No one knows the exact origin of the Burushas; however, according to legend, three soldiers from the army of Alexander the Great came and settled in the Hunza Valley around 300 BC. Another legend says that the Burusho were driven from northwestern India into Pakistan by IndoAryan invaders.

HISTORY
For hundreds of years the territory of Hunza was ruled by a mir, or prince. From 1892 until 1949 the British ruled this territory; however, in 1949 Pakistan gained control of Hunza when a truce made by the United Nations brought an end to the fighting between Pakistan and India. The mir was allowed to rule over local concerns until 1974, when Pakistan took over complete control.

WHAT ARE THEIR BELIEFS?
Although the Burushas were traditionally animistic (believed that non-human objects have spirits), Islam is now their primary religion; however, the Burushas differ from valley to valley as to which faction of Islam they follow. Most of the Burushas are Ishmailis, while others are Shia or Sunni Muslims.

The Aga Khan is the spiritual leader for the Ismaili Muslims and is believed to be the only one who has the "Holy Spirit". They also believe that he is in the world to lead and guide the people, and he is representative of God's speech and actions, and that he is the only one who can fully understand the Koran and God.

The Ismaili do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but rather that he was a great prophet. Since Christians are accepted as their "spiritual relatives," the Burushas have no hostility to them. They are even open to discussions about God and do not discourage Bible reading. The Shia, however, are not as open to the Gospel.

WHAT ARE THEIR LIVES LIKE?
Although the Burushas are a proud people, they are still very warm and friendly. Most of them are farmers, while still some are involved in tourism or trade. Others serve in the military or work for the government.

Family ties are very important among the Burushas. The husband is the head of his household. The Burushas do not usually intermarry with other ethnic groups in the area, not even with the Hunza Burushas or the Nagar Burushas.

Their houses are primarily built of concrete or stone and are not very warm during the winter months. Wood is scarce, so kerosene is often used for heating.

The Burushas eat a low protein diet which consists mainly of fruits, grains, and vegetables. Peaches, apricots, and nuts are among their favorites. They raise sheep, goats, and cattle for the milk and wool. Their chief industries include production of woolen cloth and fine handkerchiefs.

"Burushaski" is the spoken language of the Burushas, but it is not yet a written language. Each of the three valleys (Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin) has a distinct dialect, with most similarities found between the Hunza and Nagar dialects. Urdu, is the secondary language of the Burushas.

Education is highly favored, especially for girls; however, the need for qualified teachers is great.

Since Burushaski (the language of the Burushas) is still an unwritten language, qualified workers are needed to develop a system of writing for the Burushas so that the Bible can be translated into their language.

Over 73,000 Burusha men, women and children have never heard the name of the Lord Jesus.

Less than 1% of the Burushas are Christians and there are very few known churches in the Burusha area.