One of the things that struck me in Chitral was how different people's lives have been to mine. I really wanted to hear people's stories and learn what life was like in a mountain village, particularly from the older people who must have so many interesting stories and witnessed such change in their lives. Sometimes it was frustrating not being able to ask people questions because of the language barrier, but while I was there I grabbed Asif and asked him to translate an interview with his mother. I wanted her to tell me what she chose and what she thought was important, so I didn't ask many questions at all, but just listened to her story....

She first started talking about her childhood. When she was very little she remembered playing with dolls as with many little girls, but she also remembered playing with the cattle! The dolls she had were all handmade and beautifully embroidered. When she got older she started helping her parents with domestic work, particularly cooking and sewing. Embroidery was very important - mats, coats, and even entire bridal dresses were all embroidered and then sold. The cost of a whole bridal suit was one ox. Everything was either grown or made themselves, and very little was bought in the bazaar. People did not really use money.

She had an arranged marriage, and had never seen her husband before the wedding. She made all her clothes and suits herself before her marriage. She said that she was very happy to get married, and she had a very caring husband and family with whom she got on well. One story she remembers from early in her married life was some robbers from Swat who came and stole five of their families horses. Her father in law went to meet the robbers in Swat and held a big community meeting and asked the robbers to return the horses. There was such a culture of respect to guests and her father in law was so popular that the horses were returned. One had already been sold at the market in Peshawar so they returned the equivalent price in money. But then horses were stolen a second time, and again her father-in-law went after them, but this time he met the robbers in the mountain and was fired at. A battle took place the whole day, but in the end the robbers ran out of bullets and accepted defeat. He was thanked by the police for this.

She remembers when Pakistan became independent. A national guard was formed in each village and they went around shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' (long live Pakistan!). Some of those who were against Independence were socially boycotted - she remembers that one woman was forced to ride around the village on a donkey as a punishment. When Independence was declared both men and women came out to celebrate. She said that although people were illiterate it was celebrated with great pomp and show.

She has seen may changes in her village. When she was younger, everything was handmade, there were no vehicles but people used horses for any travelling. She used horses to travel between her parent's home and her husband's home. Then she started travelling in jeeps, then landcruisers, and now there are buses. First they were using lanterns for lighting, then gas, and now electricity. Another thing that has changed is awareness about the importance of education. Although she didn't have an education all her children are highly educated, and all grandchildren go to school.

'Now I am 71 and everyone likes me and I like everyone. People respect me because I am of a first religious family. My door is open to everyone, and they can all eat here. I like smiling faces very much.'