Author(s): Pam Henson

Society

Biographies of women in the north-eastern Pakistani mountain village, Shimshal.

Women of Shimshal is a fascinating collection of autobiographical tales told by the women of Shimshal, in the remote Karakoram mountains. On the north eastern border of Pakistan, far from the fanaticism of extreme sects, the women of Shimshal lead peaceful lives of extreme hardship and good humoured tolerance.

When I was 15 there were 21 people living in the house and my friend Hasiet and I had to do all the weekly washing for the whole family, even in winter. It took all day and I got frost bite in my feet several times. My toes would turn black. We’d go down to the river and make a fire to heat the water.We used to burn our socks, trying to warm our toes by the fire.It was hard to find enough money to buy new ones with all those people in the house.

Hussn Bibi