Kafiristanese

Kafiristanese refers to the language spoken by the people of Kafiristan, a mountainous region in northeastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. The language is part of the Indo-Iranian family and is closely related to Kalasha and other regional languages. Historically, it has been spoken by ethnic groups who practiced ancient polytheistic religions before converting to Islam. The language features unique phonetics and vocabulary, reflecting the region’s cultural heritage. Due to migration, cultural change, and language shift, Kafiristanese is now endangered, with many speakers adopting more widespread languages like Pashto or Dari.