The Uyghurs Of Kashgar, A Unique Muslim Community

By Kurniawati Kamarudin This is the first of two features on the Uyghur Muslim community in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. KASHGAR (China), Dec 12 (Bernama) -- "As lovely as a flower." That is what all Uyghur parents wish for when the stork delivers them a newborn daughter. Some parents name their daughters "Guli," which means flower in their mother tongue, when they welcome the baby's arrival. So it was no surprise when this writer came across such names as Fatima Guli and Haneem Guli, among others, during her recent visit to Kashgar, located in the mostly Muslim Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The visit to the nation – population 1.4 billion population -- was courtesy of China Radio International (CRI). Kashgar is a prefecture flanked by eight countries, including Afganistan, Turmenikistan, Krgystan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. The Uyghur population has physical and facial features distinct from the predominant Chinese ethnic groups, the Han. After alighting from the plane at Diwobao International Airport in Kashgar, this writer felt that she could have been in Russia or West Asia instead of in China, as the people here exhibit facial features similar to the Arabs, Turks, Iranians and even Afghans. The women here sport the tudung (clothed headgear) similar to that worn by women in Turkey. MUSLIMS The Kashgar prefecture has a population of 4 million. The majority are Uyghurs and 90 per cent of them are Muslims. Hence it was no surprise as this writer discovered that the garments, architecture and food here resemble those of Arab nations and Turkey. The Uyghurs, officially declared an ethnic group in 1935, have their own language and alphabet script. The script resembles Arab script, reflecting the roots of Islam here. On most of the road signs and notice boards here, there are three forms of script. Topmost is in Uyghur, followed by Mandarin, with romanise writing at the bottom. Kashgar is well known for fresh fruits, including grapes and watermelons. The Uyghurs are known for their unique culture, particularly their dances and songs. This writer learned that Uyghur children and women are exposed to the music and dance, which has Middle Eastern traits, in childhood. As for food, the main menu here is mutton-based. Almost everything on the dinner table here has mutton in it, kebabs, rice, soup and others. There is also naan bread, which does not differ much from that in Malaysia. The bread is more crunchy and can be kept for as long as three months! THE MUSLIMS OF KASHGAR Islam took root in Kashgar in 10 AD, and this is reflected in the more than 5,000 mosques in the perfecture. In Malaysia, the Muslim men wear the kopiah (skull cap), and it is the same here -- only the headgear is a squarish type of songkok, which is the identity of the ethnic group. The Uyghurs are friendly. They do not know either English or Mandarin, but their faces lighted up when this writer told them that she is a Muslim. Some of them broke into smiles and replied "subhanallah", when this writer told them that she is a Malaysian. Most of the men here work in agriculture and business, while the women stay home to take care of the family. EIDGAN MOSQUE This writer had the opportunity to visit Kashgar's most renowned mosque, Eidgah, which was built during the Ming Dynasty in Hijrah 862 (1442) Masehi. The Eidgah Mosque is globally renowned as one of the ten oldest mosques. Its prayer hall, dome, tower and main gate show the Uyghur architecture and influence. The mosque has undergone several renovations since 1955, when the province was designated the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In 1962, the mosque was made an Islamic heritage site, and on July 25 this year, an historical heritage site. This is the only mosque that can be visited by women. In Kashgar, women are prohibited from performing their prayers in mosques and only do it at home. The 16,000-sq-metre mosque can accommodate up to 100,000 people during Aidilfitri and Aidiladha prayers. The writer and her fellow journalists visited the mosque three days prior to the Hari Raya Qurban and found that many people were there preparing for the celebration. According to the Imam of Eidgah Mosque, Hilama, 50, the Uyghurs in Kashgar have a three-day holiday to celebrate the festival. He said the Qurban ritual is done at home, and only the skin of the slaughtered animal, such as lambs, is contributed to the mosque. KASHGAR BAZAAR This writer had the opportunity to visit the Kashgar Bazaar, with 6,000 shops offering various products, such as apparel, decorative items, fruits, spices and the like. There all sorts of products here on offer from 10.30am until 9.30pm everyday. Men gathered at several open areas around Kashgar with the livestock they offered for sale for the Qurban. At Guza Road, this writer witnessed the trade of livestock for Aidiladha. Some of the men had travelled more than 40km to offer their sheep, priced between 2,500 and 3,500 yuan each. The traders use hand signs to denote the price of the livestock, while the prospective buyers counter back with their prices by whispering in the traders' ears. The offers and counter-offers go on until both sides agree on the price. That is one of the unique customs practised by the Uyghur community. -- BERNAMA