The Oral History Project, by the Ismaili Special Collections Unit of the Institute of Ismaili Studies, seeks to preserve the memories, experiences and stories of the members of the Ismaili communities across the world in their own voices. ⁠Learn more⁠.

In this episode of Voices of History, we meet with two remarkable women, Bibi Afroze and Siramdam Begum, from Hunza in North Pakistan. They share their recollections of the hardships of growing up in an isolated mountain community in the mid-20th century, but with an appreciation for its unique traditions, festivities and a profound sense of unity and hope. They also share their memories of the first-ever visit of an Ismaili Imam to the region in 1960, which has transformed the trajectory of the region.

As Bibi Afroze and Siramdam Begum were interviewed for the IIS Oral History Project in Burushaski, a language isolate spoken in Hunza, Nagar and Yasin valleys of North Pakistan. Click here to listen to the episode in Burushaski.