Print

    Handicrafts of Hunza Valley: Displaying the Brilliance of Hunzakuts

    Written by: Haroon Shuaib
    Posted on: August 04, 2022 | | 中文

    Handicrafts on display in Karimabad, Hunza

    The natural beauty of Hunza Valley has few parallels and this mountainous region is home to a rich culture. For centuries, Hunzakuts (the people of Hunza) have been carrying the legacy of excellence in making beautiful and distinct jewellery, embroidery, pottery, architecture and woodwork. Although tourism remains the mainstay of the economy of Hunza, sale and export of handicrafts to national and international markets generates additional revenue for the people, who are also famous for their industrious nature and the legend of their longevity.

    An old lady with her embroidery

    Hunza region is situated at the convergence of the three greatest mountain ranges: Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindukush. It is a kaleidoscope of cultural influences from neighboring regions such as China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Ladakh. The richness of these influences makes the ethnographic and cultural landscape of Hunza valley as alluring as its landscape.

    Hunza cap with jewelry embroidered

    The region is blessed with natural precious and semiprecious stones, such as aquamarine, topaz, emerald, ruby, pollucite, rutile quartz, morganite, apatite, spinel and pargasite. People of Hunza have been cutting, strewing and embedding these gems together to form some of the most delicate signature handmade Hunza jewellery. This jewellery is distinctive due to its elegance, distinct patterns and use of these beautiful stones. A visit to Hunza is incomplete without a visit to a local jewellery shop and it would take a lot of discipline to not over indulge.

    The intricate and elegant woodwork produced by Hunzakuts is equally outstanding. Carpentry was traditionally a male-dominated occupation in Hunza, but recently it has also been taken up by female artisans. Blessed with quality wood, including the timber obtained from apricot, walnut, almond, cherry and pear trees that abound in the area, which is used to make furniture, doors, utensils, musical instruments and decoration items. Intricate and elaborate designs, mainly centered around geometric patterns can be seen in old architectural edifices and furniture. While use of wood in architecture has reduced over time, Hunzakuts have turned this legacy of wood carving into a cottage industry of smaller everyday items. One such artisan is Shafqat Karim, who gave up being a policeman to follow his passion for wood work and carving. Each autumn season, he spent months collecting wood from old trees that had fallen down during harsh and extended winter spells of the Upper Hunza valleys. Cutting down a tree was totally out of the question for the ever-conscientious Shafqat to make items, such as salad servers, bowls, dishes and serving spoons.

    Wood carving enterprise at Karim Abad, Hunza

    Like almost all regions of this part of the world, Hunza too has its own tradition of weaving rugs and carpets. This combination of art and skill is practiced by both men and women. Since people of Hunza have a close association with farming livestock as part of their lifestyle, the raw material used for making these vivid carpets is hides and wool of lambs, yaks and goats. Hunza’s carpets are distinct as they are not mass-produced and are mostly handmade.

    Carpets and rugs from Hunza in a shop

    Women of Hunza, like other rural communities of Pakistan, learn embroidery from a young age and learn this art from their mothers and grandmothers. Hunza women have a tradition of wearing a beautifully embroidered cap under a long chador (a cloth used by women for covering the body). Hunza’s embroidery typically has brightly coloured geometric designs and also finds its place on new items of utility, such as wallets, purses, belts, bell pulls, clutch bags, pen holders, pincushions, slippers, cushion covers and other knick-knacks for more urban consumers, especially tourists that throng the streets of many little and fascinating towns of the Hunza valley. One such noteworthy artist has been Shukrat Bibi of the Karimabad town of Hunza, who not only practiced the art of Hunza embroidery all her life, but also taught her art to hundreds of other young girls and women of the region. In recognition of her invaluable contributions, she was awarded the President’s Pride of Performance Award in 1992. Her efforts contributed to an increase in the incomes of many households as patrons of the traditional art of Hunza do 2 thread embroidery (do sutti karahi) . Men wear long woolen gowns in Hunza to protect themselves from its harsh winter. These gowns are now worn by men mostly as ceremonial robes and are also embellished by a special style of embroidery in earthy tones. Many social enterprises such as Karakoram Area Development Organization (KADO), Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and Hashoo Foundation (HF), support and promote handicrafts from Hunza through linkages, value addition, innovation and training in latest market trends. Many websites are now using e-commerce platforms to market these products from Hunza for global clients.

    Shukrat Bibi was awarded the prestigious Presidential Pride of Performance Award in 1992. (Photo, Aurangzeb Haneef)

    The list of the handicrafts that Hunzakuts have been practicing generation after generation include many others besides embroidery, woodcarving, weaving of cloth and rugs, jewelry-making and musical instruments. Many artisans are also associated with crafts such as basket and mat-weaving, leatherwork, weaponry, tools and crafts of the blacksmith. It is important that while modern technology, influx of a greater number of tourists and connectivity has made handicrafts of Hunza visible and available for a larger number of potential customers, the excellence and quality that is a hallmark of the handicrafts of Hunza should not be compromised.

    Men in Hunza wear long gowns in earthy tones with traditional embroidery as ceremonial robes


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021









    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir



    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.