The Diversity of Figures of Authority: Religious Imaginaries and Social Change in a valley of the Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan

Abstract

The Wakhis of the Shimshal valley, in the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan, live mainly from livestock, agriculture and tourism, but also from jobs in commerce, banking and education, to name but a few, when they work in urban areas, either temporarily or permanently. Although the chiefs of the lineages hold considerable political influence in decisions relating to the organisation of pastoral migrations and the maintenance of local infrastructure, they all recognise the normative power of local religious figures of authority entitled to speak on behalf of the entire community. Several such figures exist, each deriving their legitimacy from religious imaginaries that the inhabitants share and consider to be true. While some of these figures and their associated imaginaries date back over a century, others relate to contemporary Ismaili institutions that stem directly from constitutions enacted by Ismaili Imams in the 20th century. Yet, their authority is increasingly challenged. Over the past two decades, a growing number of young people have left their villages, weakening the social organization of agriculture, livestock, and infrastructure maintenance. This paper examines how these authority figures embody, actualize, and mobilize religious imaginaries to reshape community relations and create new norms in response to new social and economic realities.