This is from Telegraph Blogs, posted by muhanga on 01 Sep 2007
Brushiski - Language Isolate
Pakistan has had a bad press recently. However, earlier in the year I
visited this much-maligned country and found a different Pakistan. We
travelled up the very impressive Karakorum Highway (only constructed in
1986) from Islamabad to the Khunjerab Pass and the Chinese border. Along our route, we had to pass through the very beautiful Hunza Valley. This historic area, part of the old Silk Route, was an independent principality until the 70’s but has now been incorporated (not a popular move amongst the locals) into Pakistan.
The Hunza are amongst the most friendly and hospitable people I have met anywhere in the world. The valley also boasts 90% literacy (a figure the UK would be hard pushed to emulate). They are Shia Moslems but of the Ismaili sect with the Aga Khan as their spiritual Imam. The Ismailis must be the most benign and peaceful Islamic groups. Some of the Hunza have a striking western European appearance with brown, fair hair and blue, green or grey eyes. They are renowned for their longevity and do not suffer from cancer, obesity or hereditary diseases. They claim to be descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great’s army.
The extraordinary thing is that most speak a language known as Burushiski known to the pundits as an ‘language isolate’ or not related to any known language (rather like Glaswegian).
A Hunza Girl - Burushiski speaker