Who Are the Hazara

The Hazara are an Afghan ethnic minority group of mixed Persian, Mongolian, and Turkic ancestry.  Persistant rumors hold that they are descended from Genghis Khans army, members of which mixed with the local Persian and Turkic people.  They may be remnants of the troops that carried out the Siege of Bamiyan in 1221. However, the very first mention of them in the historic record doesnt come until the writings of Babur (1483-1530), the founder of the Mughal Empire in India.  Babur notes in his  Baburnama  that as soon as his army left Kabul, Afghanistan the Hazaras started raiding his lands. The Hazaras dialect is part of the Persian branch of the Indo-European linguistic family.  Hazaragi, as it is called, is a dialect of Dari, one of Afghanistans two largest languages, and the two are mutually intelligible.  However, Hazaragi includes a large number of Mongolian loanwords, which provides support for the theory that they have Mongol ancestors.  In fact, as recently as the 1970s, some 3,000 Hazara in the area around Herat spoke a Mongolic dialect called Moghol.  The Moghol language historically is associated with a rebel faction of Mongol soldiers who broke off from the Il-Khanate. In terms of religion, most Hazara are members of the Shia Muslim faith, particularly from the Twelver sect, although some are Ismailis. Scholars believe that the Hazara converted to Shiism in the time of the Safavid Dynasty in Persia, likely during the early 16th century.  Unfortunately, since most other Afghans are Sunni  Muslims, the Hazara have been persecuted and discriminated against for centuries.   The Hazara backed the wrong candidate in a succession struggle in the late 19th century, and ended up rebelling against the new government.  Three revolts over the last 15 years of the century ended with as many as 65% of the Hazara population being either massacred or displaced to Pakistan or Iran.  Documents from that period note that the Afghan governments army made pyramids out of human heads after some of the massacres, as a form of warning to the remaining Hazara rebels. This would not be the last brutal and bloody government repression of the Hazara. During  Taliban  rule over the country (1996-2001), the government specifically targeted Hazara people for persecution and even genocide.  The Taliban and other radical Sunni Islamists believe that Shia are not true Muslims, that instead they are heretics, and thus that it is appropriate to try to wipe them out.   The word Hazara comes from the Persian word hazar, or thousand. The Mongol army operated in units of 1,000 warriors, so this name lends additional credence to the idea that the Hazara are descended from the warriors of the Mongol Empire. Today, there are almost 3 million Hazara in Afghanistan, where they form the third largest ethnic group after the Pashtun and the Tajiks.  There are also around 1.5 million Hazara in Pakistan, mostly in the area around Quetta, Balochistan, as well as around 135,000 in Iran.

The Epic Poem, The Iliad by Homer - 879 Words

Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, is about the battles and events during the Trojan War between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles. Mortality and Immortality is the main crucial distinction between humans and gods. That being said, another interesting thing about them is how similar they are to human beings. They make mistakes, become jealous, and get their feelings hurt unlike our modern conception of god as infinite, omniscient and omnibenevolent. The Iliad literature on the gods does not display such of what we perceive how a god should be nowadays. Throughout the literature, the gods and humans may have similarities, but the role of the gods reflects the relationship with humans. In the Iliad, the Gods seem to see the Human people as a game and toys, that they are not that important. When the war between Menelaus and Paris, the God’s was an audience from above wagering bets on who would win over Helen. The gods did not care a bit about them. Zeus and many other Gods â€Å"sat in council conferring across Olympus’ golden floor as noble Hebe poured them rounds of nectar. They lifted golden beakers pledging each other warmly, gazing down on Troy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Book Four, 1-4), The Gods watch the people of Troy fight for their lives as they gather a party. This is different from many cultures because if the Gods see something negative happen, they execute something to try to fix it instead of enjoying the people’s pain and suffering. At this point of The Iliad, the Gods that we have readShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Poem, The Iliad By Homer975 Words   |  4 Pages The epic poem, The Iliad by Homer tells a story of tragedy and love. Every book in the epic contains pieces of evidence that wrap the story together. The themes that occur in both Books are competition, pride, and hate. Deception, war, and assistance from the gods are important factors in both Books. Book 3 and Book 22 share common ideas, themes, and events; however there are differences within these Books. In both Book 3 and Book, 22 agreements between the gods and the mortalsRead MoreThe Epic Poem The Iliad By Homer911 Words   |  4 PagesIn the epic poem The Iliad by Homer it talks about the events that occurred in the Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans, and also about their warriors, kings, and other people. But there are really important characters that play an important role in this poem, and there are the Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Greece. The gods and goddesses role in this poem is of controlling the lives of the Trojans and Greeks, intervening in their fates and destinies daily for their own good, provokingRead MoreHomer s Epic Poems, The Iliad And The Odyssey1254 Words   |  6 Pagesknown about the Greek Poet Homer. Actually, there are many who believe that no such ‘Homer’ ever even existed in Ancient Greece. 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From what we know Homer was the most famous of all Greek poets because of his written works, his legendary history, and his influential work. â€Å"Hateful toRead MoreEssay on The Mysterious Homer, Author of The Odyssey and The Iliad663 Words   |  3 PagesThe Mysterious Homer, Author of The Odyssey and The Iliad   A sketchy figure by the name of Homer is given credit for the two great epic poems of ancient Greece. The Odyssey and The Iliad influenced Greek culture, education, and morality. Little is known about Homer and many scholars question whether he existed at all. (Encarta) Some say two different unknown authors wrote the two poems. (Britannica) Others say that many oral poets were responsible for the finished products. (Britannica) In thisRead MoreHomer’S Two Tales, The Iliad And The Odyssey, Are Both1749 Words   |  7 PagesHomer’s two tales, the Iliad and the Odyssey, are both incredibly well known and widely taught across the world and at many different levels of education. Some call Homer the â€Å"greatest poet to ever live† and although this can be disputed his works truly speak for themselves and have braved the test of time quite well. This paper will cover who/whom Homer is as a person, or persons, and the time period of his writings, the truths versu s the dramatizations of the Iliad and Odyssey, how the author’sRead MoreExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 PagesHaley Vinson English 271 December 4, 2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad Thesis: Great honor comes with great responsibility. Glory should come with wisdom. Homer presents this idea in various ways. This theme is woven through The Iliad showing the foundation of dignified heroes and self-glorification. Introduction: I. Honor and glory A. Heroic actions B. God-like glory II. Social Status A. Greek Society B. Recognition and influences III. Mortality and immortality A. Glory afterRead MoreIliad Overview 1298 Words   |  6 PagesAn epic poem outlined by the Oxford English Dictionary says that its a â€Å"lengthy poem, usually one derived from ancient oral custom, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the historic previous of a rustic† The aim of the poems is to know the time of antiquity during which an epic poem depicts many things and readers can derive many causes from the poems. The Iliad of Homer, throughout which several things are, derived from the compilation of twenty-4 books, models theRead MoreThe Era Of Homer By Homer911 Words   |  4 PagesThe Era of Homer Although we cannot be sure of when Homer lived, we know he played a significant role in the formation of the literature of ancient Greece. Researchers believe that he probably lived somewhere around 8th century BC and was possibly one of the first literate authors. Other theories suggest that he only spoke his epics and they were put into writing by others. Homer’s stories show us the first glimpse of documented information of Greek myth and religion. Most important was theRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 Pages DWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courage

Words Will Do Harm free essay sample

As kids, many of us played the simple word game of hangman. Though the game may seem harmless, it is important to realize that the game teaches us something about life; if player one says the wrong thing to player two, it’s game over. Bullies often use words to attack their victims. These words, when used incorrectly, often lead to devastating effects such as depression, anxiety, and other physical and mental problems. Every day, I am forced to sit by and listen to rumors about my closest friends grow. One of my friends, who has been nicknamed Morgan for privacy reasons, has the unfortunate tendency to get bullied. Instead of listening to these rumors, I speak to him about other things, not revolving around the rumors, to cheer him up. I defend him and quite often tell off anyone who shares a rumor about him. Morgan’s story is one of the thousands of stories told today about bullying. People often ask, â€Å"How can we stop bullying?† I believe the first things we need to do is learn about what causes it to begin with, what effects it has on our mental health, and what prolonged bullying causes in the long-run. Understanding bullying and its effects will get us one step closer to finding solutions and ending the problem. To begin, understanding why bullying occurs requires a basic knowledge of what causes it in the first place. Bullying is often caused by family issues, social issues, and personal history among other smaller categories. Family issues include having an abusive parent, a divorce in the house, inconsistent discipline, and living in an unsafe/unclean environment. Social issues are closer to personal, mental reasons for bullying. They include a desire for attention, jealousy, envy, and the lack of personal/social skills. Personal issues are often edged on by other factors such intimidating family issues or a mental illness. Personal history is things that have happened in life because of previous actions, including poor grades, health, or social rejection. I feel like Morgan’s bullies were caused by a mix of all three. I know some of these people on a friend level and know that they get poor grades, or they tend to get jealous. Sometimes, I may offer to help them with these proble ms, but they are often out of hand. In addition to personal history, another factor of bullying, its causes, and consequences can be narrowed down to the ever-changing topic of mental health. Bullying is often linked to mental health issues on both the bully side and the victim side. Bullies themselves often have a spurt of low self-esteem and feel the need to relieve their pain on someone else. The victims, however, tend to show signs of depression and anxiety as well as physical problems caused by mental illness, such as absence from school and sickness. Teens who commit suicide, otherwise known as bullycide when caused by a bully, often have depression prior to suicide. Overall, there are 100 attempts at suicide for every fatal attempt. Once, I was shocked to find a note left in my locker by Morgan, who explained how he ‘felt like a slave’ and ‘found no point to life’ One student had even offered payment to Morgan if he killed himself. Even though I knew I needed to report the incident, I didn’t because I feared that I would ruin our friendship. To elaborate, before humanity can stop bullying, it’s good to know why it should be stopped in the first place. Bullying causes different outcomes from case to case. However, some of the most common effects the victim may receive are lower self-esteem, paranoia, chronic mental illness, and a dislike for school. As mentioned earlier, bullycide is suicide caused by bullying. Victims of bullying are up to nine percent more likely to consider suicide than other students. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in teens and kills 4,400 deaths per year. Continuing Morgan’s story, I must admit that I believe he has had some long-term effects due to the bullying. He shows strong emotion and has dark thoughts, similar to an experience I once had. I sometimes fear for his safety as well as my own. It’s hard to tell if a day will come when a close friend kills themself, or when they will be pushed too far. Putting it briefly, it is important to know why bullying happens, what mental health has to do with it, and the effects of bullying in the long run so that we understand what a large problem it is. I think that the government needs to set up a better system for mental health screening and a system for bullying reports. Research shows that diagnosing mental disorders early leads to better outcomes (Mental Health Screening). This system shouldn’t just help the victims, but the bullies too! There should be easier, less complicated ways to report bullying that are thought of as top priority. We should also take mental health seriously. The system should be a safer, less intimidating way to test for mental illnesses on everyone. If a person is uncomfortable, they won’t open up about their feelings, their abuse, or their bullying. If a bully knows they will be kicked out of school, they will never go to find help for themselves. On a personal level, a bystander can stand up for those who are bullied around them. Perhaps if everyone invited an outcast to eat lunch with them, play sports, or work on an assignment could save a life from suicide. All in all, bullying isn’t an easy topic to discuss or conclude, but if everyone does their part, we might find a solution for this ever-changing state of mind.