Alina – Pashtuns of Afghanistan patterns

ALINA – PASHTUNS OF AFGHANISTAN PATTERNS – BUNDLE OF 90 SEAMLESS, TILEABLE, EDITABLE PATTERN VECTOR FILES

“Alina is a Pashtun name for girls in Afghanistan.”

The Pashtun are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and constitute about two-fifths of Afghan population. They can be easily distinguished from other Afghan ethnic groups due to their Pashtun language and their way of life called Pashtunwali.

The homeland of the Pashtuns lies south of the Hindu Kush, but Pashtun groups are scattered all over the country. Most Pashtuns work in farmlands to earn their livelihood though some live a nomadic lifestyle.

During the hot summer months, many of the women prefer to wear printed cotton and rayon fabrics in bright colours. The textiles are often embroidered with symbols that are related to good luck, prosperity and fertility.

This section includes many of the following Pashtun elements: soft curves, organic flowers, curved trees, geometric patterns, including numerous stars, sharp angles, lozenge shapes and circular mirrors and coins.

The designs of the patterns are based on traditional Afghan embroideries which have been simplified and modernised. I have also added a range of different colour palettes to make them more versatile and widely accessible, keeping current tastes in mind. By making these time-honoured styles more usable and practical for use by new generations of designers worldwide, it is my hope that I can in a small way help create a bridge between East and West.

ETHNIC GROUPS OF AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan is a multiethnic society, consisting of a number of ethnic groups or tribes, which have collectively resided in the region for hundreds of years. They each have their own culture and specific ways of living, defined by unwritten codes and customs, and this is often reflected in their traditional embroidery.

EMBROIDERY

Embroidery in Afghanistan is done by women and young girls who create exquisite work to express themselves. They communicate visual stories to their close relations, from mother to daughter and tribe to tribe and maybe even to the wider world, thus ensuring the survival of their handed down traditions. Embroidery is also used to celebrate festive occasions.

The women equally embroider for their values and their love for their husbands and children and the embroideries serve to decorate fabrics used for curtains, cushions, dresses and shawls amongst others.

They are works of beauty and love, sparkling with motifs and patterns representing the sun, the moon, fruits, animals, landscapes, stars, flowers and petals, colours and exotic trees and flowers.