showing their power lines, busy highway with passing cars and trucks, and beautiful wooden houses. Even the cows' songs and laugh of the Tajikistan children can be heard from Afghanistan
Until when will the Wakhan Corridor be locked in the flow of history?
Jika Anda melihat peta Afghanistan, akan tampak sebuah lidah menjulur di bagian timur laut Afghanistan. Itulah Wakhan Corridor dan Pamir. Wakhan Corridor didiami oleh bangsa Wakhi Tajik, penganut Islam Ismaili, dan Pamir didiami oleh bangsa Kyrgyz, penganut Islam Sunni. Terbentuknya Wakhan Corridor ini sangat artifisial. Russia dan Inggris yang bertarung dalam 'Great Game' di Asia Tengah menggunakan Wakhan Corridor sebagai pembatas imperium mereka. Dan kini, lembah Wakhan terjepit di antara gunung-gunung tinggi Tajikistan dan Pakistan.
Berjalan-jalan menyusuri Wakhan Corridor yang hanya selebar 15 km, memang terasa seakan terjepit gunung-gunung raksasa. Suku Wakhi sendiri akhirnya terpencar di 4 negara: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, dan Tajikistan. Adalah manusia yang menggaris-garis dan membagi-bagi dunialah yang menyebabkan suku-suku terpecah-pecah.
Dalam album ini saya berusaha memperkenalkan kehidupan suku Wakhi di Afghanistan, para minoritas Ismaili yang mendambakan kebebasan dan kemakmuran. Tajikistan kini menjadi idaman. Di sisi Afghanistan, tak ada listrik, toko, pasar, jaringan telepon, jalan, kendaraan. Yang ada hanya rumah-rumah lumpur dengan ternak-ternak kesepian dan penduduk yang penuh pengharapan. Sedangkan di seberang sungai Amu Darya, tampak negeri miskin Tajikistan yang dengan bangganya memamerkan barisan tiang listriknya, jalan tol dengan mobil berseliweran, dan rumah-rumah kayu mereka. Bahkan lenguhan sapi dan suara tawa anak-anak Tajikistan pun terdengar dari Afghanistan.
Sampai kapankah Wakhan Corridor akan terkunci dalam aliran waktu?
 | ::Inside This Albums |
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| WK 01 Ghoz Khan | WK 02 Majestic Peak of Baba Tangi | WK 03 | WK 04 A Wakhani Tajik Woman from Krat | WK 05 |
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| WK 06 | WK 07 | WK 08 | WK 09 | WK 10 Afghan Minority |
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| WK 11 | WK 12 | WK 13 | WK 14 | WK 15 |
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| WK 16 | WK 17 | WK 18 | WK 19 | WK 20 |
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| WK 21 | WK 22 | WK 23 | WK 24 | WK 25 |
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| WK 26 | WK 27 | WK 28 | WK 29 | WK 31 |
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| WK 32 | WK 33 | WK 34 | WK 35 | WK 36 |
- 1 - 2 - 3 -
| ::Album Comment Entry |
| ::Album Comments |
| November 20, 2009. From: R A Body | |
| Thank you for the beautiful pictures. I offer a small correction in the first paragraph of the English language of your text: "emporium" is not the word you meant, but "empire" is. | |
| January 29, 2009. From: Mureed of Hazrat Ali | |
| I pray May Hazrat Ali (A.S) Protect all Ismaili families from such difficulty An Ismaili | |
| October 20, 2008. From: Aneeza | |
| Ashame!!!! Good workr! I can see Afghanistan through your picture. Nice and amazing picture. i'll tell u, u are such a great photographfr. good luck for u | |
| September 24, 2008. From: Rian Hidayat | |
| Great job! amazing journey just begging... put a tittle (when,where,who) in every picture, please! .. i things it can make a viewer feels more involved to them thanks | |
| July 3, 2008. From: Pin | |
| Amazing pictures! | |
| June 30, 2008. From: idho | |
| well Mr..... now i know, your story were publish on the Weekender, a copy of free magazine of The Jakarta Post February edition. so.. i guess i'm waiting for another story then......... happy journey......... | |
| June 16, 2008. From: idho | |
| if i'm not mistaken, i've read this on an indonesian daily or some magazines (i'll check it on again i suppose).... so it is u who wrote such a story. good work AvG...... keep going | |
| February 9, 2007. From: rino karva | |
| nice picture.....dahsyatt...foto2 yg bagus....komposisinya artistik..perfect tehknis...oke deh semuanya.....tapi ada satu pertanyaan???..gue ngerasaain realitas wakkhan corridor dalam foto ini adalah...tempat kecil indah yang eksotis......bukan realitas yg tempat gersang..sepi...dahsyat kejam...tandus...seperti tempat2 di afganistan lainya...atau seperti yg diceritain diatas...saya cuma mo tanya mas Agustin....kenapa lebih memilih realitas yg menurut gw indah ini ketimbang realitas yg lainnya??? atau mungkin realitas or rasa indah dalam foto ini cuma intertpreatsi gw aja...heh3X...klo bs dijawab yah...tuk refrensi thesis nih...mengenai semiotika fotografi..thanks yahhh | |
| November 5, 2006. From: Nathalia | |
| Hong Ming!!!! Satu kata buat kamu: kamu luar biasa!!! I proud of you! Udah lama kita tak jumpa, kalo ke sini kita daki ChangCheng lagi ya.. Suskes selalu, take care! | |
| October 23, 2006. From: David Wirawan | |
| senang dapat kabar lagi, tambah keren permainan lightingnya, tapi yg terpenting dari photo2 ini adalah espresinya, bagaimana mendekatkan diri ke mereka dan mengambil photo mereka. Sempat kawatir karena lama ngak ada kabar, dan liat2 websitemu blum ada perkembangan hahahaa... perjalanan ini bagus, kalau aku bisa katakan ini bisa dibuatkan buku ttg Afganistan dari lensa matamu :) Fotonya sangat berbicara... | |
| October 8, 2006. From: sunkid | |
| jarang ada petualang hebat yang juga jago mengambil gambar seperti anda ! | |
| October 5, 2006. From: luckfi | |
| Unbelievable..!!!! Hebat sekali, anda layak mendapatkan lebih dari sekedar Pulitzer man!!! | |
| October 3, 2006. From: rikie | |
| anda luar biasa !!! amazing... | |
| October 3, 2006. From: omar ishananto | |
| Hasil Karya perpaduan kegigihan,keberanian,kesehatan,ketrampilan,yang menyatu,LUAR BIASA. | |
| October 3, 2006. From: john allen | |
| fascinating beautiful!! | |
| October 2, 2006. From: To2 | |
| Saya sudah masuk website ini berkali2, tapi tetap merinding setiap masuk melihat gambar dan membaca cerita kamu. DAMN! u make every human jealous with ur experience. Keep your eyes open and share your experience. Even i dunno you, just be safe and GBU To2 | |
| October 2, 2006. From: E.K.Umbas | |
| Sungguh luar biasa, bukan saja indah tetapi juga tidak terbayang bagaimana foto2 tsb. dapat dihasilkan kalau bukan dengan pengorbanan waktu, biaya serta dedikasi, keberanian dan profesionalism. Selamat dan semoga sukses terus. | |
| October 1, 2006. From: Wiet Stevanus Moniaga | |
| Pengalaman dan presentasi visual yang luar biasa. Teruskan semangat explorasi ini untuk membuka mata rohani, mengisi kerinduan jiwa dari nilai-nilai kemanusiaan yang universal. | |
| September 30, 2006. From: Roy Goenawan | |
| Suatu pengalaman hidup yang benar2 LUAR BIASA. Layaknya seorang Missionaris...he..he.. he... Terima kasih atas sharing foto2 ini. GBU Always... | |
| September 29, 2006. From: sindhiarta | |
wah, mau komentar apa lagi, semua bagus2 banget gitu | |
| September 27, 2006. From: Yunita | |
| Guilaaaaaaaaaa bonengg foto lu benar2 T.O.P B.G.T so natural gitu looh | |
| September 27, 2006. From: Maria Asten | |
| Bravo, Bravo...Keep up the good work bro :-) | |
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