Korphe is a small village at very high
elevation in Baltistan region of the Gilgit-Baltistan province in northern
Pakistan. It is situated at the foot of the
Karakoram mountain range along the banks of the Braldu River.
Korphe
is exactly located at the base of K2 and Mt Masherbrum. Braldu River flows down
the western flank of the Karakoram Mountains. The Baltoro Glacier flows to
their doorstep. The River Braldu separates Korphe from the village of Askole.
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| Braldu River flow through Korphe Village |
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| Bridge on Braldu River |
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| Suspension Bridge on braldu River |
Korphe has a
population of about 400 residents. The household are about 40. Each home
consists of a large communal room with a woodstove in the middle. When a Balti
woman marries, she lives with her husband and his family. Therefore, most
households include children, parents, grandparents and other members of the
extended family. It‘s local language is balti.
As Korphe is a
small subsistence farming community, Braldu
River is very important source of life for them. The
Braldu River flows through the village of Korphe. To get the water they need to
walk at least ten minutes to Braldu River. The inhabitants depend on crops and
livestock. The main and local crops are potatoes, wheat, barley, beans and
small vegetable. The livestock are yak, zou (cross between a cow and yak) cows,
sheep, chickens, goats and ox.
Korphe people
face harsh reality and unforgiving way of life. They had challenges to produce
crops to feed their families, though the landscape and climate make farming
difficult. In winter, they crawl into tiny basement dugouts and spend six
months huddled together, barely kept warm by smoky yak dung fires. During the
summer, many Korphe residents travel ‘upside’ for the higher elevations to
their ‘summer village.’ Water and food are more abundant for the animals at
higher elevations during the summer. In the snow fall season, the villagers
herd the animals back down to the winter village and harvest the summer
gardens.
They travel
long distances over harsh terrain to markets in larger towns to buy goods they
cannot grow themselves. The people depend on very simple food. Most meals
consist of lentil soup, naan (flat bread), and rice. Sugar is scarce and
precious in there.
Medical care
is nonexistent. Broken bones go untended, burns are left untreated and diseases
due to malnutrition are common parts of village life. Blindness and deafness
prevail due to untreated chronic infections. Cataract is common there. Most
staggering of all is infant mortality rate under age one, mostly caused by
diarrhea induced dehydration.
Korphe people
seem to not only accept their destiny, but embrace it. They are also acutely
aware of their land's environmental constraints and face it with bravery and
courage.
