Afghan - Afghan (English spelling)

They are an ethnic group that accounts for 50-60% of the total population of Afghanistan, and are also called Pathan, Pukhtun, and Pashtun. In a broad sense, it is a term that encompasses all the inhabitants of Afghanistan. They are a proud and courageous people with dark skin and black hair, and they were the core of national unification, and even today they occupy most of the leadership positions. They are an Aryan people who once migrated from the Indus River basin, and their everyday language is Pashto, which belongs to the Eastern Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. They were originally nomads, and in the harsh semi-arid natural environment, they lived a nomadic life, mainly raising sheep and goats, moving around the southern hills and the central plateau. Even today, they retain their nomadic traditions and make carpets from their wool, a specialty product, but many have become urban dwellers and settled agriculturalists. Most of them are Sunni Muslims who are faithful to the teachings of the Quran. Although polygamy is permitted, most of them are monogamous today. They adhere to traditional lifestyles and emphasize the differences in behavior between men and women. Even in urban areas, women cover their heads with the traditional dress, the chaudhri, when going out to avoid being seen by others.

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Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アフガニスタン全人口の50～60％を占める民族で、パターンPathan、プクトゥンPukhtun、パシュトゥンPashtunともいう。広義にはアフガニスタンに住む全住民を包括した呼称である。浅黒い皮膚に黒い髪をもった、誇り高く勇猛な民族で、国家統一の中軸となり、現在も指導的地位のほとんどを占めている。かつてインダス川流域から移住してきたアーリア系民族であり、インド・ヨーロッパ語族の東部イラン語派に属するパシュトー語を日常語とする。元来は遊牧民で、半乾燥の厳しい自然環境のなかで、南部の丘陵や中央部の高原地帯を移動しながら、ヒツジ、ヤギ中心の遊牧生活を送った。今日でも、遊牧民の伝統は残し、羊毛から特産品のじゅうたんがつくられるが、多くは都市住民、定住農耕民となった。彼らの多くは、コーランの教えに忠実なスンニー派のイスラム教徒である。一夫多妻が認められてはいるものの、ほとんどが今日では単婚である。伝統生活に固執し、男女の行動様式の相違を強調し、都市部でも、女性は外出時には伝統的衣装であるチャードリーを頭からすっぽりかぶって人目に触れないようにする。

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