BRUN, PAKISTAN
Teacher Noorzia Khan, 16, writes letters from the Kalasha alphabet on a blackboard during a lesson at the Kalasha Dur school and community centre in Brun village, located in the Bumboret Kalash valley on October 13, 2011. The Kalash, who number about 3,500 in Pakistan's population of 180 million, are spread over three valleys along the border with Afghanistan and are known for their distinctive dress, vibrant religious festivals, and polytheism. This tiny religious community claims descent from Alexander the Great's army, and say their unique culture is now threatened by a strict version of Islam promoted by increasingly relentless proselytisers, the impact of growing political instability and a shrinking local economy.