Hazara dress and embroidery from Afghanistan

Afghanistan has always been home to many peoples and cultures. The Hazara people speak Hazaragi, a language related to Persian, and make up the third largest ethnic group in the country. In the past, they lived in many areas of Afghanistan, including the central Hazarajat region. But today, many have been displaced and they continue to face persecution, in part due to their religion: most Hazara people are Shi‘i Muslims, while the majority of Afghans are Sunni.

In the face of hostility, embroidery and dress help to maintain a sense of communal identity for the Hazara people, both in Afghanistan and among diaspora communities. There is a great diversity of dress and embroidery styles in Hazara culture. Women produce most of the embroidery, working by hand. They decorate elaborate festive dress for women and men, but also simple household items. The vibrant examples in this display reveal the technical and design skills of the dressmakers and embroiderers.